PDA

View Full Version : Mushrooms in the Wood Pile


David Tang
10-06-2004, 9:22 AM
My wood pile seems to be growing mushrooms out of it. Is it still safe to burn these logs?
Jim Becker
10-06-2004, 9:28 AM
They gotta eat, too! :D No problem burning, but fungi is a sign that your wood is getting "old"--or will be soon. But I think that the weather this year has been condusive to fungi because I have it on my pile, too, for the first time since we've been burning wood in our stove.
David Tang
10-06-2004, 1:53 PM
Does old mean unburnable? Is that a word?
Jim Becker
10-06-2004, 2:06 PM
Does old mean unburnable? Is that a word?
Fungi on the surface shouldn't be an issue. But if the wood has started to get punky...it's been hanging around too long and will not burn very well, both from moisture and from the conversion of the "fuel" into whatever the decomposition process turns it into. A piece here and there is inconsequential. Whole stove loads are not going to be pleasing, IMHO.
Chris Padilla
10-06-2004, 2:29 PM
David,

Mushrooms like wet conditions. One of my landscapers told me that it is a good sign of extensive watering of new sod if you get mushrooms popping up during the critical first 2-3 weeks of getting the sod to take root.

One I cut back the watering to a normal schedule (2-3 days a week), the mushrooms promptly disappeared.

So I didn't really answer your question about burning but I think if you can somehow get the wood dried out, the mushrooms might disappear and you might be fine for buring. Heck, anything will burn if it gets hot enough, right!? :)
Dave Right
10-06-2004, 2:38 PM
I know you guys on the east coast got a whole lot of rain but it should be drying out by now. If not, then cover the top with something to keep the rain off but yet allow the pile inside to dry, at least that's what works for me. The wood is still good assuming mushrooms have not been growing all year.
Gary Max
10-06-2004, 2:43 PM
No the mushrooms aint hurting anything.
They are just letting you know that the wood is wet and has started to rot.
Do not eat them--
Greg Tatum
10-06-2004, 6:36 PM
What kinda wood is it?....Maybe you've got some spalting going on...open it up and check it out :)

Greg