This year I mulched with wood chips that were slightly decomposed and I have several different types of fungi growing in my soil which I understand is a good thing but I'm worried about mold later in fall. I also used bioag vam when I transplanted but I do every year this is the first time I have seen fungi growing. I always wet down the area with neem but never my plants or soil but still think it helps with mold. I don't want to destroy beneficial fungi in my soil but I want to find a way to be sure mold doesn't spread from the fungi. Thanks for any advice.
Years of growing outside in Southern California the only 2 things I really have to fight are Powdery Mildew (Green Cure once a week for that) Caterpillars ( BT once a week to keep them fuckers under control, bacillus thuringiensis) That's it. Done deal. Mold at harvest or during cure is a whole different issue and best dealt with by breaking down all the big colas at harvest to thumb sized nuggets. BNW
That should be different type of fungus that causes your bud rot and what you got growing there. Fungi tend to be specific in their roles and something like a wood lover fungi like you got wouldn't effect your bud. I would wager your fungus that's growing there may even help stop other forms of fungus from starting because of the competition from it's spore load in the air and landing on your leaves. Or maybe not, I'm really high.
Bud rot usually comes from budworms boring into the flower cola. Use Bt as B&W has suggested during flowering to prevent the caterpillar from feeding on the flowers. PW
Thanks BrassNwood, I hope not to spray my plants with anything. I'm in Indiana and fall rain can lead to bud rot so I will keep those in mind. Thanks michganman, that makes more sense to me than anything else I have read lately. Any idea the spore that creats bud rot? I'm starting to think spraying down my plot with neem is a waste of time outdoors as spores can probably fly for miles. Interesting, I have read about caterpillars and bud worms before but never dealt with anything like it. It can get quite cold late September, October and maybe that's why I never dealt with this yet?
The type of mold that causes bud rot is Botrytis. I've had it a couple times, always on dense main colas. One of those times were from bud worms for sure, and if I can get them this far north, I'm sure you could as well.