Weird white goo in soil - what could it be?

Hello all,

Just been digging out some beds, removing old plants etc (we've just moved house) in order to prepare for planting garlic, and I noticed some clumps of a strange substance in one part of the soil! It's white, consistency is like brie (!!), quite sticky and is in small clumps, partially mixed in with the soil. I have had a close look at it but can't work out what it is. I thought it might be a fungus? Or possibly something that our landlady chucked into the soil one evening and is now decomposing!

If this sounds familiar to anyone I'd really like to hear from you! Now not sure whether it's safe to plant the garlic :cnfs:

Paddy

 

hi,
check this website out
www.english-country-garden.com

 

Hi,

Thanks for the reply, I had a quick look at the 'fungus' page but it isn't really appropriate, as it's not 'mushrooms' that I'm seeing and it's not growing on the surface of the soil, it's literally clumps of sticky goo underneath the soil which I unearthed while digging, they don't have any specific shape!

It's very strange!

Paddy

 

I'm no expert..I wonder if it may be water retention granules, that turns into "goo" when wet...and as its cold now it may be part frozen...therefore turning it white?

I'm more than likely way off in this...

Steve...

 

I would also say it was fungal. The mushrooms only come up at a particular time what you are seeing is the network it makes under the soil, and it is more often than not white. Although a pic would determine it.

 

Perhaps an ant nest? Their eggs and larvae are white and they do create loads of eggs.

 

Could it be some tasty morsel buried by a fox or dog "for later"?

 

Could u take some pics?

 

Has someone dumped a bag of lime, it goes all gooey like that.

 

Here are some pix I just took of the stuff:





Any ideas??

P

 

How much is there? also could it be fat from maybe a barbecue or something?

also found this: http://www.gardeningjournal.com/2008/04/06/white-gooey-stuff/

 

I Also thought Fat from a BBQ

 

There's about four or five lumps like that, plus quite a few other, smaller bits, all mingled in with the soil. It's very difficult to get the soil off it as it's so sticky.

Fat from a BBQ... could be possible, we've just moved into the place so it's possible that the landlady had a BBQ and chucked the leftover fat into the border, although how would it end up buried in the soil?

The stuff in the link you posted looks very similar but unfortunately no-one has told the blogger what it is, either!

Hmm - I obviously need some of the equipment from CSI!!

P

 

could be rotted bulbs or tubers

 

Some hand cream might be required also.

Does look like fat doesn't it. What does it taste like ?