Smells in mulch

[Boudicca]

Don't know what it is, but something smells terrible in our front and back yards. I noticed a small hole (similar to snake burrow) close to one of the stinky areas. Any one else got similar problem, or ideas as to the cause of this "dead" odor?

[Uptown Girl]

This is not related to the snake, but
Do you have pine straw in these areas?
Shran, do you have gutters at the roof line in these areas?

If you do have pine straw, try taking a rake (or something like that) and turn some of the pine straw over
to see if there is mold or mildew- type white stuff underneath.
If pine straw is deep and/or compacted, it may need a little aeration- especially if there are no overhead gutters and the area gets a lot of rain run-off.
We had that happen- and had the odor. We added some gutters and it helped a lot. Eventually we decided to change out our landscape and eliminated the pine straw. (but not for that reason) Pine straw worked very well, otherwise. Might just need to be fluffed a bit.

Just a thought. :wave:

[billethkid]

pine straw = dead pine needles = that deteriorate (ROT!) = dead smell......as stated above all mody and damp and stinky under the top layer.

And the bugs and some other critters love it.

[Boudicca]

No, don't have pine straw, got the rubber mulch and stones. The decomposing odor is pretty bad... I did go and rake the rubber mulch around, but it had no odor. This seems to eminate from the holes I mentioned....

[Uptown Girl]

No, don't have pine straw, got the rubber mulch and stones. The decomposing odor is pretty bad... I did go and rake the rubber mulch around, but it had no odor. This seems to eminate from the holes I mentioned....

Oh� that's creepy. Was hoping it would be a quick fix.
Keep us posted.

[batman911]

Do you have gas lines?

[Boudicca]

no gas lines

[PJUCTH]

We had small bushes removed that smelled horrible. they have tiny leaves and see tyhem growing in the villages landscape

[JAV0108]

There is a white and brown mushroom that smells like dead animals and worse. I have been told that they are called ***** mushrooms. (don't kill the messenger) They look like them too. Even when they are dried up and laying down they smell really bad. I get them on my north side a lot. I dig them out by the roots. I can tell when I have one instantly, as they smell is horrendous.

[Boudicca]

Ah , it might be the Shirt mushrooms. :) dang spell check

[Steve & Deanna]

Not sure that they sell it here but back in VT, we use cedar mulch which does NOT attract bugs. We freshen it up a bit every other year.

[Chuckw]

We have lived through that problem.... I am told that it is worse in Cyprus mulch... It is actually a "Stinkhorn" mushroom.... check out this link:

Phallaceae: The Stinkhorns (MushroomExpert.Com) (http://www.mushroomexpert.com/phallaceae.html)

Tough to get rid of.