Mushrooms in the stack

[GordonShumway]

We have an old foundation that recently housed a chicken coop, but was torn down due to it falling apart. We went ahead and decided to use the old foundation by running steel pipe with supports and stacking the wood on top of it. The problem is that I wasn't thinking as I began to stack the wood. I was putting the older wood towards the back and moving forward as I went. The more I thought about it, I realized I needed to move the old wood towards the front where the sidewalk comes to the foundation and the old entrance used to be. Foundation roughly measures 15' X 45'. I had about 4 cords to move, and as I was moving it, I begin to find mushrooms growing out of some of the logs. It has been really high humidity the last few months and the area is partially shaded. I am thinking any seasoning I had made up to that point was all in my head.

 

[CTYank]

Without seeing specifics, I'd guess it's trickledown: rainwater trickling down into the pile. Have you taken any measures to divert rainwater elsewhere?

 

[GordonShumway]

No, but after I restack will start thinking about a cover (wish now that I would've saved some of the tin panels from tearing down the coop). Also the other end of the stacks is going to have more sun light on it, so that should help it. The stuff that had the fungus growing on it also was covered in ivy. So that I'm sure wasn't helping.

 

[holland_patrick]

Hell I've got shrooms in my lawn on the sunny side of the house and the grass is all dried up around them...

it's crazy

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

If you had a chicken coop there, the ground is probably pretty well fertilized. I used to use chicken poop for that and it works great. Sound like your wood is going through the natural decomposition process it would in the woods. I don't think the mushrooms will really hurt anything, but you could spray the wood with something if it bothers you.

 

[GordonShumway]

It only bothers me in the sense that, if mushrooms are growing then the wood is fairly damp. Hopefully moving the stack more in the sun will help. For the past 3 mos. we have gotten a lot of rain and humidity has been consistently between 70-90%. So I am sure that hasn't helped. Make sense about the fertilizer.

 

[Thistle]

If you know what Morels look like,I'll be right over lol Normal season is late April-mid May around here,further south its sooner,north its later.Though I did find a lone one in mid June back in 2008.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We have an old foundation that recently housed a chicken coop, but was torn down due to it falling apart. We went ahead and decided to use the old foundation by running steel pipe with supports and stacking the wood on top of it. The problem is that I wasn't thinking as I began to stack the wood. I was putting the older wood towards the back and moving forward as I went. The more I thought about it, I realized I needed to move the old wood towards the front where the sidewalk comes to the foundation and the old entrance used to be. Foundation roughly measures 15' X 45'. I had about 4 cords to move, and as I was moving it, I begin to find mushrooms growing out of some of the logs. It has been really high humidity the last few months and the area is partially shaded. I am thinking any seasoning I had made up to that point was all in my head.

Glad you realized your mistake Gordon. Rotate the wood like you would rotate stored food. I also think using the foundation is a great idea.

Now about those mushrooms. I would perhaps worry for about 2 seconds and then forget about it. And with the high humidity the last few months, you wood has still dried. You will be fine if you stop worrying. Yes, you should have saved the roofing from that chicken coop. That makes a great wood cover. Keep your eyes open to try to scrounge some somewhere else if possible. I did this and have quite a bit but lo and behold, 2 days ago I found more and it is in better shape than the stuff I'm using. I asked and they said to help myself. Sometimes we luck out.


Again, don't worry too much about the drying of the wood. I predict it will be fine.

btw, we have mold growing right on top of the ground here. White mold, and it happens every August.

 

[amateur cutter]

+ 1 to what dennis said, I've got some mushrooms in the north side of some of my stacks as well. Been a humid summer, & they like the decomposing biomass, the woods out in the full sun & wind, but the lower tiers must be shaded just enough. Don't worry, they'll burn fine. A C

 

[GordonShumway]

Thanks, thats good to know that there is no cause for concern. And that the wood has still been seasoning.