“I thought the point of hay bale gardening was to have a “warm and wet” growing zone.”
Well, it is, but it also sets you up for fungal issues.
I would say that the thyme had some other fungal issue - like powdery mildew. I’ve not known mushroom-like spores to grow on anything other than hay, wood mulch or something rotting in the woods like a fallen tree.
I wouldn’t use a fungicide; just watch for the mushrooms and pluck them off when you see them. They won’t hurt you, but I probably wouldn’t eat them. ;)
And I’m assuming you’re using STRAW bales. HAY is what animals eat, STRAW is for bedding and using in Straw Bale Gardening.
If you truly ARE using HAY, then that could be the problem, as it breaks down differently than STRAW and holds more moisture.
Hay and straw can be confusing - unless you’re a farmer. ;)
You should be using STRAW bales, not HAY bales, so change that this season if that’s the case.
I use TONS of straw on my garden as mulch. I’ve even used baled soybean stems with no problems. Hay goes to the mule and the steer for lunch. :)
And I’m assuming you’re using STRAW bales. HAY is what animals eat, STRAW is for bedding and using in Straw Bale Gardening."
Yes, you are obviously right. I am not only a crappy gardener, I'm also obviously not a farmer!
So I decided to search for the ugly that was growing on my thyme and found out it was called "Dog vomit slime mold". Grows on mulch that is wet. We had a really wet and cloudy season last year. The mold spread from the straw to the thyme, that was laying over on the straw. I am hoping that stuff is gone for good.