Most people love a beautiful blanket of snow on their lawn during the wintertime, but they are not aware of the fact that there can be a very unwelcome visitor lurking underneath that snow. The worst thing is, they probably will not know about it until the snow is already melted and the disease has done its damage.
Snow mold typically becomes a problem when the blanket of snow does not melt for a long period of time. The mold begins to grow when a thick, wet blanket of snow falls on ground that is not frozen.
The symptoms of snow mold generally consist of circular patches of dead grass that are usually 3 to 12 inches in diameter. In extreme cases, you might not be able to tell that these patches are circles at all because most of the grass has died. Pink snow mold, caused by Microdochium nivale, can look white initially and when it matures, it turns from a pale pink to a deep salmon-like color. Gray snow mold, caused by species in the genus Typhula, is anywhere from gray to white in color. It is a good idea to determine whether you are dealing with gray or pink snow mold, because gray snow mold does not tend to damage more than just the blades of the grass. Pink snow mold can completely kill the roots if it is left untreated.
Snow molds are usually active around temperatures just above freezing in somewhat wet conditions. It can grow not only when snow covers a lawn, but also when autumn leaves cover it for a long period of time, as well. Any kind of grass can be affected by this disease, but it has been noted that Kentucky bluegrass lawns are some of the least likely to suffer severe damage.
If you want to prevent snow mold from growing on your lawn, one of the best things that you can do is take care of it around the end of summer. As long as the grass keeps growing, you should keep having it mowed. If you apply any fertilizers to your lawn during the fall, you should apply them over six weeks before you expect the grass to stop growing. Nitrogen fertilizer should not be used around the time the grass stops growing or it will cause a burst of growth and give the mold more to feed on while the snow is on top of it.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Water Damage Miami and
water damage restoration in atlanta companies.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Mycology: The Study Of Mold And Other Fungi
Mycology is the study of fungi and their biochemical and genetic properties, and their applications to human life such as medicines, food, and the dangers that they can present such as infections. This includes not only mushrooms, but also molds and bacteria. Phytopathology, which is the study of plant diseases, came about from mycology and these two are very closely related because often molds and other fungi attack plants in order to survive.
It has been found that the DNA of fungi is much more like the DNA that we humans have instead of being like the DNA that is found in plants. This is not only intriguing in the aspect that fungi look absolutely nothing like us, but also that it creates some challenges concerning research and issues that relate to the health of human beings. It has been speculated that since we now have the DNA of mold, we can use that to determine what level of risk it may pose to human beings and other life. We have also been able to determine that about one fourth of the human population has been genetically exposed to having a sensitivity to mold.
People say that mold and other kinds of fungi have only recently become a problem, but actually the fact is that we do not realize that mold has been a problem since Biblical times. It is mentioned quite blatantly in the book of Leviticus in the Talmud Torah. Moses provides instruction within it on how to identify and treat the mold infections in the home.
Molds growing in the home are a serious problem and most people do not realize that you can become seriously ill, permanently disabled, and even dead due to these contaminations. There are not enough mycologists and the general consensus is that mold is not being studied enough, considering the wide range of health effects that can arise from being exposed to it.
In order to become a mycologist, one must study for years and be involved in both laboratory and field work with fungi in hospitals, industry, food, and universities. Mycologists are often found working in industries such as infection control, management in hospitals, and in some pharmaceutical industries.
There are several schools that you can do to in the United States. The Universities of Texas and Minnesota offer some excellent programs. In Canada, the school in Toronto also has a good mycology program. There are some schools, however, that are dropping these programs because of the lack of interest in them.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Los Angeles water damage and restoration services and Denver water damage restoration companies.
It has been found that the DNA of fungi is much more like the DNA that we humans have instead of being like the DNA that is found in plants. This is not only intriguing in the aspect that fungi look absolutely nothing like us, but also that it creates some challenges concerning research and issues that relate to the health of human beings. It has been speculated that since we now have the DNA of mold, we can use that to determine what level of risk it may pose to human beings and other life. We have also been able to determine that about one fourth of the human population has been genetically exposed to having a sensitivity to mold.
People say that mold and other kinds of fungi have only recently become a problem, but actually the fact is that we do not realize that mold has been a problem since Biblical times. It is mentioned quite blatantly in the book of Leviticus in the Talmud Torah. Moses provides instruction within it on how to identify and treat the mold infections in the home.
Molds growing in the home are a serious problem and most people do not realize that you can become seriously ill, permanently disabled, and even dead due to these contaminations. There are not enough mycologists and the general consensus is that mold is not being studied enough, considering the wide range of health effects that can arise from being exposed to it.
In order to become a mycologist, one must study for years and be involved in both laboratory and field work with fungi in hospitals, industry, food, and universities. Mycologists are often found working in industries such as infection control, management in hospitals, and in some pharmaceutical industries.
There are several schools that you can do to in the United States. The Universities of Texas and Minnesota offer some excellent programs. In Canada, the school in Toronto also has a good mycology program. There are some schools, however, that are dropping these programs because of the lack of interest in them.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Los Angeles water damage and restoration services and Denver water damage restoration companies.
Mold in Asian Food
Anyone who eats Asian food regularly probably knows that soy sauce has been around for at least a couple of thousand years and it is one of the most popular condiments in use today.
In ancient times, the people of Asia had to preserve meat and fish by packing them tightly in salt and the liquid that drained from the meat preserved like this was commonly used as a seasoning for other foods such as rice. As Buddhism became more popular, the salty meat drippings that were used for seasonings had to be exchanged for vegetarian alternatives. One alternative was a salty paste of some fermented grains and this was an early version of soy sauce.
As improvements were made on the recipe in Japan and a woman there opened the first commercial soy sauce brewery in the world, soy sauce soon became even more popular in Asia and its use began to spread.
Today, soy sauce is made with mashed soybeans, salt, wheat, and finally, a fermenting agent which is usually the same one used to make sake in Japan, Aspergillus oryzae. Aspergillus soyae can also be used. The mold used to ferment the soy sauce is a pretty important ingredient, as the soy sauce made with it is referred to as a “true” soy sauce.
Aspergillus oryzae is also used in the creation of Japanese rice wine, as mentioned earlier. Also called “koji”, it is one of the most important ingredients in the beverage. The mold is used to ferment steamed rice that has been milled sometimes down to less than 50 percent of its original mass in order to remove the amino acids, proteins, and fats that can really give the beverage a smell or flavor that is not as pleasant as it could be.
The cultivation of this mold is taken extremely seriously by sake brewers, since the mold is sensitive and can absorb the flavor and smell of the things around it, such as the smell of the wood a new brewing room might be constructed out of. If constructed of cedar, the sake may very well take on a faint cedar flavor after it is produced. In contrast to wine, sake should be consumed as soon as possible after being bottled. Some aged sakes are quite good, but the general opinion is to drink it as soon as you buy it.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Miami water Damage companies.
In ancient times, the people of Asia had to preserve meat and fish by packing them tightly in salt and the liquid that drained from the meat preserved like this was commonly used as a seasoning for other foods such as rice. As Buddhism became more popular, the salty meat drippings that were used for seasonings had to be exchanged for vegetarian alternatives. One alternative was a salty paste of some fermented grains and this was an early version of soy sauce.
As improvements were made on the recipe in Japan and a woman there opened the first commercial soy sauce brewery in the world, soy sauce soon became even more popular in Asia and its use began to spread.
Today, soy sauce is made with mashed soybeans, salt, wheat, and finally, a fermenting agent which is usually the same one used to make sake in Japan, Aspergillus oryzae. Aspergillus soyae can also be used. The mold used to ferment the soy sauce is a pretty important ingredient, as the soy sauce made with it is referred to as a “true” soy sauce.
Aspergillus oryzae is also used in the creation of Japanese rice wine, as mentioned earlier. Also called “koji”, it is one of the most important ingredients in the beverage. The mold is used to ferment steamed rice that has been milled sometimes down to less than 50 percent of its original mass in order to remove the amino acids, proteins, and fats that can really give the beverage a smell or flavor that is not as pleasant as it could be.
The cultivation of this mold is taken extremely seriously by sake brewers, since the mold is sensitive and can absorb the flavor and smell of the things around it, such as the smell of the wood a new brewing room might be constructed out of. If constructed of cedar, the sake may very well take on a faint cedar flavor after it is produced. In contrast to wine, sake should be consumed as soon as possible after being bottled. Some aged sakes are quite good, but the general opinion is to drink it as soon as you buy it.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Miami water Damage companies.
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