White Nodules from Decomposing Maple Stump

White Plains, NY homeowner finds hard white nodules (dime to baseball size) recurring in lawn over ground Norway maple stump.

Diagnosis: White-Rot Fungi

These fungi (only microbes that efficiently decompose lignin) turn brown wood into white cellulose. Nodules are fungal fruiting bodies. They'll persist for decades — Norway maple is dense hardwood.

Why It's Happening

• Stump grinding leaves massive root system and below-grade wood
• Wood pieces mixed into backfill soil
• Grass fails repeatedly over decomposing wood

Acceleration Options

• Nitrogen addition speeds lignin decomposition
• Sugar feeds white-rot fungi
• But: Burial under soil slows decomposition (limits oxygen)

Real Solutions

1. Heavy equipment removal of all stump/root material
2. Plant something else — accept the site isn't lawn-suitable

Warning

Adding feet of topsoil = problem for great-grandchildren. Fungi need oxygen.