Promise that you will take some more photographs when these open up, which won't take long. Just leave them alone to develop. These will be spectacular. glib, what you've said about mycorrhizal relationships is true (though stinkhorns are almsot always associated with hardwood trees), but removing the fruiting body does not take away the mycorrhizae. That part of the fungus organism is alive and well in the soil. Spaghetina, stinkhorns (including your lattice species) are often brought in with hardwood mulch. I've also seen it appear on or near the stumps and dead roots of hardwoods that have been removed. Just doing some recycling.

Marc: I continue to believe that you are seeing bird damage on your apples. Insects use apples as hatcheries for their eggs and a comfortable living for their larvae until they are ready to pupate. Insects do not visit apples to feed; they are there to propagate their species. I know of no insect that can zoom in, take a chunk like that out of an apple, and make a clean getaway. The brown area under the damage is simply oxidation, which happens to any apple when the flesh is exposed to oxygen. Birds do this kind of thing all the time. Not in every orchard, or in every season, but they do it. Bagging apples is a chore, and I am happy for H-man that he does not have to bag in his climate, but here below the Mason/Dixon line we do it or we spray a lot. If you are losing up to 50% of your already thinned and selected apples, that is too heavy a price to pay. Bag those apples, and you will defeat the birds as well as the codling moth that is likely to show up later. Not to mention 90% reduction in sooty blotch and flyspeck. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

For newcomers this site is actually pretty hard to navigate, edit, post and upload pictures. But since we are on the topic of Velvet Leaf and in light of the toilet paper madness because of covid19, I just gotta say.... If we ever DO have to worry about toilet paper shortages... (which is NOT at this time btw) I would just forage around for this plant! The leaves make an acceptable wipe (or so I heard).

Springtime, since you are already using Photobucket, you can copy the link under your photo listed as HTML Code and past that into your message. The photo will show up instead of the text. Makes it easier and quicker to see the image you want us to see. If you have a problem, send me an email and I'll see if I can help. Kate