Re: mycorrhizal fungi?

Haven't personally used them, Libby, but there was a fairly recent
debate about them on GardenWriter's List.   Consensus was that they
do work for many plants but not all plants form mycorrhizal
associations; that they are fragile and you need to be careful using
fertilizers with them; mycorrhiza are ubiquitous but poor soils
lacking in organic matter can use them.

For more detailed info., check out the archives for the list for
March of this year:

http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
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----------
> From: Libby Valentine <LVALENTINE@WORKINGCONCEPTS.COM>
> 
> Has anyone tried using a mycorrhizal fungus supplement?  I have one
of those
> rebate coupons from Gardens Alive, and though I have learned the
hard way to
> take their catalog claims with a pound of salt (moreso for their
subsidiary
> Audubon Workshop than for Gardens Alive itself; all you fans can
stay calm
> <grin>), this product intrigues me.  They call it "root boost", and
say it
> is a supplement of soil fungi that have symbiotic relationship with
most
> plants, and planting some soil fungi with the plant gives the plant
a big
> benefit.  Of course they have different formulas...
> 
> What got my attention in the catalog write-up is the thought that
in most
> developed areas these days the top soil, where most of these
beneficial
> fungi reside, has been stripped off, so this product really could
make a big
> difference.
> 
> I have a gaggle of perennials and shrubs to plant this year, and
I'm
> wondering if this would be a good idea.  Some are going in areas
where I
> have been working on improving the soil, some in new areas that are
still
> basically clay.  It won't quite be free but even with shipping
it'll still
> be under $15 and I could probably get it by next week.
> 
> Has anyone tried it?  Any thoughts?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Libby
> Maryland zone 6

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