So I need to get some for new bare root roses, so far I have used David Austin’s MF plus their Rose Feed. There are cheaper brands of MF out there, are they any good or should I stick with DA?
In nature, these microscopic fungi run throughout the soil and assist plants in taking up vital nutrients.
I suppose, different plants, growing naturally, would be assisted more by one type of fungus than another. They would probably form a relationship with particularly helpful fungi, in the wild.
When you buy a commercial version of such fungi I would think that respectable sellers would be offering the best and most helpful types of fungus. Ones that would, in nature, be doing that job.
Any microscopic fungus could be termed mycorrhizal but whether or not one, that naturally had a relationship with a tree say, would help a rose to grow well I can’t say.
Interesting, I hadn’t thought of different fungi forming different relationships with different plants. I wonder if that means it’s probably better to buy a rose grower’s MF mix for roses or if there is no difference really. I guess its difficult to compare brands unless you had several identical plants and tried a different brand on each, but even then it could be down to other factors or just plain chance.
I've used the "Empathy" stuff you can get in Wilko and whilst it's hard to actually know the effect without having a parallel planting without and then uprooting and measuring root mass ... I did notice a lot of root growth in the things that I did move a few months after planting.
I also bought a big 5KG tub of "Root Grow" as well but it's too early to see the results yet really.
I have to admit to finding this very strange. There is as yet no scientific evidence, that powdered fungi work at all. Why would they? They are powdered, are they even alive?
There are ashtrays of emulsion, for the fag ends of the aristocracy.
Here is a very interesting website with lots of information on different pages. It explains that these fungi fall into two groups. Some live inside the plant and some live in the soil. It explains that different types do have different host plants.
They are collected for sale in the form of spores, which could be dried I imagine, by ground-up hyphae and by some other method, which I forget.
Here is one page which describes a product that they offer and the types of fungi that it contains. Other mixes are available for other situations.
I'm a bit skeptical about all these powders if you've got a good well nourished soil with plenty of organic matter,"magic muck" etc. I'm sure the fungi will be there in the soil ready?
I also think that if your soil is good with lots of organic matter that's been there a goodly while then adding mycorrhizal fungi may not be necessary ... but in new build gardens or poor sandy/gritty soil or heavy clay I'm convinced by the arguments I've read that they can be beneficial.
“I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh
From what I've seen, it bears a remarkable resemblance to the packaged dried mycelium(?) labelled mushroom spawn that Ma used to spread on beds of horse manure in a shed to grow mushrooms for sale at the farm gate back in the late 50s early 60s.
“I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh
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I suppose, different plants, growing naturally, would be assisted more by one type of fungus than another. They would probably form a relationship with particularly helpful fungi, in the wild.
When you buy a commercial version of such fungi I would think that respectable sellers would be offering the best and most helpful types of fungus. Ones that would, in nature, be doing that job.
Any microscopic fungus could be termed mycorrhizal but whether or not one, that naturally had a relationship with a tree say, would help a rose to grow well I can’t say.
I also bought a big 5KG tub of "Root Grow" as well but it's too early to see the results yet really.
There is as yet no scientific evidence, that powdered fungi work at all.
Why would they? They are powdered, are they even alive?
for the fag ends of the aristocracy.
Here is a very interesting website with lots of information on different pages. It explains that these fungi fall into two groups. Some live inside the plant and some live in the soil. It explains that different types do have different host plants.
They are collected for sale in the form of spores, which could be dried I imagine, by ground-up hyphae and by some other method, which I forget.
Here is one page which describes a product that they offer and the types of fungi that it contains. Other mixes are available for other situations.
for the fag ends of the aristocracy.