From what I've read it can help - a bit. In the short-term I understand it does help plants settle in, but trials show that about 2 years on plants without the fungi are as well developed as those that have had a dosing.
I've used it on occasion, but no idea if it really makes much difference.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I don’t know whether it works, but my feeling is, how can a dried, sterilised, previously living material, magically come back to life. For that reason I don’t use it, but as Joan said, I am open to persuasion.
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
I have used it for planting shrubs and I do think that it has helped settle them in. I garden on heavy clay, when I plant something new the soil has to be well broken up. I also mix in some compost maybe grit and leaf mould if I have it. I think that early establishment of roots in my soil is essential to give shrubs a good start. Especially in soil that can be wet in winter and very dry in summer. I have never used it as a top dressing to feed plants it is too expensive.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
IMO there's not much point. Mycorrhizal fungi will already be present. You're probably better off working a little organic matter into the soil as you plant. This will promote beneficial soil organisms as well as helping improve soil structure.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
If you have reasonable soil that you have grown plants in before, it will already have it’s own, naturally developed mycorrhizal fungi ecosystem made up of hundreds of location/soil-specific mycorrhizae, so it’s not necessary. Probably a waste of money.
Commercial products have three or four fungi at most (that may or may not benefit your specific plants) in a clay-based inert carrier that is designed to keep the fungi alive. They are very heat sensitive though, so if stored or transported incorrectly they will be DOA. Definitely a waste of money if they’re dead!
There is some evidence that foreign fungi introduction (assuming they are still alive) can inhibit the effectiveness of the local fungi in your soil. Probably a waste of money and potentially harmful.
There is some evidence that they help root and plant growth of plants in a sterile potting medium. Probably worthwhile, so long as you don’t fertilise said potted plants.
Most commercial fertilisers and bonemeal are contraindicatory to MF - the fert kills the MF so don’t add both. If you do, definitely a waste of money.
It can theoretically help in barren and bare soils, but there is no guarantee that MF mixed into these soils with no supporting fungal ecosystem won’t instantly die anyway. Probably a waste of money.
It can (again theoretically) help counter some specific issues such as Rose Replant Disease - where you are planting a rose (or any other member of the rose family, eg. apple) where a plant of the rose family has been grown before. This is the only circumstance where I use it and I buy a formula recommended for this purpose.
If I were you I would add some bonemeal to the planting hole, mulch generously with organic matter and water in really well. Job done 😊
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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In the short-term I understand it does help plants settle in, but trials show that about 2 years on plants without the fungi are as well developed as those that have had a dosing.
I've used it on occasion, but no idea if it really makes much difference.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
For that reason I don’t use it, but as Joan said, I am open to persuasion.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I also mix in some compost maybe grit and leaf mould if I have it. I think that early establishment of roots in my soil is essential to give shrubs a good start. Especially in soil that can be wet in winter and very dry in summer.
I have never used it as a top dressing to feed plants it is too expensive.
There is some evidence that foreign fungi introduction (assuming they are still alive) can inhibit the effectiveness of the local fungi in your soil. Probably a waste of money and potentially harmful.
There is some evidence that they help root and plant growth of plants in a sterile potting medium. Probably worthwhile, so long as you don’t fertilise said potted plants.
Most commercial fertilisers and bonemeal are contraindicatory to MF - the fert kills the MF so don’t add both. If you do, definitely a waste of money.
It can theoretically help in barren and bare soils, but there is no guarantee that MF mixed into these soils with no supporting fungal ecosystem won’t instantly die anyway. Probably a waste of money.
It can (again theoretically) help counter some specific issues such as Rose Replant Disease - where you are planting a rose (or any other member of the rose family, eg. apple) where a plant of the rose family has been grown before. This is the only circumstance where I use it and I buy a formula recommended for this purpose.
If I were you I would add some bonemeal to the planting hole, mulch generously with organic matter and water in really well. Job done 😊
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Thankyou Suze.