Mycorrhizal fungi and vegetables

[Lotsaveg]

Has anyone tried using Mycorrhizal fungi on plants this year? I tried a little experiment using a product called Roots Boost on my early potatoes.

The first obvious difference between the treated and untreated was that the treated broke surface about 2 weeks before the untreated. However, the untreated caught up over the following weeks and by the time all were flowering I couldn't see any difference.

However, I really couldn't believe the difference in yield!! On average the treated plants had between 10 and 12 edible sized potatoes whereas the untreated had 3 or 4!

I've since spoken to an agronomist who's had a similar result and is now conducting large field trials. He's also had astonishing results with tomatoes.

Unfortunately I didn't treat any tomatoes this year but will definitely be doing lots of tests next year.

[snohare]

Thanks for posting that lotsa, for some reason I was under the impression that there was not yet a version that works with potatoes. Maybe it was just that the brands I have seen have not mentioned potatoes, as they are aimed at beans, or fruit canes...I haven't seen the outcome with those yet. What manufacturers name did your packet say on it ? Where did you buy it ?
Having read the science behind this stuff, I'm inclined to think that it is as important as the development of fertilisers.

[Hillwalker]

Having spoken to one of the companies earlier this year who manufacture mycorrhizal fungi, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed how open and honest they were. They pointed out that the fungi is primarily beneficial for the first 3 years in a plant's life. Thereafter, this naturally occurring fungi will have colonised a plant's root system anyway. I say "naturally occurring" in a soil context, plants grown in compost in containers have no natural contact and will benefit particularly.

One group of plants that don't respond to mycorrhizal fungi are acid-loving plants such as blueberries, azaleas, etc.

Tomato plants respond very well: all of my plants were treated this year and I've never had such healthy and advanced tomatoes. This was verified against several untreated ones I used as a control.

[Snadger]

Just had a quick read of literature and was surprised to find that its not suitable for brassicas or ericaceous plants!

I was hoping that it may help in clubroot soils to help give the brassicas a chance to stave off the clubroot fungus.
Also wondered whether allium white rot would be less likely to occur if mycorrhizal fungi were stimulating the roots?

[Lotsaveg]

Thanks for posting that lotsa, for some reason I was under the impression that there was not yet a version that works with potatoes. Maybe it was just that the brands I have seen have not mentioned potatoes, as they are aimed at beans, or fruit canes...I haven't seen the outcome with those yet. What manufacturers name did your packet say on it ? Where did you buy it ?
Having read the science behind this stuff, I'm inclined to think that it is as important as the development of fertilisers.

Mine came from Harrod Horticulture and was called Roots Boost. It didn't say potatoes on the label but I was told to try it by a friend as it basically had the right components.

I understand from my agronomist contact, that specific formulations are being tested for different types of veg and should be available for home use next year. Legumes, alliums, root veg and brassicas were mentioned!

[snohare]

specific formulations are being tested for different types of veg and should be available for home use next year. Legumes, alliums, root veg and brassicas were mentioned!

Woohoo ! I am definitely budgeting for that next year then. Well worth knowing that, ta very much for the advance warning !

[Hillwalker]

To make it go a lot further and get better results, order with some water gel powder.

Mix the gel only first (this avoids wasting the fungi by making too much) to a thin wallpaper paste consistency and allow to stand for 5 minutes to make any viscosity adjustments. Add the fungi then blitz thoroughly with a stick blender. The mixture coats the plant roots beautifully.

I use a small container (a cylindrical 500ml or 1 litre ice cream tub is ideal) to dip plugs into, or a new paintbrush for larger size jobs. Stir the mixture just before using it, to bring up any fungi that's settled through the suspension.

As mycorrhizal fungi colonises by initially contacting the roots, you can see the advantage of applying it in gel form. The other way is to apply it to the planting hole in dry granular form. More fungi is needed using this method for successful contact and colonisation takes longer. Using the gel method ensures complete and even coverage, requiring much less fungi to make the 'hit' - I use 10ml of dry mycorrhizal fungi to 500ml of water.

[Lotsaveg]

That's really useful Hillwalker and I'll certainly try the technique thanks.

I'd heard that some people were using wallpaper paste to mix with herbicides so that they stuck to the plants. Not sure if the paste would be OK for mycorrhizal fungi though, although it is cellulose based (I think)

[Hillwalker]

I'd heard that some people were using wallpaper paste to mix with herbicides so that they stuck to the plants. Not sure if the paste would be OK for mycorrhizal fungi though, although it is cellulose based (I think)

I'd thought about that as well, until I remembered: wallpaper paste contains fungicide! Not an ideal way to start the process. Water gel crystals are cheap enough anyway. The company I bought my mycorrhizal fungi from also supplied gel crystals, in a very fine powder form, which is ideal. I used this up well before the mycorrhizal fungi ran out so had to buy some more. The crystals I got were much coarser, resulting in a lumpy coagulant. This is when I decided to blitz the solution, and it had a pleasantly unexpected consequence of coating the roots far better than the original supplied gel; changing its structure from a purée to a coulis.

[snohare]

Excellent tip Hillwalker, I never would have thought of that. A good use for those water gel crystals at last ! (I'm not a fan of them usually.)

[Germinater]

Never new about all this untill just now ..dam it another late night ..right of to read up on all this and then blow a bit of money on the credit card ..great information thank you again