Rootgrow, mycorrhizal fungi

**mothhawk** · 23-02-2015, 09:51 AM

I have a packet and last year put a pinch or two in all my seed sowing pots and also garden tubs that were replanted, on the basis that they probably wouldn't get the fungi otherwise, not being in contact with garden soil.

Whether it made a difference I don't know, as I had no control pots without the fungi. But it certainly did no harm, and my seedlings and spring bulbs in tubs all grew well.

**Jungle Jane** · 23-02-2015, 10:36 AM

I trust this product,been using it for years. Put a little bit in before each seed,then the roots have protection also doesn't it double the size of the roots? Iv never had plant diseases either so I like it

**skeggijon** · 23-02-2015, 01:21 PM

Never used it with seeds, although I do dip my cuttings in it and seem to have better success with it.

**Bohobumble** · 23-02-2015, 02:54 PM

I used it last year but did no control experimentation to see the difference. They were happy enough, like you say, it can't hurt.

This year I used this advice Mycorrhizal Fungi? regarding using on bare-root trees and shrubs, plus some similar advice I saw on a gardening show when planting out my fruit bushes and trees in recent weeks.

I moistened the roots as advised when planting anyway. I prepped the hole in the usual way, incorporating plenty of compost, manure etc in, then I liberally sprinkled the grains direct onto the wet roots over the hole (so any scatterings went into the hole too). I then firmed in as usual.

Their advice is it takes a few weeks to get going so quick crops likes radishes wouldn't get the benefit but crops that take a little longer to establish will get a head start in terms of nutrients from the fungi, with a full population of fungi in weeks rather than months/years.

I have some left so I shall probably use on my toms/aubs/peppers and squash, the beans and peas already have bacteria in the root nodules supplying them with nitrogen so they probably need less of a head start and they will be growing very close to my sweetcorn which I may well add a pinch too when sowing in pots.

It appears you can't use too much it's just down to the economics that they advise an optimum amount.

**Two_Sheds** · 07-03-2015, 08:22 AM

Originally posted by Kier View Post

does it make a difference ?

Sometimes. I've a photo in my FB link below (2014 album)

**Kristen** · 07-03-2015, 09:27 AM

Originally posted by Two_Sheds View Post

Sometimes.

I'm firmly in that camp too. RHS / Gardener's World etc. rave about it ... I've seen very little to suggest that it has made a significant difference to what I have grown, and it aint cheap.

**Martin H** · 07-03-2015, 09:33 AM

Originally posted by Two_Sheds View Post

Sometimes.

I guess this is what you'd expect. Fungus spores are everywhere and you don't need many to "take" because they grow quickly. So a lot of the time the stuff you sprinkle on the roots is only adding to stuff thats already present in the ground. But on the occasion that there aren't any viable spores naturally touching the roots then it's going to make a difference.

**Kristen** · 07-03-2015, 10:37 AM

Friend of mine who studied soil fungi at Uni (and had no knowledge of the Mycorrhizal Fungi product having being posted around the world for a couple of decades ...) expressed surprise and said something like "Why wouldn't you just use leafmould, its teeming with all that sort of stuff"

**mothhawk** · 07-03-2015, 07:31 PM

I imagine the people who would most benefit from it are those that still regularly spray fungicide all round the garden at the slightest sign of blackspot and other fungal diseases, as they are killing the good fungi along with the bad.

**Snadger** · 07-03-2015, 07:53 PM

From what I've read Mycorrhizal Fungi will help plants in soils which have low phosphorus levels. So why not just add bone meal as the auld gardeners have done for eons and you wouldn't need MF?
At work we regularily do soil anaysis before adding fertiliser. Phosphorus is the least fluid of the major nutrients leading to us regularily using zero phosphate fertiliser as there's enough held in the soil for years to come.

**DannyK** · 07-03-2015, 08:02 PM

Aren't the people who benefit, those that sell it?!

Someone mentioned putting compost in planting holes. I'm sure I'd heard on more than one programme not to do this as it doesn't encourage the roots to go beyond the hole to seek out food.

So much conflicting advice!

**Bohobumble** · 07-03-2015, 10:14 PM

Originally posted by DannyK View Post

Someone mentioned putting compost in planting holes. I'm sure I'd heard on more than one programme not to do this as it doesn't encourage the roots to go beyond the hole to seek out food.

That would be me, you should see my heavy clay soil; I didn't so much plant my garlic the other week as sculpted the soil around it!

**Kristen** · 07-03-2015, 10:32 PM

Originally posted by Snadger View Post

From what I've read Mycorrhizal Fungi will help plants in soils which have low phosphorus levels. So why not just add bone meal as the auld gardeners have done for eons and you wouldn't need MF?

Phosphorus kills the mycorrhizal fungi, so bonemeal now considered a bad idea on planting. Who knows!

I don't use it any more because the foxes think there is an interesting carcass buried there and dig up my recently-planted plants!

**Snadger** · 08-03-2015, 12:45 PM

Originally posted by Kristen View Post

Phosphorus kills the mycorrhizal fungi, so bonemeal now considered a bad idea on planting. Who knows!

I don't use it any more because the foxes think there is an interesting carcass buried there and dig up my recently-planted plants!

That's why I stopped using dried blood. Rats started digging and licking the soil!

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