This spring I will be adding some mycorrhizal fungi spores to the seeds and roots of my vegetables, shrubs, and trees at planting time. The spores can also be added to the lawn if I happen to aerate it this season. Your garden will likely have some of this exceptionally beneficial fungus present. It grows naturally. But if you have been regularly tilling your soil, and consequently pulverizing, slicing and dicing the life in the soil, there won’t be very much if any of this fungus left, since tilling cuts the hyphae and kills the fungus. And if you use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, you can be sure that this highly beneficial fungus died as collateral damage in your battle with nature.
Why do we want mycorrhizal fungi in the garden? The fungus forms a partnership with the roots of almost all plants (about 95% of them). The fungus attaches itself to the roots, and acts like friendly extensions to the roots. In exchange for getting carbohydrate and other food it needs from the plant, this fungus reaches out through the soil and delivers back to the plant the water and nutrients that the plant roots alone couldn’t reach. Studies show that vegetables and fruit grow much faster and produce bigger crops when mycorrhizal fungi is added to the seeds and roots at planting time. Plants growing in association with the fungus also show much greater disease and pest resistance.
The vegetables that do not form associations include crucifers (e.g. cauliflowers, cabbage), and beets, swiss chard and spinach. On the other hand, potatoes, tomatoes and most other common fruits and vegetables thrive in the partnership.
The good news is that you can now easily find soil for pots and the garden that contains specially added mycorrhizal fungi. Most garden centres in Saskatchewan sell it. As well, mycorrhizal fungi can be purchased online from www.gardenerspantry.ca .