Mycorrhiza Fungi...why you should get to know them...

toomp

Well-Known Member
No, but when I see a wall of text I just ignore it.
He said use rock dust.
I seen rock dust give lower yield than control on some crops
in the same study some crops gave higher yields then control
1 that got higher yields is tomatoes
cannabis wasnt 1 of the crops but being it worked well with tomatoes do you think it works to give cannabis higher yields?
 

DrBuzzFarmer

Well-Known Member
Rock dust is a necessary ingredient of a soil mixture that has a full spectrum of microlife, but it takes years for a sufficient quantity of rock eaters to form a colony in the soil.
Rock eaters were the first bacteria in the soil, and form the foundation of healthy soil.
Without the science, a 'test' is a way to arrive at a preconceived notion, because it's not a test at all, it's a play to make the person feel smart.
The problem is: uneducated people believe it's science, when it's a play.
edit: to be clear, it's not a purposeful deception. Rock dust does not act in the way of fertilizers, so their trials were all based incorrectly.
Positive AND negative results in such studies are worthless.
 
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TankHankerous

Well-Known Member
How can I keep my mycorrhiza colony alive if I'm supposed to give the plants a proper wet/dry cycle. I hear if the soil dries out the fungus will die but I also want to give the soil a chance to use up the moisture.

I'm stuck between a rock dust and a hard place!
 

SaHt420

Well-Known Member
the white fungi growing in my mulch pile outside from year is that beneficial to my soil and i was wondering if i could farm the fungi
 

GenericEnigma

Well-Known Member
the white fungi growing in my mulch pile outside from year is that beneficial to my soil and i was wondering if i could farm the fungi
White fungi in organics is typically good for plants. Those spores are pretty much everywhere, so it's not necessary to culture it.

You could jumpstart another pile of mulch with some fungus-plenty material from another mulch pile, I suppose, but I don't know how much of a benefit it would provide to do so.

My advice would be to create the best conditions for that fungus to flourish and approach it from that perspective.

Some folks get into AACT and LABS, but that's not my strong suit.
 

TankHankerous

Well-Known Member
If you're running a living soil, you don't want it to get totally dry.
Thanks, I'm new to growing. I noticed that a lot of time the top inch of my soil will get pretty dry. Would using a spray bottle inbetween waterings to keep the topsoil moist be a wise move or should I just water more frequently if in a living soil.

Thanks again!
 

GenericEnigma

Well-Known Member
Thanks, I'm new to growing. I noticed that a lot of time the top inch of my soil will get pretty dry. Would using a spray bottle inbetween waterings to keep the topsoil moist be a wise move or should I just water more frequently if in a living soil.

Thanks again!
Well, I'd want to know more about your setup before saying anything specific.

What size pots are you using, and what kind of soil is in them?
 

SaHt420

Well-Known Member
White fungi in organics is typically good for plants. Those spores are pretty much everywhere, so it's not necessary to culture it.

You could jumpstart another pile of mulch with some fungus-plenty material from another mulch pile, I suppose, but I don't know how much of a benefit it would provide to do so.

My advice would be to create the best conditions for that fungus to flourish and approach it from that perspective.

Some folks get into AACT and LABS, but that's not my strong suit.
yea for sure thats what i wanted to do was cultivate it to fat clumps or fungi then use it to mix into reused soil instead of buying myco just so ik for a fact soil will provide healthy symbiotic relationship between roots and soil
 

DrBuzzFarmer

Well-Known Member
How can I keep my mycorrhiza colony alive if I'm supposed to give the plants a proper wet/dry cycle. I hear if the soil dries out the fungus will die but I also want to give the soil a chance to use up the moisture.

I'm stuck between a rock dust and a hard place!
Moist, not wet.
The Mycorrhizae are excreting Glomalin, which soaks the carbon of the soil, making it a 'magical' substance. The Glomalin hardens creating a sort of concrete. It also gives the carbon the property of being able to store it's own weight in water.
You have a small reprieve built into the system.
Moist, not wet.
Wet conditions only allow for anaerobic bacteria to thrive, and bad smells and death for the happy critters in your pots will result.
Moist, not wet, and the aerobic bacteria and microlife will eat sammichs beside the stalk of your plants in quiet satisfaction.
 

TankHankerous

Well-Known Member
Moist, not wet.
The Mycorrhizae are excreting Glomalin, which soaks the carbon of the soil, making it a 'magical' substance. The Glomalin hardens creating a sort of concrete. It also gives the carbon the property of being able to store it's own weight in water.
You have a small reprieve built into the system.
Moist, not wet.
Wet conditions only allow for anaerobic bacteria to thrive, and bad smells and death for the happy critters in your pots will result.
Moist, not wet, and the aerobic bacteria and microlife will eat sammichs beside the stalk of your plants in quiet satisfaction.
Funny you mention Glomalin, I actually stepped in some on the way home!
 

TankHankerous

Well-Known Member
You should have a good layer of mulch, to help keep the top of your soil moist.
Thanks, I live in a city so not a lot of straw around by me I can pick up off the ground and collect. I've heard about newspapers and cardboard could be good for mulch but I was wondering if the ink from the newspaper leak anything bad into the soil....? Also, are you supposed to take all the mulch out before you water and then put it back in afterwards?
 

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
Thanks, I live in a city so not a lot of straw around by me I can pick up off the ground and collect. I've heard about newspapers and cardboard could be good for mulch but I was wondering if the ink from the newspaper leak anything bad into the soil....? Also, are you supposed to take all the mulch out before you water and then put it back in afterwards?
Ok I get ya. I get malted barley straw from build a soil. It's not real expensive, and it works great.

The newspaper ink is soy based I believe, so it shouldn't hurt anything, but I still think the barley straw is worth the investment. You can water over it. No need to pull it out and put it back.
 

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
Ok I get ya. I get malted barley straw from build a soil. It's not real expensive, and it works great.

The newspaper ink is soy based I believe, so it shouldn't hurt anything, but I still think the barley straw is worth the investment. You can water over it. No need to pull it out and put it back.
You move it to top dress though right?
 

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
You move it to top dress though right?
It depends. If I'm using ewc yes, but I'll dump the craft blend on sometimes and let it trickle down. Only the moms get straw, and they don't grow very fast, cuz i keep the light dimmed, so they don't eat a lot. Plus I do a lot of compost teas.

I flower in the earthbox, so no need for mulch for that.
 

Rico2016

Active Member
Anyone ever use green Trichoderma from contaminated mushroom spawn grains? I'm curious how one would use that in their beds/pots. I know many people encounter this while cultivating mushys..

Baja
Ive been hearing tricho with mycorrhizae doesnt always mesh so good together has others had good or bad results with combination of them fighting each other or living peaceully?
 
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