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Old 24-03-2004, 03:32 AM
Jim Lewis
 
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Default [IBC] mycorrhizae

Yes, I am a little curious about this fungus. Would you recommend
adding this to the soil of all collected trees, or just conifers?

Also, where is a dependable place online to get this?

==============

The "purpose" (if you can assume "purpose" in living things other
than humans -- and is there some doubt there, too? ;-) of
mycorrhizae is to increase the ability of roots to absorb
nutrients in infertile (read, almost sterile) soils.

It's not at all certain that they are needed or serve any purpose
at all for _any_ plant grown in pots and supplied artificially
with all the food (nutrients via fertilizer) it can eat. On top
of all that, application of phosphorous (one of the 3 primary
nutrients) to soil adversely affects (damages) mycorrhizae.

Also, mycorrhizae are quite plant specific, so the chances of you
being able to find the variety of mycorrhizae that YOUR plant
"needs" are quite slim.

Too, if you are growing native plants, chances are good that the
plants' roots will be amply supplied with the requisite
mycorrhizae, even if you bare root the plant -- assuming you
don't bathe the roots in Clorox or alcohol.

But since I assume you fertilize your bonsai regularly, I really
wouldn't worry about it.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

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