Who is using Mycorrhizal fungi in their garden/orchard?

[FlyingFoxFruits]

I have a little area where I like to grow small seedlings, underneath an oak tree.

I just put some small eugenias, plinias and myrciarias underneath the tree, in october...at the time, they were all in need of rehab, either because they were they were chlorotic, or had recently separated from a community pot.

I was checking on a few plants a week ago, and noticed when I went to pick them up, the roots had grown into the ground (very quickly)....there was no growth above ground (new leaves), but there was definitely extensive root growth.

I also noticed underneath each pot, there was a nice layer of leaf litter (oak and pine), which got covered by a white fuzz (mycorrhizae I assume).  It seems to break down the leaf litter, and helps the roots find new territory.

the only products I've used with mycorrhizae are Espoma (fertilizer), and Promix Bx.

I'm thinking the beneficial organisms may have populated the area underneath my oak tree.  I wonder how long they will persist, without disappearing? 

I also wonder how much the organic chemistry of the oak leaves (and pine) contributes to the equation?  Does it act as a catalyst for root growth?  if the same plants in pots were grown on a concrete floor, instead of a thin layer of leaves, would the root growth be the same?



cherry of the rio seedlings, just recently separated about 1.5 month ago, so the roots were stressed recently

very nice root growth...I had to yank some out of the ground!

you can see the white fuzz (mycorrhizae I assume), underneath each pot, which seems to digest the leaf litter.

[nullzero]

Yeah that is mycorrhizae. What you can do is scoop some of that soil and shred some pine and oak leaves. Then get some brown sugar and heat it up in a bowl of hot water. Once it cools take the dirt and dissolve it into the water stir around. Then pour the liquid all over the shredded leaves, continue to keep moist and add more brown sugar water again a week later. Mix the shredded leaves into a seedling mix, then transplant the plant in it. It should inoculate the roots nicely.

You can keep the mycorrhizae alive in a bucket with just feeding it shredded leaves and sugar water.