Saturday Morning With Jack Tame

Mycorrhizal fungi and planting tricks We are getting more and more information on how plants, shrubs and trees grow in association with other organisms in their ecosystem Yes: pollinators and biological control agents, as well as composters in the soil and the earthworms (earth workers) that aerate the soil and take well-produced organic matter deeper and deeper into the soil levels, where roots can pick up the nutrients.  But over the past decade or more scientists have made some grand discoveries around the role of fungi, assisting plants (Watch Susan Simard’s TED talk How Trees Talk to Each other)  Mycorrhizal fungi extending root zones of host trees and shrubs. They form Mycorrhizal networks that “connect” trees with each-other (sharing food, communication and warning neighbouring plants for bark beetle attacks etc).   Some of the orchids would do so much better if the mycorrhiza is included in the orchid mix; The way to achieve that is by mixing in some old mix in the new mix, when replanting your orchid