Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Ericoid mycorrhizae
are beneficial for blueberries, huckleberries, lingonber-
ries, rhododendrons, and other acid-loving plants. They are not useful for the
crops described in this topic.
Choosing products.
When purchasing a mycorrhizae product for your orch-
ard, keep the following two strategies in mind. First, deal with companies that
specialize only in microbial products, rather than general garden products.
There are many commercial mycorrhizal products sold, not all of which are
effective; deal with someone who really knows mycorrhizae. Second, don't
buy any mycorrhizal product that does not list the species included and the
spore count. If you do not know what is in the product, you have no way of
knowing if it will benefit your orchard. The same caution applies to spore
count. The higher the spore count, the more concentrated and effective the
product will be. If the species included in the product and spore count are
not specified, be very skeptical of the product. Don't be lulled by advertising
“testimonials.” There are very good products on the market; it's worth taking
the time to find them. Before using any microbial product, ensure that it can
be used by certified organic growers in your area.
A product that blends at least several species of endomycorrhizae is usu-
ally preferable to a product with a single fungal species. More species means
that it will be adaptable to a wider range of soils, host plants, and grow-
ing conditions. Again, endomycorrhizae are much more likely to benefit fruit
trees than ectomycorrhizae. For root dips and root ball drenches, purchase
only mycorrhizal inoculants. Products that include both mycorrhizae and fer-
tilizers can damage the roots and are not recommended at the time of plant-
ing. These combination products are best applied after the trees are planted.
Treating the plants.
The best way to treat bare-root plants is to dip the
roots into a slurry containing desirable mycorrhizae just before planting. For
container-grown or ball-and-burlap trees, drench the root balls with water
containing mycorrhizae. Follow the product label directions.
