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Colorado

So the Endomycorrhizal Fungi that we all buy (BioGrow Endo Plus,etc.) - where does this stuff come from?

Can I grow my own? Would there be an advantage of "growing" my own (if that's the proper term for producing more fungi) in the region that I live in? Would it be more acclimated to my specific climate/soil if I did that?

just curious if anyone out there is doing this.

3/15/2008 11:24:31 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

I'm trying to grow my own at the moment see my diary.
No results yet,but the thing is if you use it on a pumpkin and it works then you have already grown your own,a bit of thought on selection and timing of cover crop should see masses of them ready for the following year.

3/16/2008 4:00:00 AM

Colorado

hi pete,i asked linderman if I could spike my compost pile with mycorrizzal fungi by growing a cover crop on the pile and seeding with biogrow.He didnt think that would work because of high phosphorous levels.If you grow youre own you still have to confirm that you actually grew it.

3/16/2008 2:26:53 PM

[email protected]

Dr. Mike cultures it around the clock. Probably not the sort of thing that would be economically viable to us growers.

3/16/2008 7:55:51 PM

[email protected]

Joe got good info from Dr. Linderman. Most cover crops don't support Mycorrhyza. None support the varieties we need for cucurbits.

3/16/2008 7:57:46 PM

Colorado

below is an interesting paper:

http://depts.washington.edu/propplnt/Chapters/Myco_NPP_FINAL.pdf

I wonder if we could take our pumpkin roots in the fall, dry them out, and use that as a source of Mycorrhyza for the following spring, with the hope that the Mycorrhyza would be adjusted to our specific soil type and plant type (pumpkin).

3/16/2008 10:49:48 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

That brings up a few questions like what varieties do we need?what plants support them?are they actually in bio grow?and how is that produced?

3/17/2008 4:16:09 AM

I dont know how accurate or comprehensive this list is but it may give you some place to start Glomus caledonium, G.clarum, G.etunicatum, G. intraradices, and G. mosseae. I also found a website you guys might find interesting. http://invam.caf.wvu.edu/index.html check out the methods section. I concur with Pete on harvesting roots and drying them but would also like to add chopping them up finely (a blender perhaps) and sifting them through screens.

3/19/2008 1:12:12 AM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

That'll keep me busy reading for a while!
I was just going to chop up the roots then add it back to the growing medium so that I get anything thats left behind.
The timing of a crop of winter leeks fits in very well after pumpkins,another possibility is buying a small quantity of myco to innoculate exhibition onions or leeks in December and then using the spare plants on the pumpkins later on.That is of course if they are suitable hosts if they aren't we're in trouble because Steve just eliminated most other crops.

3/19/2008 7:37:18 AM

http://www.reforest.com/images/pumpkin_pro_flyer.jpg

3/19/2008 4:55:53 PM