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Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

I decided that I would broadcast mycorrhiza over the entire patch while broadcasting my cover crop.
It will be interesting to see if the theory that innoculating the cover crop then tilling that cover crop in, would innoculate the entire patch will work, there will be no scientific controls....lol....I am interested in seeing if the roots look different then they normally do before I till them in.
This is really no different then the big mycorr suppliers grow and harvest mycorrhiza.
If it doesnt work, no harm done, it can't hurt anything, so why not...lol

10/13/2008 3:54:30 PM

good move Tom, it will work

you have that fancy microscope to check the roots in May, this ain't rocket science

10/13/2008 4:33:43 PM

southwest MO

My annual rye grass has dread locks...

10/13/2008 11:26:31 PM

Ohio

Tom, to save a little money, I thought about using m-roots on my Rye and Winter Wheat, it has the mycorrhiza in it plus a little fertlizer (3-3-3 I think) to help the cover crop grow better, Im not sure if it will work ether, but I thought Id give it a shot after I read your post.

10/17/2008 6:08:56 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Cool!

10/17/2008 7:15:37 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

In the coldest part of the year the mycorrhizia go dormant, but during warm spells in early spring and late fall, the mycorrhizia will try to grow, and can exhaust their reserves if they find no plant hosts.
http://newfarm.rodaleinstitute.org/depts/NFfield_trials/0903/daviddou

10/17/2008 8:30:46 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

There are so many conflicting reports and just not enough tests done to really prove one way or another if this will work, only by thinking out of the box and trying new techniques and methods does anything evolve, if we never tried anything different,we would still be at a 400lb WR.
If by any chance it does work and we can eliminate the need to spend extra money, I'm all for it...lol
In my opinion, the way we prep our soil, the effectiveness of mycorrhiza might be deminshed, mycorrhiza developes the colonies of strands by first binding with the roots and using the sugars\starches(carbohydrates) that the roots extrude, it travels searching for phos, thus creating the strands and colonies. The plant uses the large "root" area to absorb water and nutrients from the soil,improving the absorption capabilities of the plant. Most of the soil test results I've seen have moderate to high Phos levels, the Mycorrhiza will not have to travel far to find it, does this mean that the colonies will be smaller?...I would think so.
It is well known and documented that Mycorrhiza is more beneficial in in nutrient poor soils.
Either way, I feel that it is a part of the big picture, but not the silver bullet that lots of people make it out to be. In good soil, you will find it to some extent naturally.

10/18/2008 12:26:36 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

PB, if the myco is colonized onto the cover crop in the fall, then in the spring the host will be there, or am I missing something? Peace, Wayne

10/18/2008 6:53:39 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

This is the way I understand it from Mycorrhizal Applications, Inc .
P.O. Box 1029
Grants Pass, OR
97528
In the coldest part of the year the mycorrhizia go dormant. So yes they are laying there waiting for roots to grab hold of them in the Spring.Once they are used up, It takes the new roots from 90-120 to produce new spores in your soil. So to benefit the most, you would need to set a side part of your garden (or pumpkin patch) for the whole summer.

10/18/2008 8:53:07 PM

Ohio

I agree Tom.
Wayne, I 'think' you are correct, my thinking is put the Mycorrhiza down in the fall when your cover crop is just starting to pop up,this will start to colonize your cover crop roots. (while the weather is still kinda warm).
Since cover crop seeds are usually planted up near the top of the soil, and Mycorrhizal doesn't travel down through the soil very far when applied from the top, I think watering it in will be just enough for it to travel down to reach the root zone. ''Just my theory though''

10/19/2008 5:18:30 AM