I was wondering if any of you use mycorrhizal fungi on your palms I talked with a nursery and they said it is only for outdoor palms but the site where you can buy it from says you can use it for indoor and outdoor, So I am wondering if it would be a good investment or just another hoak. Thank you for any future help. Tom 24
You could always shop around -even online. Some sellers have various varieties. Maybe see what TreeHelp.com has. Seems that they have some. Not sure what this company has... www.mycorrhizae.com
Tom--I inoculate all my seedlings with the myco, there is enough research to make the penny or two per plug investment a good gamble/investment for me. What the nursery guy was getting at, re:it's for outdoor stuff only...in container production we now have fertilization down to the point that a plant will grow close to it's optimum using soiless mixes in containers. Using the myco when you are fertilizing with control release at recommended rates, along with dolomite and traces, will often give no obvious improvement in the container plant. This is because the genetic potential is only so much, no matter what you do, and we can get pretty close to that with the growing protocols that have been developed in recent decades. In fact, the myco will often not colonize the roots of a plant that is being fed at these nursery rates, because the roots won't send out the exudates to encourage the spores to germinate and infect the roots...the plants are already like a kid in a candy store, and have no further "hunger" for nutrition (using a somewhat flawed human analogy). I do look beyond this, and think about how my plant will do once the ultimate customer plants my seedlings in the landscape. I also tend to back off on fertilizer to help the seedlings get colonized. But this is me, in my situation trying to grow baby plants that will go outside in the ground one day. If you just have an indoor palm in a pot by the window...you may not see any advantage for your $10. I might think about getting some control release fert, and some micromax (my personal fav for trace nutrients) first, then think about whether I wanted to shell out another $10 or not :-)
personally i don't think that's flawed at all, it's easy to understand, gets the point across, and so is very useful. I looked at the mycorrhizae site, it's very good, but why on earth do these people feel the need to pile on the sales banter eh? i was already convinced about the benefits, so why do they talk about it as if before they were around every thing was rubbish, i'd say it was a bit insulting to the landscapers out there and the nurserymen...saying after construction work the soil is left in a state that wouldn't support a weed....the landscapers more often than not work hard to improve the soil, and the nurserymen work hard to grow a high quality plant at reasonable money...damn it, i wish they'd just say, you guys do a good job and we can help you make it even better because..... So as i have gone a bit of topic here, i want to say to all the guys who come here to read and post, give yourselves a pat on the back for doing your best to improve yourselves and the fields you work in :D
Thank you oscar and growest for that I find that the fertilizer and lights that I use is enough I have pics of a few of my plants and they have done very well on the soil and fertilizer that I use. I agree they do treat us like we know nothing and they seem to know everything. I have just started growing palms, but you all have been growing for years and I couldn't have gotten as far as I have without all your help so Thank you all Tom 24
