Mycorrhiza: Scientific proof

Treating roses with Mycorhizza fungi decreases growing and flowering stress in times of drought and low nutrition conditions.

Some people keep repeating that treating roses with Mycorhizza is useless and that it's claims are not scientifically proven.

THIS IS NOT TRUE.

I'm gonna give two examples of  experiments regarding the symbiosis of roses and Mycorhizza. The outcome of these studies are published in scientific literature and / or in rose literature. They can be found online.

Both studies only used roses so no other plants, perennials, shrubs or trees. 

1) Royal Horticulture Society (RHS)

The British RHS is the most renowned plant society in the world. They are the authority when it comes to growing plants, trees etc so also roses.

The gardeners of the RHS began to use Mycorhizza (rootgrow, a mix of 5 mycorrhiza fungi especially for roses) in 2000. The results were so convincing and undeniable that the RHS gave the product "rootgrow" their RHS label in 2008. This meant that the RHS recognized rootgrow as a very effective and proven product in the care of roses. Well known rose nurseries such as David Austin, Peter Beales and Harkness lauded this decision because they had the same experiences with the product Rootgrow.

They stated that Rootgrow:

Decreases planting stress. Rose roots treated with mycorrhiza show a remarkable better and faster start with increased health and vigor. 

Effectively counters replant disease. Switching soil is no longer needed

Better resistance against drought

In Holland the same testimonials were heard.

The city of Amersfoort wanted to redesign its Rosarium. They planted 4000 roses treated with mycorrhiza in soil which previously contained roses for 30 years. All roses made a remarkable healthy start and no replanting disease was detected.

In 2008 the rose festival in Lottum decided to treat all their ADR roses with Mycorhizza fungi when planted. They were astonished by the speed and vigor of the roses. Some ADR roses were planted in the wrong spot together with other roses. The ADR roses grew much faster, more vigorously and could be recognized immediately by their Hight and better foliage.

The Whittington Estate in Buckinghamshire wanted to replace 400 roses in their rosarium. Each attempt failed so they tried rootgrow. They treated the roots and didn't change the soil. They added leaf compost and a mulch of manure compost. The next year not one rose had fallen out and their roots had 30% more Mycorhizza than the older roses. The second year the roots had 70% more mycorrhiza. They stopped using artificial fertilizer, chemical fungicides etc. They definitely switched to organic.

Mottisfont Abbey is probably the best know rose garden in the world together with Sissinghurst gardens. During an 8 year renovation they tried the methode used in Whittington Estate so without changing the soil. All newly roses thrived, even in soil which contained roses for more than 80 years.

Since 2012 all National Trust gardens in the UK switched to rootgrow and organic gardening.

I can add similar experiences in Belgium and Germany but you get the picture by now.

Sources:

Linderman R.G. 1988 Mycorrhizal interactions with the rhizosphere microflora: The mycorrhizosphere effect. Phytopathology 78, 366-371. 

Scagel C.F. 2001 Cultivar specific effects of mycorrhiza fungi on the rooting of miniature rose cuttings. J. Environ. Hort. 19, 15-20.

Whipps J.M. 2001 Microbial interactions and biocontrole in the rhizosphere. J. Exp. Bot. 52, 487-511.

Horticulture Week 20 May 2004; 30 June 2005

Brian Schoffield, Mycorrhizal Fungus and its Use, The White Rose News, 2005

GardenWeb forums: www.gardenweb.com

Mycorrhiza foto’s Ingrid Weissenhorn © Servaplant

Mycorrhiza is not compatible with non organic fertilizers and pesticides

Reminder!

Mycorhizza and non organic products are not compatible!

Breeding roses organically is the most important step onto the path of glorious roses.

It not only makes our roses and plants to grow better but it also transforms the garden into a biodiverse and ecological entity.

With gardening organically we lay our roses and plants in the hands of nature. Mycorrhiza is a key element in the organic circle of our gardens. This fungi builds an underground grid in which all plants, shrubs and trees in our garden are connected. If there's a plant that hasn't enough of a certain element (let's say nitrogen) the Mycorhizza grid will detect this and send Nitrogen towards this plant. It detects this because the roots of our plants ergo our roses our infested with the mycorrhiza fungi and shortage of any kind is immediately detected. Mycorrhiza itself thrives on humus, the organic substances in our soil. The more organic material we give the better the amount of humus will be and the better the mycorrhiza can do its werk. Planting roses using Mycorhizza and providing enough organic material is essential to be successful..

But: Once you start to work with Mycorhizza you cannot use non organic fertilizer anymore, not ever! Artificial, chemical fertilizer destroys the Mycorhizza immediately! So your grid of protection disappears. Also ALL chemical fungicides and insecticides and herbicides are FORBIDDEN, they kill mycorrhiza. It gets into the roses, the soil and its game over!

I've already learned you guys about Neem and Milk and Potassium bicarb but in the future we'll learn more organic solutions to strengthen our roses and this especially through foliage feeding.

So stay tuned and take this to heart: If you keep using chemical products while you treated your roots with mycorrhiza all will be in vain, your precious spores and fungi will die immediately. So be careful!

Mycorrhiza: What is it?

What does Mycorhizza and is it really necessary?

Mycorhizza are fungal spores (like mushrooms) which are everywhere in good natural flora. They form a network between plants creating an immens living organism. Through this network nutrients and moisture is shared so that every member of the network can benefit even when they aren't in ideal soil.

How does it affect roses in our garden? Especially in alkaline soils and soils low in nutrients such as phosphate the roots of roses send out an SOS to mycorrhiza fungi. The Mycorhizza comes to the rescue and penetrates the roots of the rose establishing a highway of nutrients, especially phosphate, to help the rose. In dry summers such as this year the mycorrhiza will keep your roses more resistant to drought because the network provides the moisture. Once the roots of our roses are infected by the mycorrhiza they will triple in size and protect the rose better against diseases and nutrient deficiency. This my friends is how Mycorhizza works.

Mycorhizza thrives in soils with lots of organic material also called humus (no not Hummus lol). A thick layer of organic material each year will ensure the working of mycorrhiza.

However! Mycorrhiza has one arch enemy: Chemicals and chemical or artificial fertilizer. It causes the mycorrhiza to retreat and leave that soil being affected by the chemicals. That's why when you treat your roses with mycorrhiza you can never ever spray with chemicals and use chemical fertilizers. You can only use organic fungicides such as Neem or Milk and only organic fertilizers. So in essence: When you treat your rose roots with mycorrhiza you immediately have to start with organic gardening.

Isabelle Olikier Luyten has written a book in French about her little piece of paradise, her 600 square meter garden in which she combines roses from Warren Millington and Austin with perennials. Isabelle treats the roots first with mycorrhiza and she gives each rose 2 kg of manure/compost each year so her soil is one thick layer of organic humus. Isabelle doesn't fertilize her roses! She says the mycorrhiza in combination with the thick organic layer provide enough nutrients for all her roses and perennials. That's the power of the mycorrhiza network!

But Dirk, I have my soil analysed and it isn't alkaline, it's neutral and it has enough nutrients especially phosphate... do I need the Mycorhizza? That's up to you. If you don't intend to grow your roses organically without chemicals mycorrhiza won't help your roses because the mycorrhiza will die anyway.

But if you are intending to grow them organically with the thick organic layer and no chemicals you can skip the mycorrhiza treatment because they will appear naturally to help your roses.

I hope I made it a bit more clear for you guys.