Mycorrhiza

[syncom2]

I live on approximately 1.75 acres of land and I have approximately 50 varieties of trees, with only two or three of spruces and pines being alike. The other 45 or so deciduous trees have no sisters nor brothers, just cousins… if ya know what I mean. Nearly all of the trees that I have have been planted from nursery stock in the past 13 years. So I'd surmise that not many of them are over 20 years in age.
My most immediate concern is a Tri-Color Beech that had sustained some winter damage to its trunk over a two or three year period. Halfway around its 6" diameter trunk was/is exposed to the elements. To my dismay, last year I discovered it had become infested with a family of borers. After ridding them with Lindane last fall, I wrapped its trunk last winter and painted the protective paper barrier white. I've kept close tabs with this particular tree all summer long and it appears that it has begun its slow healing period.
My question is this;
After reading some of the pros and cons - considering the fertilization of trees, possibly causing them more long-term harm than good, what can anyone tell me about the plusses and minuses of treating my tree(s) with Mycorrhiza. I know virtually nothing about this product and/or concept. Is this treatment something that I seriously need to consider, being it goes without saying that keeping a tree free from undue stress is the first line of defense in keeping them nearly disease and pest free. If treating my trees with a dose or two of Mycorrhiza is the way to go, can a landowner such as I economically perform this service to the number of trees that I have - without having to pay out hundreds and hundreds of dollars. Where would be a good source of this product? Do I need special tools to apply it? Timing… what time of the year is the optimum? Is there a good source of information of this treatment… in elementary "layman's" terms of course!
I realize that I've fired off quite a few questions there. Any and all help would be so much appreciate… 'Cos kinky as this might come across, even though I've been guilty of negligence at times, these trees are my "pets" ya know!
Thanks! mb

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

There have been very encouraging reports of the benifits of these products, unfortunately only by the manufacturer of said products.

You didn't mention if these trees are growning in lawn area, chip beds or forest. I ask because in lawn, the Mycorrhizal fungi will have a hard time surviving, and benifits from injections would temporary, at best. In a forest type setting the Mycorrhiza fungi will be thriving before injections, again not much benifit. In theory, a new chip bed might benifit.
Think of M. Fungi like grass seed. If your lawn is so compacted and dry that it's doing poorly, adding new seed won't do much. The new seed probably won't come up, and even if it does the lawn will soon look like it did. You need to take care of the problems, then add the seed. If you have a green lush lawn, adding seed won't help either.
Having said that, I don't think that Mycorrhizal injections can hurt.
Have you done a soil test? That's what we do, as professionals, when a customer inquires about fertilizers or other soil amendments. Then follow the recomendations, and remove as many of the stresses as you can, water during drought, remove competitive plants like lawn, ect..

 

[Jay Banks]

Here's two more cents, the myco will (if it establishes) will aid the tree in the uptake of moisture and nutrients. Which will help minimize drought stresses. So go ahead and add like mike said.

Now (where's JPS) this fish/seaweed nutrient juice from Emerald Isle will aid in nutrient deficiencies and add bio-stimulants to the roots themselves. I'd use this product first if it were my trees.

 

[syncom2]

Mike & Jay, thank you for sharing your Mycorrhiza knowledge and experience with me. As I had earlier mentioned, I was/am pretty much out in "left field" about the pros and cons of Mycorrhiza.
To shed a few more rays of light on my personal circumstances, all of my trees are in a lawn setting. Each tree has been hardwood mulched with a 30" – 36" radii surrounding the tree from day one. From mid June until the present time, I've been watering watering and watering them trees! Just as I have in the last 14 years. If needed, each tree gets a deep drink about every two to three weeks. In other words, I allow the hose to slowly trickle for 16 - 20 hours. sometimes longer for the larger Ash and Locust trees. Lots of continual work, but much easier than planting four dozen trees with 300 pounds of soil to anchor them! If the majority of other homeowners would just go out and price a tree that they would have to replace - due to the wide-spread drought conditions, every house in the Ohio valley would have a hose runnin'!
Anyway...
If soil testing is my best approach for the best maximum health to be realized of each individual tree, I guess I need to know how to approach this soil test. Do I need a separate soil sample drawn for each tree… which I assume would be a fairly expensive way to go (unless you can recommend a good "home" testing unit that's accurate enough to pay some dividends of its usage)? Knowing that each tree's encircling soil around the ball has been altered (from previous existing conditions) during he planting period, what kind of distance from the trunk do I have to go… and what for depth should this soil come from? Being there is sod above 95% of the trees rooting zone, I'd guess somewhere down 12" or so is where it needs to come from… maybe? Ok, once (if) I send the soil out for testing, and the results are made known to me… who can I contact about what each tree's special needs are… or can I just "generalize" and hope all varieties can benefit in some small way. My soil is primarily all clay. I do know that it is not the best of substances to grow a Pin Oak in. I lost one a few years back to an Iron Chlorosis problem. Silly me went out and purchased another Pin… thinking I could "doctor" it along. Thus far it's doing fine, but I know that given my location, it'll forever need to be pampered.
As always, thanks to you and everyone in advance, for all shared knowledge!
mb

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

A soil test can be done at your local county agricultural extension for around $20. If you contact them they will give you instructions and some soil bags. They will also ask what you are growing, so they can give specific recommendations.
For your 1.75 acre lot, one or two samples should let you know what you have, unless you believe your soils are highly variable. Each sample will have soil taken from about three spots, then mixed together to get an average.
The information will help you figure out why your trees are doing well, or not so well, and guide you in whatever applications you may make. You could be avoiding fertilization, and have nitrogen deficant soil, without a test how would you know?
You might hire a good certified arborist to take a walk around and make recomendations. Lots of times I can spot a problem from 100 feet away, that may not be obvious to a non tree hugger. A big one is planting depth...do you know how deep you trees are?

 

[syncom2]

Mike, I appreciate your latest suggestion(s).
I suppose that I should draw a soil sample from at least two areas of my lawn. For the most part, the lawn is fairly level. Only one small portion of the lawn is on a slight knoll… which only goes on say that there's more clay to be reckoned with there. In fact, one of the very first trees that I planted on this knoll (in the late 80's) was a Ginkgo. I later learned it probably died from being planted too deeply, hence, the "wet feet" syndrome it had succumbed to. From that first detrimental experience and on to the present, every tree goes in ground with the top of the ball being 4" – 5" above the surrounding grade.
As per your suggestion of hiring and consulting with a certified arborist, I called and left a message with one back late last spring, but he never returned my call. I will level with you and say that when I talked (e-mailed) with the local extension agent last winter, he would not recommend one local Arborist over another. I can see his point in desiring to take a "neutral" position, and I do not mean nor wish to be guilty of stepping on anyone's toes, but I have a major problem in just randomly picking an Arborists from a list I'm given… or what my eyes scan across in the local yellow pages. Gambling is not my hobby. I have no problem paying good money to someone that will ultimately save me additional grief and money in the long run. But again, like most anyone would be (I guess), I want to tap into the knowledge of the most competent Arborist in the area. So if there is some sort of an "inside" evaluation of who's the most proficient in the class…who's guilty of hiding this list from the general public! Most likely, the most qualified is probably the busiest and hardest to get to walk across my lawn as well… right!?!
As always, thanks!
mb

 

[Jay Banks]

MB,
I realize your fustrations, you want the best for your trees as you do for your children. It takes time to build a relationship with a good arborist. When I consult I return every call because when I want an answer I expect a call back.

Even if I cannot take the job I'll refer to another arborist in their area (if I can).

Don't give up yet.

 

[Nickrosis]

Originally posted by syncom2
I want to tap into the knowledge of the most competent Arborist in the area. So if there is some sort of an "inside" evaluation of who's the most proficient in the class…who's guilty of hiding this list from the general public!

It's hidden no more.

http://www.isa-arbor.com/arborists/arbsearch.html

These are the people with their arborist certification. It means that they can pass a test, which means little in and of itself, but nearly all the excellent arborists have this certification.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Have you done a Google search on mycorrhiza? This would be the best place to start.

Getting rid of as much turf as you can stand to loose would be the simplest way to benefit your trees. After gettind rid of the turf put down a layer of coarse wood chips. The stuff that comes out of brush chippers from an arbo is probably the best since you'll get a mix of sizes and some leaves mixed in.

Do some research on stem girdling roots too. This is an epidemic but can be easily cured.

You might find that adding soil from your woods or composted leaves will bring in as many beneficial mycorrhizae as getting some in a box from a Petri dish.

Tom