Mycorrhiza: The Ultimate Beneficial Microbe For Growing Medical Marijuana

[AKenewell]

Medical marijuana growers are the driving force behind many advancements in agriculture. Of course, the USDA isn’t going to start patting any of us on the back, but it should be noted that many innovative agricultural techniques originally stemmed from testing done by indoor horticulturalists. The use of beneficial mycorrhizae is a good example. There has been a surge in the agricultural use of beneficial organisms that has stemmed from the innovation of medical marijuana growers. Years before commercial farmers had even heard of mycorrhizae, there were medical marijuana growers implementing these beneficial organisms into their gardens.

 

Growing Cannabis With Mycorrhizae

 

Mycorrhizae are soil organisms that have a close, symbiotic relationship with the plant’s rhizosphere. The word “mycorrhizae” actually stems from the latin words mycor (fungus) and rhiza (root). The mycorrhizae and roots form a sort of tissue that enlarges the surface absorption area of the roots by 100 to 1000 times. Mycorrhizae create thousands of tiny filaments or threads that act like an extension of the root system. This not only increases the plant’s ability to uptake water but also the ability to uptake vital nutrients.

 

Medical marijuana plants with supplemented mycorrhizae will never be “held up” by the inability to uptake nutrients. This is very important for indoor horticulturalists that spend vast sums of money on high powered lighting and CO2 enrichment designed to maximize photosynthesis. Mycorrhizae also increase resistance to environmental stresses like drought or cold and reduce shock associated with transplanting. Supplemented mycorrhizae will increase a plant’s efficiency and may even require a reduction in fertilizer concentrations.

 

There are millions of different mycorrhizae strains, some of which are specific to a given crop. That is one reason I use Piranha by Advanced Nutrients. Advanced Nutrients specifically tests all their beneficial microbes on medical marijuana. The strains used in Piranha are the strains found to be most specific to our particular crop.

 

Two Types of Mycorrhizal

 

Mycorrhizae used in horticulture are usually broken into two categories: Endomycorrhizae and Ectomycorrhizae. Both of these subcategories of mycorrhizae are beneficial to plants. This is why you will find both varieties in most mycorrhizae formulas on the market.

 

Endomycorrhizae are mycorrhizae whose hyphae actually enter the plant’s cells. The hyphae do not penetrate the protoplast but instead turn the cell membrane inside out. This increases the contact surface area between the hypha and the cell cytoplasm which facilitates the transfer of nutrients.

 

Ectomycorrhizae form between the roots and do not generally enter the plant’s cells. Ectomycorrhizae create a hyphal sheath around the root tip and also a hartig net of hyphae that surround plant cells found within the root cortex. Outside of the root the fungal mycelium forms an extensive network throughout the soil or medium.

 

 

 

These tiny workhorses are an essential part of any medical marijuana garden. The more we understand about the supplementation of beneficial organisms, the more we can supercharge the rest of our garden to maximize performance. High intensity lighting, quality nutrients, and desirable atmospheric conditions teamed with the unseen world of beneficial microbes can make lush growth and bountiful yields commonplace in any medical marijuana garden.

 

http://bigbudsmag.co...ijuana-may-2012

[Chauncy Gardner]

My horticultural endeavors took a definite positive turn when I started using Great White. It was a change that was very obvious.

[MR GREENTHUMB]

even in hydro? I've heard it both ways.

[Estimated Prophet]

I sprinkle a little mycos around the rootball when transplanting, but i'm not sure how effective it has really been.

Would like to learn more about culturing fungal compost teas.

[Camnibus]

even in hydro? I've heard it both ways.

Only if you wanna grow spectacular meds that don't taste like dirt.

[rhinoman]

even in hydro? I've heard it both ways.

Mr.Greenthumb. theres a company called fungi perfecti they are the best source for mycorrhizal fungi to date. get the real not the copy. they have it for hydro too.

[MR GREENTHUMB]

thanks for the info rhinoman

[pic book]

Only if you wanna grow spectacular meds that don't taste like dirt.

Refeering to Mexican brickweeed? Or refeering to your distaste for soil growing?

[Honeyoil]

Mr.Greenthumb. theres a company called fungi perfecti they are the best source for mycorrhizal fungi to date. get the real not the copy. they have it for hydro too.

Do you have an idea of which product to use for hydro? None of the product details mention it.

[Camnibus]

I use Extreme Gardening's, http://xtreme-gardening.com/mykos/mykos-wp/ or the granular stuff too. (Just toss it in a sock/nylon or something and hang it in the rez after you set ph) There's hydro instructions in the link.

[cristinew]

I have heard a rumor that chemical ferts will kill them?

[abe supercro]

my impression is that there is a vast diversity w mycos with different ideal environments. synthetic ferts may not kill all mycos in light doses but they likey won't help this web of life you're trying to build up. molasses and oxygenated water can help them.

[thecannabiskid]

Mycorrhizal fungi have existed since the first plants appeared on dry land more than 450 million years ago, so id say their pretty vital to plant heath. I brew organic tea with worm castings and some great white and molasses to feed the mycros.. i think their harder to kill then people let on. I feed the tea three times during my plants lives, once after transplanting, once during week 1 of flowering and once in week 2,, then every once in a while i mix some molasses in with my nuts... I know they thrive because a foam forms on my runoff as it gets oxygenated going down the drains in my trays.

[GanjaWarrior]

I have heard a rumor that chemical ferts will kill them?

yes they will..... take your typical nutes, you know the salt build up that happens.... salt will kill them.... you know all the ph up and down folks use in hydro....will kill them.

[GanjaWarrior]

Only if you wanna grow spectacular meds that don't taste like dirt.

lmao  thats funny ever eat a cow that tasted like grass? nothing beats nature and hydro taste like donkey or water depending on if you know what your doing.

[Darkmatter]

I am brewing Myco tea for use in my hydro system. not only has it improved growth and vigor, it's saved me from a parasitic root fungus. it truly is the stuff of miracles

[Darkmatter]

Oh and my hydro grown meds taste fantastic.

[GanjaWarrior]

Oh and my hydro grown meds taste fantastic.

I have yet to see a grower in any medium claim other wise....grow the same strain in organic soil, and one in hydro and tell me you cant taste the difference...some people just cant taste.

[Petyr]

Spores are not water soluble.  Myco is spores.  Myco is not water soluble.  You would need to crush the spores to make them water soluble, but then they wouldn't be spores anymore so.....

 

You are wasting money if you are putting myco in water.  It is best used at transplant, sprinkled dry on the root ball and/or transplant hole.

 

"Chem " nutes don't kill myco, high levels of P will inhibit it.  Trichoderma will also inhibit myco.

 

All mycorrzial spores come from one manufacturer.  They are then diluted, repackaged, sometimes mixed with other things (often so much trichoderma that the myco is unable to survive) and sold for a profit by everyone in the world who sells myco. 

Edited April 26, 2013 by Petyr

[thecannabiskid]

What makes the water foam? I thought that meant it was alive..

[rhinoman]

mycogrow-soluble's small particle size makes it ideal for use in hydroponic growing units as well as standard nursery, garden, and potting applications.

Do you have an idea of which product to use for hydro? None of the product details mention it.

[Darkmatter]

mycogrow-soluble's small particle size makes it ideal for use in hydroponic growing units as well as standard nursery, garden, and potting applications.

That is what I am using in my teas (for my hydro system)., It is AMAZING! I just use a handful of ancient forest in a sock ,feed in into a 5 gallon bucket filled with r/o water with an airstone give it a scoop of molasses (unsulphered), and 2 days later you have a miracle.

[Darkmatter]

The tea has to be refrigerated, and even then it is only good for about 10 days. Do your homework on this one. It is very important that you replace the life in the water by adding more tea every few days, and many many things can kill the little guys too.

 

They also need a place to colonize other than the roots, sometimes they like to live on airstones, some people will put a little raft or sponge for them in the rez.

[MR GREENTHUMB]

hey DM, how much are you adding per gallon? add daily? can you explain a little more?  Thanks