Mycorrhizal Inoculation

[benedmonds]

I have a client with a mature copper beech, it has not done well this year and has a thin crown and dieback throughout. There have been no changes to the ground conditions which consist of a gravel drive lawn area.

 

The TO has recommended mycorrhizal inoculation. Having only ever read about it wondering if anyone had had any success. If so can you make some recommendations.. The client wants to do the best for the tree but do not want to break the bank..

[Macca]

You could air spade and use bio char but that can be costly, a cheaper and very effective option would be to mulch around the drip line of the tree! Was a good thread on here about the subject.

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=97935

[tree79]

I have a client with a mature copper beech, it has not done well this year and has a thin crown and dieback throughout. There have been no changes to the ground conditions which consist of a gravel drive lawn area.

 

The TO has recommended mycorrhizal inoculation. Having only ever read about it wondering if anyone had had any success. If so can you make some recommendations.. The client wants to do the best for the tree but do not want to break the bank..

 

As already stated, air spade is one option, and you could bio char, or indeed other various beneficial fungi and trace elements.

 

I know ameg group (Acorn) in Redditch have experience with this, I've used them in the past and found them to offer a excellent service.

 

Will be interested to know what you decide with this

[treeseer]

Find a healthy tree of the same species. Harvest topsoil with active fine root growth. Take it to the sick tree and stuff it in holes in the soil.

[Marc]

The problem with sugar solutions and Biochar from what I understand is they have a sweet spot, Biochar needs to be at 5% per square meter by volume to achieve the best results applying liberally will just not work so it's a faff, I cannot remember the sugar ratio but it has to be fairly precise or it will not work.

 

Gentle air spading and mulching of the surface layer with locally sourced mulch is often the best soloution and we have seen good results with this, far better than mycor inoculation with shop bought products.

 

Treeseer is spot on as well, most purchased mycor is not really suitable.

 

Also investigating the real reason for decline as mentioned already before prescribing, although this can lead to mis diagnosis, confusion and be costly.

[treeseer]

Research by Fini and Ferrini (honest!) back up the practice of transfusing microbes from healthy trees.

 

But to be fair I think packaged products have come a long way since a survey was done.

[jomoco]

Research by Fini and Ferrini (honest!) back up the practice of transfusing microbes from healthy trees.

 

But to be fair I think packaged products have come a long way since a survey was done.

 

I've done it, watched it work, and never forgotten its efficacy.

 

The trick's getting a client with robust healthy trees, to donate their topsoil.

 

Usually spreading a bit of green, begets more green, a sorta symbiotic relationship, eh Guy?

 

Jomoco