Several types of fertilizer with mycorrhizal fungus added have appeared on the market. Sure, give them a try. One of the best Google searches to further understand this subject is "plants that do not need mycorrhizal fungus". You can Google the MF subject and read forever. However, no one really tells you how simple it is to make your own.

MF develops from the annual cold composting of tree, shrub and plant/leaf litter that drops to the ground in the fall. The savy gardener owns a shredder and as each bed is cleaned up in the fall the debris is shredded and spread back on that bed as mulch where it cold composts and develops every type of MF needed by the plants (or future plants) in that particular garden. Grass clippings are allowed to remain on a lawn to cold compost. Tree leaves are raked, shredded and spread under shrubs. I keep a pile not more that 6" high of leaves from around the yard tucked under a low branched shrub as a source of MF for new plantings. I just reach in under the pile and take several tablespoons of this MF rich soil to add to each planting hole. MF develops at the soil surface so stir it gently in at the top of the planting hole. Those who have undisturbed, unraked woodland gardens have plenty of MF in that soil for addition to new plantings. In the meantime, gardeners with small yards or no interest in leaf shredding should try the MF added fertilizers.

Not all plants require MF for growth, but most do. Some at the top of the list are beech trees, strawberries, orchids and grapes.

Thanks for the info. I have a very small piece of property and buying the fertilizer with the added MF would be more suited for my needs. I did however this summer leave the grass clippings on the lawn for the first time. I am getting there slowly but surely.

June

Thanks, nandina, for the insight on the development of mycorhizzal fungi by cold composting in nature. I hadn't thought of it, but it makes perfect sense.

I don't use a shredder but I do leave litter and leaves in place around plants. I also have a cold (or sometimes lukewarm) compost pile that I spread over the beds in the fall. The compost is barely half-finished when I use it, so it finishes on the beds where the fungi could develop easily. So far the plants mostly seem happy, so I may have been doing the right thing not really knowing why.

Claire