Mycorrhizal

Beneficial mycorrhizae or root fungi live in a symbiotic relationship with 90% of all plants root systems. Mycorrhizae fungi colonize a plants root zone and extend microscopic straw-like filaments called "hyphae" into the soil surrounding a host plants.  Through a mining like affect mycorrhizae hyphae process nutrients for plants and in-turn receive nutrients from the host plant.  The presence of beneficial mycorrhizal fungi dramatically increases the availability of nutrients and moisture once unreachable by ordinary root systems. Over time, Mycorrhizae fungi can improve soil quality in the rhizosphere resulting in healthier more disease and drought resistant plants.

Garden Tea Co. offers OMRI listed and CDFA registered mycorrhizae inoculates approved for use in organic agriculture and forestry applications.

Benefits of Mycorrhizal Fungi:

• Mycorrhizae fungi produce acids that process phosphorus and many trace minerals into forms available to plants.
• Mycorrhizae fungi can increase the surface absorbing area of a plants root system by 10 to 1000 times facilitating more efficient usage of water and nutrients.
• Any nutrients not taken up by plants will remain locked in the Mycorrhizae fungi for later release.
• Mycorrhizae fungi are also known to form a protective barrier in and around the root zone helping to out compete other organisms for food and space. 
  

Ectomycorrhizae; preferred by hardwood and conifers, form a web colonizing the outside of the root and.

Endomycorrhizae; preferred by most annuals, perennials, vegetables, grasses, shrubs, and softwood trees, colonize the inside of the root and forms strands throughout the soil.

A list of well known and often grown plants that form and benefit from a mycorrhizal relationship can be found here... Mycorrhizal Relationship List