Permanent Agriculture
Permaculture is a term that comes from ‘Permanent Agriculture’. It has changed from a set of techniques into a philosophy. This is growing in interest with many people feeling they can relate to it.
This comes at a time when more people are growing their own food either with a homestead or kitchen garden. Sites like the Royal Horticultural Society have information, courses and even planting timetables to help know what to grow and when. Making growing your own food more accessible.
Philosophy of Permaculture
Natural Inspiration
Finding inspiration from nature and how nature works symbiotically to grow and flourish. Using ecosystem services to help your own garden, homestead or farm grow healthy food [7].
Plant Growing
Utilising less damaging practices to grow crops, support soil, soil microbes, and their fungal partners. Using new techniques to grow food without breaking up the soil [7].
Here at Fungal Friends, we are keen to help you understand how fungi can help grow more food in a healthy and sustainable way using fungi in the soil as a biofertilizer
Fungal Friends [2]
Fungi – Enemy of the Gardener?
Absolutely not is the simple answer!
Fungi are a massive family of species and have a very long history, having been around much longer than us.
Fungi are decomposers, but they’re also messy eaters! When fungi release enzymes to feed on decaying organic matter, such as leaf litter, old wood, and old plants, they do not consume everything they decompose. Therefore around the fungi is a rich and nutritious soil perfect for developing plants [3].
This can be seen in ‘fairy rings’
This rich and lush patch of grass is healthier than the surrounding grass, because it has more nutrients. These are nutrients plants struggle to get on their own. The fungi have fed here and left a thick, nutrient rich earth for the plants. This soil contains nitrogen, phosphorous, zinc and other minerals [1]. This is why encouraging fungi to your homestead, veggie plot, or flower beds is a great decision for the health of your plants.
Benefits of Fungi
Through the symbiotic relationship between arbuscular mycorrhizae and plants, the plant is able to access nitrogen, phosphorus, water and minerals such as zinc [1]. In return the fungi receive carbon [27], sugars and lipids from the plants [1].
Fungi also aid plant resistance to disease and pests. The fungi alter the nutrient content of the plants (increasing plant carbon and nitrogen, a benefit to the plant), which makes then less palatable to insect pests [8]. The increase nutrient uptake by the plant increases plant yield and crop size, [8] and nutrient content [28].
Plants receive more than just nutrients from the relationship, they are more resistant to pathogens, increase yield and gain tolerance to climatic change [1].
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Which Fungi do we want in the Garden?
Arbuscular mycorrhizae do not produce mushrooms, but they do assist with plant growth, health and yield [1].
The species we are interested in is called Glomeromycota. This is one of 8 divisions of the fungal kingdom. Glomeromycota form arbuscular mycorrhiza with vascular plants [11], such as corn, potatoes, tomatoes, strawberry, sunflowers and lavender to name a few.
This fungi can be obtained by putting natural organic material on to your soil or planting area. The fungi will come. Like ants to a picnic!
Image Credit: Pixabay
Increased
Yield
Increased
Nutrition
Why should you care?
With an ever growing population and massive pressures on farmers and farm land to produce enough food for everyone, the soil is paying the price and it shows!
Fungi have been around as long as plants, their symbiotic relationship is well established. Arbuscular mycorrhiza is the below soil communicator aiding plant growth and development [8]. Ensuring healthy plants that are nutritious and disease resistant.
Taking care of what you grow, will take care of you when you consume it.
Image credit: Image by hamiltonjch from Pixabay