Hello Professor Lee,
I eavesdropped on some growers, and heard them talking about putting fungus on the roots of their plants. I thought fungus was bad. Why would anybody want to do that?
Shroomed and confused
Hello Shroomed,
Allowing the root to rot is obviously a bad thing, but in this case the type of fungi your growers were talking about are called mycorrhizas. Mycorrhizas form a mutually beneficial relationship with the plant’s roots. Once bonded with the roots, the mycorrhizas branch out and enlarge the plant’s root structure, granting greater access to water and nutrients. In return, the fungus uses a portion of the water and nutrients for its own needs. Think of it as a middleman bringing a product to a customer where the middleman gets a percentage for their trouble.
I hope this clears things up a bit! Don’t be too upset – you seem like a really fun-guy! (sorry)
Professor Lee
