Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="Susan BBPM, post: 253131, member: 17711"] Trees and woody plants are primarily fungal feeders whereas soft, green plants (like veg) are bacterial feeders. if you think of an empty bit of barren land the observed process over time is for weeds to grow, and as they rot down and create a bacterial rich soil you get more and more green plants. Over time some of those green plants that come later get woody in the stems with age and that's when you start to get fungal breakdown and eventually an environment that supports trees. Ultimately, land left to it's own devices becomes forest. So, if you create raised beds that are very bacteria rich to grow vegetables you aren't creating an ideal environment for trees and shrubs. Likewise, if you follow the back to eden approach and dump loads of woodchip on your soil that's a fungal environment you're creating and that's not the best for veggies. Great for a food forest of trees and shrubs though. But it seems that veggies DO link into the fungal network. So whilst bacteria in the soil is their primary food source they are taking something from the fungal networks. If it's beneficial to the veg (net gain) it would make sense to plant trees and woody shrubs around your veg garden to boost the fungal network. However, it's not clear whether the fungal network is 100% beneficial to the veg - it's possible that the trees are using the network to drain resources from your veg. I don't think scientists are clear on the exact mechanism. Some suggest that its a mutualy beneficial relationship, and others aruge that it's a competitive network. If the fungal networks provide a benefit it pays to have wooded areas around your veg garden. If the fungal networks are detremental it pays to have raised beds with liners that prevent other plants stealing nutrients from your veg. My main veg garden is split into two parts - half food forest and half raised beds. One half fungal and fed with woodchip and the other half bacterial and fed with bacteria rich organic matter. My observation tells me that the beds that AREN'T in the vacinity of my food forest do better. Suggesting that the relationship doesn't benefit the veg. But there are too many variables to know for sure at this stage. Just wondering if anyone else had observations. [/QUOTE]

Verification