A Natural Asset...microbes

It is now that time of year, when we are in the final throws of summer. On stepping out I could smell the changes in growth and decay. I have a sense of an early winter arriving, may be as soon as October here in Canada. I have been watching the activities of the snow geese. I too fly away with them this year, to a more temperate climate, to spend the winter, getting my broken shoulder fixed and healing in time for the coming of spring and more seed trials.

I am pleased with the results of my efforts in this garden, the results have been good. Considering that this mix of seed has succeeded with no irrigation (not a drop) relying only on rain of which we had none during the time it mattered the most.  Many days forced to be indoors because of the intense heat, the gardens were left to get on with it, and here we are, most of August and all of September and moving in to October will be full of little blooms, delicate xeriscaping, highlighting the surrounding landscape with a soft kaleidoscope of colour.

Drought has been big this year in Canada, and Drought in life in general; so this has been an interesting experiment to show survival in such extreme times.

You can see the lush growth and persistence come what may of these species of flowers I sowed early in the year.

Drought damaged lawns, but the flowers still kept growing! Normally the lawns in Canada do shut down naturally in peak summer, but this years drought hit them really hard. They will recover though, they always do.

The Thyme carpet has really been a success, and done from seed with no irrigation. It has started to creep out, and next spring it really will get going, covering the ground as was required. It will start moving outwards in all directions and eventually the rocks can be removed.

Removal of the outer stones in this section, eventually all sections will join up and we will have the thyme carpet of dreams. A heavenly scent when walked on. Placement of the odd lemon scented culinary herb here and there will give some interest. I did not have any mechanical aid in this restoration so hence the broken rotator cuff that needs fixing, all that wrenching and pulling, however the results are good in the garden!

Garden School

Mutually advantageous symbioses between fungi and plant roots are termed mycorrhizae.

The arbuscular mycorrhiza offers the greatest opportunities for improving sustainable crop production.

Arbuscular micorrhiza increase the uptake of phosphorous, improve tolerance of drought stress and enhance plant tolerance to disease.

Molecular scientists now recognize similarities between rhizobial  nodulation that results in nitrogen fixation and the development of arbuscular mycorrhiza. Research indicates a common evolutionary pathway for both symbiotic associations.

On my travels as a journey person gardener, in the next topic, I will be looking into Alpines;  scree and moraine gardening. Another area of plants that live on the EDGE of survival with little water and soil. I will be in the mountains with my camera, and will be taking seed with me too, for some more seed trials. I will be healing the shoulder over winter.

See you soon...