Mycelium bed
The benefits of mycelium are huge. Briefly, the root-like structure of the mycelium can multiply the circulation of a plant by 1,000 times. It also provides protection against non-beneficial fungi, virus and bacteria, and breaks down soil nutrients, making them accessible to plants. For more
This is a method for propagating indigenous strains of mycorrhyzal mycelium. Mycelium is very abundant in primary forests. Take a small amount of soil from a primary forest, or any woodland setting that has not been disturbed for several years (2-3 liters would do it)
I always like to tune in to the forest, and ask if I can take a little soil, and thank it for what I’ve taken.
Mix this soil with a good planting mix from your garden. Dig the bed, about 2 ft (60 cm) square, and line it with plastic, which will contain the mycelium, which like to run! Transplant some seedlings–anything, other than brassicas (cabbage, kale and related family), which don’t bond symbiotically with mycelium. The root tips of the seedlings, which are growing very fast, and producing polysaccharides (sugars), feed the mycelium, and the mycelium provide many benefits to the little plants. Keep them watered, let them grow, when they are robust, and near harvest stage, cut the plants back to about 4 inches (10 cm). This gives the mycelium the signal to Propagate Now! a few days later, harvest the soil of the mycelium bed. It will be very rich in mycelium. You might be able to see the white strands, which represent thousands of single-cell mycelium fibers.
How to use the mycelium: You can use it directly, or your can step it up to a larger mycelium propagation bed, by following the procedure above, but with a larger bed.
For direct use, you can gently dig small amounts (a 1/2 teaspoon per plant) in around the base of the plant, and water it in to reach the plant’s roots. Or, you can sprinkle a little on the root tips of seedlings as you transplant. The later is the most conserving of the precious mycelium, and the best way to insure that you get it where it can be effective–in direct contact with the plant’s roots.