Which fungi are good and which are bad?

You will have noticed there are many types of fungi. Some are beneficial to your crop, others are harmful. Which type should be encouraged to grow and which should be repelled from your garden or greenhouse? In this blog, we will shed some light on the wonderful world of fungi. 

Harmful fungi

The most common examples of undesirable fungi are mildew and leaf blotch. In both cases, you will see fluff growing on your crop. There are also various fungi that cause root rot. These fungi can completely ruin your crop if left untreated. 

How can you prevent your plants from contracting a fungal infection?

• Cultivate optimal growing conditions. Make sure it is not too damp, keep humidity low, ensure good hygiene, enough light, etcetera. 
• Inspect your crop regularly and remove affected parts. 
• Keep enough space between the plants and remove weeds. 
• Ensure hygienic growing conditions. 
• Administer foliar spray preventively to strengthen and thicken your crop. In this way, mildew, botrytis and other fungi will be unable to damage your crop. 

Has you crop been impaired already? Unfortunately, there are no adequate organic measures you can take to fight fungi. The only thing you can do is remove affected parts.  Has you crop been affected by mildew? Then spray a mixture of milk and water onto the leaves. Read more about this on our blog about foliar problems.

Beneficial fungi 

Fortunately, there are also fungi that promote the growth of your crop. These are called mycorrhizae and they are a prerequisite for all plants. They have adapted to the crop and can reach soil pores that are inaccessible to the plant’s root system. These soil pores contain nutrients, such as water, minerals (potash, phosphorus) and trace elements that greatly benefit your crop. 

Mycorrhizae grow in and around the root system, developing a closely knit network of fine hyphal threads in the soil. They effectively enlarge the root system, enabling the plant to better absorb the above-mentioned nutrients. We refer to our blog about the use of mycorrhizae for more information. 

BAC fungi: funky fungi

Are you looking to encourage the growth of beneficial fungi? Then consider using Funky Fungi. Funky Fungi consists of 4 types of mycorrhizae, amongst other things. Combine these fungi with BAC stimulants and they will colonise the soil around the roots of your plants faster. 

Would you like to learn more? Feel free to send us an email or fill out our contact form at any time. We are happy to advise you.