Soil

Articles about fungi in soil, including decomposition, organic matter, structure, water, roots, mulch, compost, and the biological processes happening beneath the surface.

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  • The Fantastic Roots of Mesquite Trees

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    The Fantastic Roots of Mesquite Trees

    When people talk about mesquite trees and their roots, the taproot usually gets all the attention. That makes sense. Mesquite is famous for sending roots astonishingly deep in search of water. Velvet mesquite roots have been documented at depths of about 175 feet under favorable conditions.  But focusing only on the taproot misses most of…

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  • What Is the Rhizosphere?

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    What Is the Rhizosphere?

    A Beginner’s Guide to the World Around Plant Roots When most of us think about roots, we probably picture something like underground plumbing. Roots spread through the soil, absorb water and nutrients, and hold the plant in place. That is true, but it leaves out most of what is actually happening underground. A living root…

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  • Should You Remove Mushrooms From a Vegetable Garden in Tucson

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    Should You Remove Mushrooms From a Vegetable Garden in Tucson

    Generally, I would leave them. I have spent the last three years adding organic material to my backyard and trying to get something going in soil that started out looking pretty dead. A fungus making use of that material would not be my first concern. Whether the soil is doing well, or in the case…

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