A Minute of Mud Week 4 - ‘No gardening today, the fungi among us and the Miyawaki method’
I must confess that not a lot of gardening has happened this week. I could beat myself up about that, I am a gardener after all, but do you know what…sometimes things just don't happen and I am ok with that. I have learnt this the hard way though, years and years of pushing myself to the absolute limit to try and achieve everything and wondering why I end up unwell. I now strictly tell myself to take it easy, take things at your own pace and if I don't feel up for gardening this week then that’s OK.
The very little time I did pop out into the garden this week was spent rummaging around the masses and masses of new Strawberry plants that have rooted themselves from wayward runners across my raised beds, in the gravel, on the path. I was looking for Woodlice for my daughter to put in her ‘hotel’ (all humane and ethical of course) and while we turned over stones and moved dirt we found mushrooms growing alongside the Strawberry plants. The more we looked the more we found that they had popped up all over the garden, in other raised beds, amongst the Raspberries, a few in herb pots.
The instant reaction to a mushroom is often fear or disgust. It’s often viewed as an unhealthy and unwelcome visitor that we don't quite know what to do with. However, we shouldn't be afraid of these wonderful and beneficial organisms. Mushrooms indicate healthy soil, a rich ecosystem beneath our feet that is full of beneficial fungi and organic matter. The fungal web that produces mushrooms helps break down dead plant matter, such as fallen leaves and wood and turns them into nutrients that plants can use. Fungi is one of the oldest forms of life and specifically Mycorrhizal Fungi is a network beneath our feet that is vital for plant health and growth.
Whilst most mushroom life is great for gardens, you might want to keep a bit of an eye out for one that isn't, Honey Fungus. This fungus can kill plants and if it’s in your soil it can spread without control. Read this article on the RHS website for more info and helpful tips:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/honey-fungus-managing-outbreaks
While mushrooms are on the agenda this week, I want to give a shoutout to my friends Lorraine and Jodie. They were the ones who first got me properly excited about fungi back at RHS Hampton Court in 2022, my first ever presenting gig! The sisters had just launched their company selling mushroom-growing kits for people to use at home, and we had a brilliant onstage chat about all things mushrooms. I bought one of their kits straight after, and that’s where my fascination began. I've been hooked ever since, researching all the weird and wonderful ways they grow (Jodie and Lorraine have even grown them in a pair of old jeans.)
Several years later Caley Brothers Mushrooms are now multiple Chelsea Gold Medal winning growers with their own book, regular courses and workshops at national flower shows and a great partnership with Kew Gardens. Please go check them out, they are awesome.
Now onto this week's ‘Mud in the News’ which comes from the Times of India. The Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation has transformed a former waste dump into a forest of 8,600 trees to help pollution, air quality and to enhance greenery. They have done this using the revolutionary Miyawaki method which was pioneered by Dr Akira Miyawaki whose technique allows for fast growth of forests by planting native saplings closely together.
So go and find some mushrooms this week and don't stress if you can't achieve everything you wanted. See you next week.