Ep 88. Insights from the Interdependence of Trees

Trees are connected and need each other to survive, just like people need each other, as do plants and animals. And there are insights we can learn from the interdependence of trees.

While what is happening in the world seems overwhelming. Our community will thrive if we treat our neighbors as ourselves, sharing love and compassion, like trees left standing in a forest, counting on and helping each other.

We wrap up with coaching on how to tickle the roots of new plants and the benefits of applying mycorrhizal inoculant on the root balls of certain plants.

 Link to Related Stories:

Insights and Interdependence of Trees 

Tickle and Rub Mycorrhizae

More about Peter Wohlleben, The Hidden Life of Trees -
Forest Bathing and Wandering Willowwood Arboretum

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I'd love to hear about your garden and nature stories. And your thoughts about topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at AskMaryStone@gmail.com. Thanks so much for tuning in :^)

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Mary Stone, Columnist & Garden Designer

Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com 

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Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
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Transcript

Ep 88 Insights from the Interdependence of Trees

Sat, Dec 24, 2022 4:21PM • 9:07

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

trees, plants, roots, garden, life, fungi, grow, mycorrhizae, bereft, neighbors, share, forest, hidden, life, peter, wohlleben, gardening, delights, mary stone, garden dilemmas

SPEAKERS

Mary Stone

 Mary Stone  00:00

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. I'm Mary Stone, and welcome to garden dilemmas, delights and discoveries. It's not only about gardens, it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about. 

Mary Stone  00:25

Hello there, it's Mary stone on the screen porch, a sunny day but very cold, and some snow or ice is on its way. But it is winter, officially now. Over the weekend, we adorned our Christmas tree with ornaments from years past, and it was kind of a neat reflection on how even though time moves forward, there is a continuum of it as we go through our lives, which is the theme of this week's story. I mentioned last time Mycorrhizae, which is a fungus. And given the fact that this is Episode 88, I thought the topic relates well to the anniversary of double infinity, you know, the number eight twice, double infinity because of the never-ending cycle of life and plants, which leads to this week's column that starts like this. 

Mary Stone  01:16

Hello fellow listeners and readers. We've shared the intrigue of two living fossils, ginkgo biloba, and the umbrella pine, both living in the days of the dinosaurs and surviving through the ice age and beyond. The magnitude of their endurance is inspiring, and they've shared roots beyond the roots of their origin. Trees are connected and need each other to survive just like people need each other, as do plants and animals. I often reference the book by Peter Wohlleben, The Hidden Life of Trees, what they feel how they communicate discoveries from a secret world. Science is fascinating and parallels human relationships and relationships between all aspects of life. 

Mary Stone  01:59

There's a rumor that forests require thinning out to create a healthy environment for the older trees, giving them more space and light. While that does seem logical, it really stems from the forestry industry. The commercial operations that grow trees for wood and paper products or Christmas tree farms are growers of landscape plants, for that matter. But as Peter Wohlleben writes, "When trees grow together, nutrients and water can be optimally divided among them all so that each tree can grow into the best tree, it can be. If you help individual trees by getting rid of their supposed competition, the remaining trees are bereft. They send messages out to their neighbors in vain because nothing remains but stumps." End of quote. 

Mary Stone  02:44

He explains that cutting trees in the forest may make the remaining trees grow better for a while, but they won't necessarily be long-lived. Trees depend on their community to survive. Even robust trees get sick during their lives and rely on the frail or neighbors for help. Without them, they become at risk of dying. And if they do, the weaker trees will too. It's interesting to me that Wohlleben uses the word bereft, which means deprived or lacking something. And if you're talking about a person bereft means sad or lonely. I don't know about you, but I always feel the pain of living trees when they're cut down or when they fall in the storm. We had this huge 200-year-old Hemlock fall to the ground, and a nor'easter causing a chain reaction of other trees. But what was so remarkable was a bunch of new shoots of baby trees emerged from the roots, such resilience. And Mother Nature dropped the tree, which lessened the heartache of losing it. It's part of the rhythm of life. And so, by cutting back, understory trees were harming the health of the forest rather than helping it. Still, like most things, there's more to the story. But what is consistent is how roots communicate underground by fungi. Many kinds depending on the cultural environment. 

Mary Stone  04:01

 Mycorrhizae are fungi found naturally in the soil, some scientists say, for over a billion years. Because filaments called hyphae spread 200 times farther than roots, they extract more water and nutrients, especially phosphorus, that transfers to roots. It helps plants increase their resistance to pests and diseases. Plus, it helps them grow faster, produces more fruit, and overcome the impact of drought and salt stress. 

Mary Stone  04:27

In turn, the plants provide the sugar that the mycorrhizae need. It's such a fascinating synergistic relationship, isn't it? This friendship goes well beyond sharing nutrients, though. Mike Arisaig emits enzymes toxic to organisms like nematodes. More fascinating is that plants that are connected by fungi share warning signals that help prepare them to defend themselves. So interesting, isn't it? Say aphids attack the plant and its compounds that entice fish predators. More than that, the fungi connected to the adjacent vegetation produce the same compound, protecting their neighbors before they are attacked. That's just so remarkable to me. They say 90% of plants have this friendship. Though there are different types of microbes, Most have a blend of the kind so that the flora will find their match. I hope I've explained this synergy. Well, it's very tricky to do. And of course, Peter Walla bine, in his book, digs far deeper into the miracles, and his writing style is so enjoyable, so I encourage you to read the book. If you feel so inclined, I'll put a link in the show notes. 

While what is happening in the world seems overwhelming. Our community will thrive if we treat our neighbors as ourselves, sharing love and compassion, like trees left standing in a forest, counting on and helping each other. It's the time of year of giving but giving good deeds and kindness outweighs material things, as shared by the wise words and the prayer of St. Francis. Lord, make me an instrument of your peace where there is hatred. Let me sow love. Imagine the collective energy toward peace we can grow. Merry Christmas, or whatever holiday you celebrate, I wish you hope, love and peace, garden dilemmas, asked Mary stone.com. 

And so I referenced the prayer of St. Francis, which frankly was new to me when I came across it. It's a prayer that can be said without the religious connotation because the whole power of each of us as individuals spreading the energy of love over hatred literally could change the world, one person at a time. 

I think we have a little bit of time to share a few bits about a story I wrote a few years back called Tickle and Rub Mycorrhizae. Be sure to tickle the roots. I coach new gardeners after carefully removing a plant from its pot using my fingers or an edge of a trowel. I demonstrate how to loosen the roots to encourage them to spread. Sometimes the utility knife comes into play if the plant is root bound. It's kind of like being crammed in a tight pair of jeans. It wasn't until recently that I heard about rubbing while talking with a colleague from Hackettstown, New Jersey. Disclaimer - Richard McCoy didn't describe it as such.

We were chatting about planting protocols and whether to use my garage. I pronounced my-core rise-I. Okay, my phonetics may sound silly, but for sure, Mycorrhizae is the root of plant health. Richard suggested rubbing mycorrhizal inoculant on the root balls of certain plants.This is contrary to my normal protocol of sprinkling a granule form in the bottom of a properly dug hole. So he suggested rubbing the inoculum on the root ball itself. So not only do we need to tickle, we need to rub. I chuckled --tickle and rub. 

So thanks so much for coming by. I always enjoy our time together and if you have as well, please share the podcast with a friend or two or family members so that more can join us and learning and growing in the garden of life. And never forget the power of kindness and sharing just a bit of love with your neighbors. No need to cut back the small little trees growing in your forest. And that means spiritually in your heart as well. Right? Just let everything grow and flourish. Nature has this course. Thanks so much. Have a great day. 

You can follow garden dilemmas on Facebook or online at Garden dilemmas.com and on Instagram at hashtag Mary Elaine stone. Garden dilemmas, delights, and discoveries is produced by Alex Bartling. Thanks for coming by.I look forward to chatting again from my screen porch. And always remember to embrace the unexpected in this garden of life. Have a great day.