Put the right microbes on the roots at the moment they count.

How we stock it at Green Zone

The microbe shelf is part of our propagation and additives bay, right next to the cloning gels, because most of these products go to work at the same moment: a seed, a cutting or a transplant meeting fresh soil. Mycorrhizae lead the shelf: Great White, Xtreme Gardening (Mykos and its companion Azos) and DYNOMYCO. Enzymes and a fulvic product sit beside them.

We stock three mycorrhizae brands on purpose. They're built differently: one is a many-species powder, one is a single species with a bacteria companion, and one is a two-species granule. Growers ask which one is right, and the honest answer depends on how you start plants and what you grow in. That's the conversation we have at the counter, and it's what this page lays out.

What mycorrhizae are, in one paragraph

Mycorrhizae are partnerships between certain fungi and plant roots. The fungus sends out threads that act like an extension of the root system, which helps the plant take up water and nutrients such as phosphorus and zinc. In return, the plant feeds the fungus sugars. In garden beds, these fungi are found in most soils already. Where growers reach for them is in containers: seed starts, clones and transplants into a fresh bag of mix. That's our store's view, not a promise of results.

The lineup

Great White mycorrhizae

A powder with nine species of endomycorrhizae, twelve beneficial bacteria, two Trichoderma and a yeast. The maker says to dust seeds, dip clones, line the transplant hole, top-feed, or add it to a reservoir.

Where it fits: Seed to harvest; soil, coco or hydro

Xtreme Gardening Mykos

A single species of mycorrhizal fungus, Rhizophagus intraradices. Works in any growing media, with synthetic or other fertilizers, and must touch the roots.

Where it fits: Transplants; applied at the root zone

Xtreme Gardening Mykos WP

The wettable powder form of Mykos, mixed with water and applied around the root zone or into a reservoir.

Where it fits: Watering in, reservoirs, bare-root dips

Xtreme Gardening Azos

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Azospirillum brasilense), sold for cloning and transplanting. Bacteria, not fungi: Mykos's companion.

Where it fits: Clones, transplants, veg

DYNOMYCO

A granular inoculant with two species of mycorrhizal fungi on a clay carrier, applied at planting. Not for irrigation lines.

Where it fits: Planting and transplant

PRO-MIX HP with mycorrhizae

A bagged growing mix with mycorrhizae already added, per the bag.

Where it fits: Growers who want the fungi in the mix from day one

Big Time Enzymes

A liquid enzyme additive.

Where it fits: Ongoing root-zone upkeep; follow the label

BioAg Ful-Power

A fulvic acid product that the maker says can improve nutrient uptake and won't change your pH or EC.

Where it fits: Any stage; works with fertilizers and foliar sprays

Other microbes in the store live inside products on other pages: FoxFarm's Microbe Brew, the Roots Organics Uprising and Terp Tea lines, and BuildASoil's Microbe Complete.

The supporting cast: enzymes and humics

Enzymes. Enzyme additives are a different tool from live inoculants. They're sold to help break down dead root material in the root zone. They don't replace mycorrhizae, and mycorrhizae don't replace them. Follow the label for how often.

Humic and fulvic products. Humus is the stable organic matter left after soil organisms finish breaking things down, and in soil it helps hold water and nutrients and buffer pH. Bottled humic and fulvic products are extracts sold for nutrient uptake. BioAg says Ful-Power works with all fertilizers and foliar sprays and can be used through the whole crop cycle. Humic acids also come already blended into the Roots Uprising dry feeds.

How it fits your grow, in 3 steps

Step 1. Inoculate at the start.

The moment that counts is when roots first meet new mix: a seed, a fresh cutting, or a transplant. Mykos has to touch the roots, so it goes in the hole, not on top. DYNOMYCO's maker recommends the granular at planting. Great White can dust seeds or follow a clone dip.

Step 2. Pick one system, not three.

Great White is the many-species, one-bag option. Mykos plus Azos splits fungi and bacteria into two products. DYNOMYCO is the granular you set at planting. If your bag already carries mycorrhizae (PRO-MIX HP with mycorrhizae, or the Roots soils), a second dose is optional.

Step 3. Then leave the roots alone.

After a transplant, give the plant 5 to 10 days before the next big stress. Add enzymes or fulvic later if you want them, one at a time, and judge on new growth. Move one knob.

Who it's for, and who it's not for

A good fit if

• You start your own seeds or take cuttings and want to give the roots company from day one.

• You grow in bagged mixes or coco in containers, not in an old garden bed.

• You'd rather build the root zone than keep fixing the leaves.

Not the right fit if

• You're planting into a long-standing garden bed, where these fungi are usually in the soil already.

• You want a product that feeds the plant. DYNOMYCO's maker puts it plainly: it's not a fertilizer.

• You're growing kale, mustard, spinach or beets. DYNOMYCO says its strains won't colonize the cabbage and mustard family or the spinach and beet family.

Common mistakes we help people avoid

Sprinkling it on top. Mykos must come in contact with the roots, so it goes in the planting hole or around the root ball.

Expecting mycorrhizae to feed the plant. They help the plant reach food and water. They aren't the food. A hungry plant still needs a feed or an amended soil.

Cooking the pack. Live products don't like heat or a freezer. DYNOMYCO says to store it cool, dark and dry, and never refrigerate or freeze it. A pack left in a hot car is a gamble.

Starting mycorrhizae straight into a bare hydro system. DYNOMYCO says its fungi need a growing medium first, such as rockwool or coco, before moving to full hydro. If you run hydro, ask us which product suits it; Great White lists a reservoir use.

Dropping a fungicide drench on top of a fresh inoculation. Some fungicides harm soil organisms. Check both labels and ask us before you mix a fungicide with a live product.

Frequently asked questions

Which mycorrhizae should I buy first?

Tell us how you start plants. Seeds and clones in coco or a bagged mix: Great White covers both in one bag. Transplants into soil: Mykos in the hole, or DYNOMYCO at planting.

Is Azos the same as Mykos?

No. Azos is bacteria that fix nitrogen; Mykos is a fungus that partners with roots. Xtreme Gardening sells them to be used together.

My soil already has mycorrhizae in it. Do I need more?

Not necessarily. PRO-MIX HP with mycorrhizae and the Roots soils already carry them. A dose at transplant is your call.

Can I use these in hydro?

Some, with care. Great White lists a reservoir rate on its label, and Mykos WP can go in a well-oxygenated reservoir. DYNOMYCO needs a medium first.

What's the difference between enzymes and microbes?

Microbes are alive and colonize the root zone. Enzyme additives are sold to break down dead root material. Different jobs; you can run both.

Do you carry every size?

Not every size of every product is in at once. Call (508) 459-9609 to check a specific pack before you drive.

Keep going

• Departments: Seed starting & cloning · Additives & supplements · Living soil & amendments · Soil & growing media

• Grower answers: How can I tell when my plant wants more food? · Yellow leaves: is it a deficiency, and is this too much? · How often should I water, and why is she drooping? · My runoff number is high. Should I flush?

• Living soil with a microbe add-on: BuildASoil: the living soil system

• Brand deep dives: FoxFarm family · Roots Organics family

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