Beneficial soil fungus called mycorrhizae fungi (MF) can optimize crop yields. MF use to be abundant be MF must have a live root as a host. Plowing soil, fallow periods, and annual crops caused many beneficial MF to died off. Long fallow periods, 14-16 weeks; greatly reduce (85-98%) MF population levels while shorter fallow periods, 3-6 weeks; reduce MF populations 30-70%. Some hardy MF species survive in tilled crop land but using cover crops with a live root, can gradually increase MF populations over time (maybe 5-10 years). Inoculating a crop with MF spores speeds up the process and crops respond quickly.

Once again, it’s the season for football games and back-to-school activities. And if you work for a medium-size or large employer, it will soon be open enrollment season – the time of year when you can review your employee benefits and make changes as needed. What areas should you focus on?

Snow and frigid temps notwithstanding, spring is here. I know, because the calendar tells me. I know, because the sun now sets farther north than it did in winter. I know, because the ladybugs are coming out of hiding. But mostly I know, because Mama Robin is back.

In late October, I saw a sign that colder weather was in the offing. The leaves were falling steadily and piling up in the garden. I like to leave a layer of leaves there, but with so many trees, there is such a thing as too many leaves, so sometimes I remove some of the excess.

When the name of this column changed to Nature Notes two years ago, it was so I could write about anything related to nature, not just plants or gardens. I had pushed the limits of “garden” anyway, but now the world was my oyster. Nature encompasses so many things.