Mushroom compost is often recommended as amulchto improve your plant growth , but what precisely is it , why is it so utilitarian and should you get some ?
What Is Mushroom Compost?
mushroom cloud compost is the growing material that ’s left over from the process of grow mushrooms on an industrial shell . It ’s sometimes referred to as ‘ spent mushroom compost ’ .
If it has n’t yet been used it ’ll be called something obvious like ‘ unused mushroom compost ’ . Either direction it ’s full of nutrients and progress to arelatively inexpensive way to better your garden soil .
How Is Mushroom Compost Made?
Mushroom compost is made from a understructure combining of horse manure or fowl manure and pale yellow straw . Sometimes it ’ll have other morsel in too like peat moss or lime because mushroom Fannie Farmer practice their own potpourri so no two are likely to be exactly the same . It ’s ordinarily steam sterilised to kill off any bacteria before use .
Mushroom spores are mixed into this compost , and kept in trays at an optimum temperature to encourage mushroom-shaped cloud production . After the mushroom cloud harvest time used compost is sold off . Mushrooms tend not to use the nutrient that greenery needs , so spend mushroom compost is n’t actually spent – it ’s still a rich constitutive source of food for your flowers and veggies .
Imagesource
Why Is Mushroom Compost Useful?
There are plenty of understanding to practice mushroom-shaped cloud compost in your garden and only a few grounds why you should n’t . Let ’s start with the cause why :
1) It feeds your plants
mushroom cloud compost is a slow release nourishing fertiliser . It encourage good kingdom Fungi , bacterium and micro - organism into the stain . If you ’ve furcate mushroom compost through the garden or used it as mulch , your plants belike wo n’t postulate much more feed unless you ’ve got a thirsty clematis or tomato demand its dinner .
2) It’s versatile
you could labor mushroom cloud compost into vegetable beds prior to planting or you could put it around industrial plant that are in situ – this is known as ‘ top - dressing ’ .
3) It’s organic
If you ’re an constituent gardener mushroom-shaped cloud compost is your champion . You wo n’t need to worry about chemical leaching into your veg or affecting wildlife .
4) It holds water
Mushroom compost is organic matter and holds wet in position . We ’re all try out to swerve back on our utility bills , so soil that can retain moisture is good news on that front . If you have a summertime holiday book or there ’s drought looming then moisture hold soil is a boom – and the words ‘ hosiery organ pipe prohibition ’ wo n’t fill up you with horror .
wet retention also improves life for your plant because change from juiceless to soused conditions can impede get . If you’re able to maintain a steadfast , moist condition they will appreciate it and be a lot respectable as a upshot .
5) No Pests
Because mushroom-shaped cloud compost is steam sterilised it wo n’t introduce pests to your garden . We have enough gadfly to worry about without introducing more through the compost
6) Or weeds
The steam sterilization also guarantees no weed seeds make it through . To protect the mushroom-shaped cloud crop Fannie Merritt Farmer kill off any contest and you benefit from their hard work .
7) No viruses
Pests and weed are not the only issues our plants have to fight off . virus can kill quickly and efficiently . Mushroom compost is virus - free and develop a goodish plant that can fight off infection .
8) It prevents surface compaction
Soil surface is easily compress by sun , rain , and foot stride but mushroom-shaped cloud compost can forestall the soil surface from crust over and compact . This aids rain absorption and encourages worms to generate healthy , crumbly soil .
9) It’s a drainage aid
Often plant labels country ‘ best in moist but well - drain soil ’ . Well , yes , plainly , but we do n’t all have interminable costless hours to water and dig our filth do we ? Mushroom compost can better calcareous , corpse or pack soils so that water system pass freely . This means your works wo n’t get waterlogged and drowned out . decompose roots can destroy the toughest of plants , even a pyracantha .
10) It has super weed suppressant powers
If you apply a thick layer of mushroom cloud compost as mulch it blocks out light andkills off weeds . This is a big bonus for the busy nurseryman who do n’t have time to deal with nutrient stealing dandelions , creeping buttercup and mare ’s seat .
11) It doesn’t smell bad
Yes , mushroom-shaped cloud compost is made from organic matter , or in plain terms – animal poo , but it does n’t smack bad . When you first start the bagful it may smell musty or ‘ saturnine ’ but it certainly does n’t stink . you may pose your hands in it without gagging and once it ’s on the garden any lingering smell disappears .
12) The price
In contrast to traditional compost mushroom compost is pretty cheap . you’re able to order a gross ton with delivery for well under £ 100 . When you think about growbag costs and what little arena they overcompensate that ’s a bargain . If you buy too much computer memory it in a folded bag and keep pelting water out . Then you ’ll have a ready supply for that inevitable garden centre purchase .
Why You Shouldn’t Use Mushroom Compost
There are a few plants that are not exquisite on the alkaline properties of mushroom compost . This includes fruit bushes and acid have sex plant like camellia , rhododendron , heather and magnolia . Stick with an ericaceous soil top up for those . If you have put mushroom cloud compost around these plants and notice yellowing foliage it points to a nutrient inadequacy . Dig out the mushroom-shaped cloud compost and get some acid - based compost in there pronto .
How to use mushroom compost?
As mentioned mushroom cloud compost can be dug into the soil or placed on top around the roots , but you could also put it directly under the roots of any newly purchased plants and make a liquid feed .
A good thick layer of approximately 5 - 6 inches is necessitate around the fundament of launch works but do n’t put mushroom-shaped cloud compost on bark as it can cause moulder .
If you ’re boosting a vegetable patch the amount required depends on the quality of your dirt . If it ’s spent , calcareous , clay or sandy gibe in lots , if it ’s jolly productive you wo n’t postulate as much . Generally you should apply about 5 - 10 kilogram per square metre but you may adjust this to your soil needs .
It ’s dependable to apply mushroom-shaped cloud compost in other outflow when plants are waken up from a long winter , or a few months before inseminate your veg . Very poor soils can be improved with mushroom compost from December and forked through on a regular basis . There are no degenerate and hard rules .
Make more feed by deem back half a bucket of mushroom compost . rain buckets in enough water to brood the compost and keep topping up as you utilise it . Use the liquid mushroom compost feed on your tomatoes . They ’ll turn into triffids so keep lift out the side shoot !
Should I use mushroom compost?
In short , yes ! At least , you should use a dirt add-on if you require the good from your garden and mushroom compost is one of the serious . nutrient do n’t last forever and your athirst plants are working their way through the soil buffet as we talk . Top it up with mushroom cloud compost to savor big gorgeous blooms and a tasty veggie while all yr round .
How useful was this mail service ?
select a star to rate it !
As you found this spot useful …
