Mushroom Compost is excellent organic compost for a variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers. In general, the compost can nourish the soil in no time, even if the compost is not intended to grow any plants.
The incredible property of mushroom compost is to retain moisture. Hence the compost is used for plants that require a lot of water.
Fact: Mushroom Compost has got its name because it helps grow mushrooms, and no mushroom is added to making the compost.
Table of Contents
- What is Mushroom Compost?
- What does Mushroom Compost Contain?
- Best Ways to Use Mushroom Compost
- Benefits of Mushroom Compost
- Mushroom Compost – Appropriate Usage
What is Mushroom Compost?
Mushroom Compost is dark brown with an earthy aroma. It contains calcium, magnesium and iron as its essential nutrients. Apart from that, the compost is rich in Nitrogen and Phosphate, which helps the plants fight diseases and leaves a dazzling green colour.
The compost is of two types:
- Mushroom Substrate
- Spent Mushroom Substrate
It can alternatively be called Mushroom Compost and Spent Mushroom Compost.
The first type is utilized for mushroom cultivation. When the harvest is complete, the leftover, less nutrient-dense compost is called spent mushroom compost. It is applied to the soil as a mild fertilizer to aid in the growth of numerous plants.
Fact: The mushroom compost that you buy in the garden centres are spent mushroom compost.
The spent mushroom compost may not have all the nutrients as the previous one. However, the spent mushroom compost still has life in it. It helps your plants grow well and nourish the soil with suitable nutrients.
What does Mushroom Compost Contain?
Mushroom compost consists of :
- Hay or Straw
- Gypsum
- Horse Manure
- Chalk
- Peat
- Moss
- Sphagnum Moss and
- Lime
The mixture of these ingredients makes the mushroom compost. The mushroom compost is made from a combination of these materials. Moreover, the sterilization process while making the compost eliminates any bacteria or weed seeds as you use them on your field.
Best Ways to Use Mushroom Compost
Mushroom compost has many benefits. Apart from helping grow plants and nourishing the soil, it helps fight diseases that may commonly attack the plants.
Mix Soil with Compost
As such, you cannot directly sow seeds in the compost. It might not be productive at all. Furthermore, there are many chances that the plant might not even grow if you do so.
Mix soil with the compost. Add compost and dirt in the 1:3 ratio for better results. Now, this is suitable for you to sow the seeds or plant any saplings.
Spread the compost on the Surface of your Lawn
This mixture can be added as a layer if you plan to make a grass-filled lawn. It can be done before adding the turf to it. It gives a lush green look and makes the yard look a lot thick on its surface level.
Other than that, it helps grow plants that require a lot of water. A commissioned study has proved that mushroom compost has 58% moisture content in it. In addition, compost can be used on several plants as a mild fertilizer.
Mushroom Compost is highly recommended for tomatoes. There are a lot of possibilities that the tomatoes might die of calcium deficiency. Using this compost shall avoid such instances. At the same time, the water-retaining property of the compost helps in growing tropical plants like hibiscus.
The compost can break down dense clay soils, which helps water permeate easily and create a perfect drainage system. However, caution needs to be taken when used in potted plants. If the pot does not have a drainage system, the plants will suffer.
Benefits of Mushroom Compost
Provides Hydration to the Plants
This is the main primary property of Mushroom Compost. As it retains moisture, it gives a good amount of hydration to the plants. Especially the ones that require a lot of water and dries up quickly. If you are a gardener and find it difficult to water the plants regularly, using mushroom compost will support you in this regard.
Conservation of Water
The same property helps in conserving water. The compost shall retain and store the water content before it helps to drain them appropriately.
Eco-Friendly
It is entirely organic and made while mushrooms are growing. No additional materials or ingredients are added. This makes it completely safe for the environment too.
Growth of Plant Foliage
The presence of Nitrogen in the compost helps plants in foliage growth. The green leaves and disease-fighting properties of the compost keep your plant safe and healthy.
Mushroom Compost – Appropriate Usage
1. For a few plants, the compost’s moisture-retaining properties are more of a problem.
If the plants
- Do not require a lot of water
- Do not have a proper drainage system
then, do not use Mushroom Compost.
Moreover, a proper drainage system is required for the plants to have healthy growth. And that is one of the reasons why we suggested not to use mushroom compost in potted plants with limited drainage levels.
2. Find out if the mushroom compost is sterilized again before the sale. If it is done, it would have lost the valuable microorganisms that support plant health. It is recommended to mix any other compost with this and then use it to get anticipated benefits if the mushroom compost is sterilized once again.
3. Mushroom Compost is rich in salt. This is the main reason why we advised not to sow seeds directly to the compost. Adding soil to it will reduce the salt content. However, some plants still cannot stand the salt content.
Say, for example, blueberries are sensitive to salt. For plants that do not require salt content for growth, it is advised not to use Mushroom Compost.
4. Find out if the Mushroom compost is made of chalk. Usually, the compost is of neutral pH. But, the chalk content makes the mixture alkaline. If this is the case, do not use this compost for plants that prefer acidic soil.