Mushroom compost / RHS Gardening (2024)

FAQs

When should you not use mushroom compost? ›

Mushroom compost use should be avoided where ericaceous plants such as rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas and heathers are being grown, as these plants need acidic growing conditions and are chalk-hating.

Mushroom compost should be used with caution due to its high soluble salt levels and alkalinity. These salt levels can kill germinating seeds, harm young seedlings, and cause damage to salt-sensitive plants, like azaleas and rhododendrons.

Mushroom compost is also high in salt, which can be problematic for some plants such as blueberries, camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas. These soluble salts along with other nutrients in fresh mushroom compost are too concentrated to germinate seeds or plant young seedlings.

Fertilize the raspberries annually in early spring with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer (containing equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash). Adding well-rotted manure or mushroom soil to the soil once a year is also a good way of improving the soil quality.

Mushroom soil also contains more calcium than regular compost due to the addition of chalk. Plants like tomatoes do well in a calcium-rich soil which helps tamp down blossom-end rot.

In trials spanning 2.5 years, SMC was effectively used as a substrate in the production of marigold (Tagetes patula) 'Yellow Girl'.

Q: Can I plant directly into mushroom compost? A: It depends on what you are planting. Direct seeding of wildflowers, turfgrass, radish, carrots, herbs, lettuce are known to do quite well. Transplanting of hops, tomatoes, peppers, kohlrabi, cucumber plants have also been possible.

If you have a lot of acid-loving plants like blueberries, azaleas, and rhododendrons, cow manure may be better. If the idea of having to compost manure turns you off, then perhaps mushroom compost may be more your speed. Whichever you choose, both are solid choices!

Loam Based Compost

Loam-based compost is a combination of soil, sand, and clay that has been decomposed and processed to create a deep, rich product that is ideal for growing vegetables. Loam-based compost can be purchased commercially or created at home using a simple composting bin.

Ideally if you have composted horse manure, cow manure, any kind of organic matter like mushroom compost, it makes no difference. Use it. Then cover it up with two inches of mulch or something to preserve moisture.

Do you mix mushroom compost with soil? ›

As well as mixing mushroom compost with soil before planting, you can also use it to top-dress soil.

Mushroom compost can supply nutrients and increase water-holding capacity of the soil. But mushroom compost can also be too much of a good thing for seeds, seedlings and young plants.

Other high-N composts (for example, peppermint and mushroom compost) are also unsuitable for blueberry.

Steer manure and spent mushroom compost mean berry yield produced approximately 100% increase over the control, and likewise mean yield of strawberries grown in vermicompost and yard trimming compost were about 50% greater than the control (Figure 1).

What exactly makes mushroom compost so good for roses? Roses are known to thrive in soils such as mushroom compost due to them being significantly high in organic matter.

In other words, using too much mushroom compost in your garden can possibly “burn” plants. The safest way to use mushroom compost this time of year is to use it sparingly. To be perfectly safe, mix mushroom compost with garden soil before using it on young plants.

If you have a lot of acid-loving plants like blueberries, azaleas, and rhododendrons, cow manure may be better. If the idea of having to compost manure turns you off, then perhaps mushroom compost may be more your speed. Whichever you choose, both are solid choices!

Mycotoxicosis, often referred to as “mushroom toxicity” or “compost toxicity,” is more frequent in the veterinary emergency room than you might think. While any moldy or rotten foods can cause symptoms of these diseases, dog owners can often trace them to their dog's visit to the compost bin within the past few hours.