Mushroom compost question

[MaggiesFarm]

Has anyone used mushroom compost mixed into a soil mix? Is this even a good idea?

Thanks!

 

[Conradino23]

It's very rich in phosphorus and potassium, so it's a great thing to have in your soil mix when flowering or when trying to make a super soil, but I never used it myself. I'm very interested in checking it out though.

 

[Stoned Redneck]

Yes.. I have used mushroom compost for the last 2 outdoor seasons. I'm sold on it.I mix it 1/2 n 1/2 with valley soil and a few odds n ends and have had good results. Here is one thing that I got with mushroom compost..Red Backed Jumping Spiders,or something close to that.This is no lie..The first time I used mushroom compost I was mixing things up and uh oh something moving..damn bugs...Well I got the camara and got the macro going and got pictures of these tiny red backed bugs..My first thought was no pest strips till I read futher and it said these guys eat SPIDER MITES.. Yes thats what it said. Well I haven,t seen a spider miter since I started using M.C. And thats the truth. I honestly haven't checked this years batch but they were there the past 2 years...Anyway I say go for it.You might even get a mushroom or two...Red

 

[MaggiesFarm]

Thanks for the info! It sounds like something good to include in a tea once we get to flowering. The one pest I'm most worried about is spider mites and that would be awesome if MC comes with a natural predator. I was thinking about doing a 50/50 mix with some good garden soil for some Nirvana freebies.

 

[Stoned Redneck]

I don't know that every MC has those "Red backed things" but mine did. I would think each place would be somewhat different..Anyway even without the predator its a good way to build up your soil. Speaking of tea,the place i buy mine from ask what i was growing.... Well I got my "green card" and am legal so it told her..She said she was surprised with my honesty and started laughing...She told me that "Hippys"would get the run off when it really rained and now knows about Tea. I told her to ketch the run off n sell it haha.. Happy Hemping,Red

 

[desiBud420]

Yes.. I have used mushroom compost for the last 2 outdoor seasons. I'm sold on it.I mix it 1/2 n 1/2 with valley soil and a few odds n ends and have had good results. Here is one thing that I got with mushroom compost..Red Backed Jumping Spiders,or something close to that.This is no lie..The first time I used mushroom compost I was mixing things up and uh oh something moving..damn bugs...Well I got the camara and got the macro going and got pictures of these tiny red backed bugs..My first thought was no pest strips till I read futher and it said these guys eat SPIDER MITES.. Yes thats what it said. Well I haven,t seen a spider miter since I started using M.C. And thats the truth. I honestly haven't checked this years batch but they were there the past 2 years...Anyway I say go for it.You might even get a mushroom or two...Red

Hi SR!

When you say mushroom compost, does your compost grow mushrooms at some point in/around the soil? I recently did a pH balance water feed to my soil sitting nearer to 7, and fixed closer to 6. Only then did these begin to grow. Is it toxic to my soil environment for my ladies or beneficial? Its a fungus, and I also caught a Fungus Gnat flying around earlier so Im kinda worried and want to catch anything wrong in its prior stages.

I'm not using mushroom soil compost. I am using a dry cow manure mix with soiless mix, sphagnum p.m and some dolomite lime.

Heres what I found in both my plant ssoil after pH adjustment 3 days ago:

 

[Stoned Redneck]

Yes, the mushroom compost came from a mushroom farm and yes I also got tiny mushrooms.Heck put them in your salad haha.I am growing outdoors and I'm guessing your doing a indoor grow? I would just keep an eye on them and i bet you will be fine.Try not to worry too much.Pot is a strong plant and it looks and sounds like your doing a good job.My only other advice...worms.I always add a few just in case.They airate the soil and are just good to have around..Happy Hemping, Red

 

[desiBud420]

Yes, the mushroom compost came from a mushroom farm and yes I also got tiny mushrooms.Heck put them in your salad haha.I am growing outdoors and I'm guessing your doing a indoor grow? I would just keep an eye on them and i bet you will be fine.Try not to worry too much.Pot is a strong plant and it looks and sounds like your doing a good job.My only other advice...worms.I always add a few just in case.They airate the soil and are just good to have around..Happy Hemping, Red

Hey Redneck!

Yes mate I'm doing an indoor grow. I occasionally took them out for morning and late afternoon sunshine but not anymore to avoid neighborhood nosy parkers getting a whiff of my activities.

I'll keep an eye on them the next few days, but I'll probably be plucking any mushrooms that I do come across. Worms eh?!! I'll find some in my moms garden and throw them in there. My soil sure could use some aeration and I think worms are just the ticket.. Thanks a heap!

 

[nwpassage]

Pretty sure those mushrooms will be psychoactive. Good cow manure.

 

[Stoned Redneck]

you know that may be true....We used to pick "Liberty caps",(that rings a bell) out in cow fields and even right out of a pie.....You may have a extra cash crop there.haha ...the ones we ate had a thick jell on the top..i think? that was a ways back,

 

[desiBud420]

you know that may be true....We used to pick "Liberty caps",(that rings a bell) out in cow fields and even right out of a pie.....You may have a extra cash crop there.haha ...the ones we ate had a thick jell on the top..i think? that was a ways back,

No WAY!! Really?? I've been chucking them in the bin along with my trash. I'm about to find some garden worms and probably let the mushrooms grow after hearing this. VERY interesting indeed. I've been bitching about getting my hands on some shrooms lately to open that third eye right up! Guess I shoulda wished for a $978,205 instead.

 

[desiBud420]

So, I found some nice FAT juicy worms in the afternoon from the backgarden and put about 3 per plant pot. They dug themselves into the soil and have disappeared. I kept my plants outisde for about 5 hours to get some good sunlight and help dry the pots as well.

In the meantime im looking to get me tonnes more spaghnum p.m to transplant into 5 gallon pots, but with not as much manure.. however, seeing those mushrooms grow, im thinking to keep the cow manure ratio the same, but only slightly less. I still dont want to stress my plants with fresh manure that might burn them.

I just want to confirm if the works just go for the soil, and not harm or stress the root system in any way?

 

[Stoned Redneck]

Now that i really look at your shrooms I think you have some no high ones.The ones I remember had a thick membrane with a nipple on its top.Now that was 40 some years back but thats what i remember. You knowm look up and see if there is any mushroom farms near you.They usually will sell it right off the pile out back.I bring big garbage bags and fill em up for 5 bucks each....Just be sure its aged well...Boy those will be some happy worms !! Red

 

[mojoman]

Now that i really look at your shrooms I think you have some no high ones.The ones I remember had a thick membrane with a nipple on its top.Now that was 40 some years back but thats what i remember. You knowm look up and see if there is any mushroom farms near you.They usually will sell it right off the pile out back.I bring big garbage bags and fill em up for 5 bucks each....Just be sure its aged well...Boy those will be some happy worms !! Red

give the shroom stem a squeeze...if it bruises blue, it is for you...ol shroom grower and pot-snob....))





mojo

 

[FrankyG]

I would include it in the mixture of your growth medium...
In my opinion, U mix 50-50 soilest-organics
A hybrid grow medium, hydroponic soilest and
organic soil...
PH adjusted to 7, or totally neutral...
Rain barrel or filtered water if possible
Never tap water....

 

[Stoned Redneck]

I just today picked up 5 bags of compost... I mix 4 scopes(Shovels full) last years soil mix.3 scopes chicken dung and 3 scopes mushroom compost... And thats about it...They all seem happy with that.....I have a picture of it.I'll try n get it here,Happy Hemping,Red

 

[garce]

keep bringing them outdoors and you will have lots of problems .... mites and thrips come to mine ..
never again do i put a pot outdoors and bring it back in .... garce

 

[mrazzz]

I use straight mushroom substrate which is considered compost is the leftovers from growing mushrooms I started using it straight because we have hot summers and it retains moisture I've had it analyzed by the University's in different states and has a readily available 211 or 111 but anyway I Gorilla Grow can I get a half a pound to a pound of each plant and we grow a hundred of them after we take out our males they don't get much more than 2 or 3 hours of sunlight everyday but we do plant them where they get most of their sunshine in September and October

 

[Nosticksnseeds]

Has anyone used mushroom compost mixed into a soil mix? Is this even a good idea?

Thanks!

Hi All and

 

[Nosticksnseeds]

Hi All and thank you for the warm welcome given to a site newbie. My interest is medical (having a life shortenining condition) and also recreational. I'm UK based.

I come from a farming background and love growing my own fruit and veg using Mother Gaia as much as possible. I like to stealth grow and do so whenever circumstances permit, depending on where I live at the time.

I came across the mushroom compost debate by chance and agree that it is a wicked grow medium, but guys, having browsed the contributions I feel there are some important issues to ponder which haven't been adequately discussed.

First of all , pH. Mushrooms grow beautifully in alkaline medium. Commercial mushroom compost mix always has added alkali, usually in the form of chalk. As a general rule by the time commercial growers market their waste, the pH is lower and perfect for us members of the Order. But this is not a given truth as I have found to my cost in the past. Always check pH, especially if sourcing your compost from the farmer down the road. Large scale mainstream suppliers will be able to tell you the average pH of their product over the phone if it isn't indicated on the packaging. In that conversation mention rhododendrons and camelias (Stealth tip). If the answer is yes, suitable for those plants, then you might be on to a gòod mix. But always check - you may need to tweak.

The second issue is sterilisation of the compost. Large scale commercial mushroom growers have always got an eye on the bottom line. They are not going to allow unsterilised compost to be marketed because everyone could then grow their own culinaries diminishing sales in the shops. So they treat the spent compost to kill the spores, not to make it clean. In so doing they will use chemicals or irradiation. Hey, this is Big Farm we're talking about.

Big Farm uses one of two methods.....

Gamma radiation. I'm in favour of this....everything is blasted by gamma radiation and is killed. You have a truly sterile compost.

Chemical fungicide - Big Farm's main concern is not letting others grow the product for nothing, and at the same time maximise appeal to the home gardener. So they use organophosphates to kill everything living in the compost. Does anyone want this crap in their product? I say No.

Now, energy costs are rising everywhere so I expect chemicals to be more widely used.

So I would say to anyone who uses mushroom compost, its a terrific medium but be cautios. If you have random 'shrooms in theire then there will be other undesirable crop threateners as well.

Thanks for tolerating a site newbie.

And its midnight GMT so off to my fart cover....