Why and How to Use Mushroom Compost?

Mushroom Compost is a cheap, bulk-buy soil conditioner / mulch, it is generated by the mushroom production industry and is often referred to as spent mushroom compost. This is because it no longer yields enough for commercial production, however it is worth noting it can still produce mushrooms in small quantities.

Organic gardeners should bare in mind that mushroom compost might contain pesticides and other chemicals, we would recommend looking at Green Compost if you are concerned about this.

A standard formula consists of wheat straw, dried blood, horse manure and ground chalk composted together. The large chalk content can very easily raise the soil's PH level and it should not be used on acid loving plants.

Because of the usual chalk content it is worth being cautious to remove large pieces of chalk when using this compost. Using it often will almost definitely raise a soils PH levels therefore it can be a fantastic solution to highly acidic soils. If you plan to grow vegetables such as: Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts and Broccoli. A clear benefit is an alkaline soil can reduce risks of your crop being infected with Clubroot, which is a very common disease for 'the cabbage family' (Cruciferae).

Avoid constant use of mushroom compost on already very alkaline soil and soil that needs a very neutral PH balance for the plants being grown in it. Bare in mind growing plants like: Rhododendrons, Camellias and Azaleas need acidic soil as do most fruit crops once again we would recommend Green Compost instead of Mushroom Compost.