Emma Wilson
Mushrooms are fertilized in a variety of ways, depending on the species and the grower's individual methods. The most common method of mushroom fertilization is through composting, which provides the mushrooms with the nutrients they need to grow. Phase I composting involves mixing and wetting ingredients such as straw, hay, corn cobs, and horse manure, and allowing them to undergo aerobic fermentation. Phase II composting involves pasteurization to kill weeds and harmful agents, followed by the addition of mushroom spawn. Mushroom compost can also be used to fertilize other plants, improving soil structure, drainage, and plant health. Other fertilization methods include using sterilized grains such as rye or millet, or drilling holes in hardwood logs and filling them with mycelium.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mushroom compost ingredients | wheat straw-bedded horse manure, synthetic compost made from hay and wheat straw, corn cobs, hulls, poultry or horse manure, gypsum, peat moss, lime, soybean meal, and other organic items |
| Nitrogen supplements | corn distiller's grain, seed meals of soybeans, peanuts, cotton, chicken manure, ammonium nitrate, urea |
| Compost preparation | Phase I: mixing and wetting ingredients, spraying water, adding nitrogen supplements and gypsum, forming a pile, aerobic fermentation; Phase II: composting |
| Compost duration | 6 to 14 days |
| Compost appearance | chocolate brown colour, soft, pliable straws, 68-74% moisture content |
| Compost smell | strong ammonia and sweet, mouldy odour |
| Compost temperature | 155°F and higher |
| Mushroom growth | occurs in six steps: Phase I composting, Phase II composting, spawning, casing, pinning, and cropping |
| Mushroom inoculation | placing mycelium or actively growing mushroom culture on a substrate, such as sterilized grains (rye or millet) or logs; drilling holes in logs, filling with cultured mycelium, and sealing with hot wax |
| Mushroom species | Agaricus bisporus, shiitake, oyster |
| Mushroom substrate | sterilized wheat, paddy straw, used coffee grounds, growth medium in indoor kits or trays, artificial logs made of compressed substrate |
| Mushroom fertilizer | mushroom compost, mushroom soil, spent mushroom substrate (SMS) or spent mushroom compost (SMC) |
| Mushroom compost uses | fertilizer, organic soil amendment, mulch |
| Mushroom compost benefits | improves soil structure, reduces waterlogging, enhances drainage, prevents root rot and fungal infections, provides slow-release of nutrients, high calcium levels |
| Mushroom compost precautions | high salt levels can harm seeds and seedlings, may contain excess nitrogen or pesticides, may require curing before use |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Mushroom compost
To get the greatest results when organic gardening with mushroom compost, thoroughly mix it in with the garden soil prior to planting or allow it to sit over the winter and apply it in the spring. It is most effective when the soil is fairly dry, which avoids compacting the soil while tilling in amendments.
Psychedelic Testing: Does DISA Check for Mushrooms?
You may want to see also
Phase I and Phase II composting
Mushrooms are fertilized with compost, which provides the nutrients they need to grow. The preparation of compost occurs in two steps: Phase I and Phase II composting.
Phase I Composting
Phase I composting involves mixing and wetting the ingredients as they are stacked in a rectangular pile with tight sides and a loose center. The bulk ingredients are usually put through a compost turner. Water is added to the pile when it is formed and turned, and thereafter, little to no water is added for the rest of the composting process. Phase I composting typically lasts from 6 to 14 days, depending on the initial material and its characteristics at each turn. During this phase, an ammonia odor is produced, and when compost temperatures reach 155°F or higher, chemical changes occur, resulting in a food source exclusively for mushrooms.
Phase II Composting
Phase II composting has two main purposes: pasteurization and ammonia removal. Pasteurization is necessary to kill any insects, nematodes, fungi, bacteria, or other pests present in the compost. This step ensures that the mushrooms have a head start in growing through the substrate. The second objective is to complete the composting process by removing ammonia formed during Phase I. Ammonia is toxic to mushroom mycelium, so it must be converted into a food source that mushrooms can utilize. This conversion is achieved through the growth of beneficial microbes in the compost, which use ammonia as their primary food source and produce nutrients that mushrooms can consume. Phase II composting is a challenging procedure, requiring careful management of temperature and ventilation to ensure optimal conditions for the growth of beneficial microbes.
Xanax and Mushroom Trips: A Safe Mix?
You may want to see also
Spawning
In the case of the widely cultivated shiitake mushroom, the inoculation process is completed by drilling holes in 1-metre hardwood logs with a diameter of 10-15cm, filling the holes with cultured shiitake mycelium or inoculum, and then sealing the holes with hot wax. The logs are then placed under the closed canopy of a coniferous stand and left to incubate for 12 to 15 months. After this, the logs are soaked in water for 24 hours, and the mushrooms begin to fruit after seven to ten days, becoming harvestable when fully ripe.
Oyster mushrooms are another variety that is commonly cultivated. They are grown in a substrate of sterilised wheat, paddy straw, or used coffee grounds, and do not require much space compared to other crops. They can also be grown indoors from kits, most commonly in the form of a box containing a growing medium with spores.
In the case of mushroom compost, which is used to fertilise plants, the spawn is incorporated after the pasteurisation step. A mixed layer of sphagnum moss and lime is then top-dressed onto the pile for the growth of mushrooms.
Mushroom Consolidation: Understanding the Business Strategy
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Casing
The materials used for casing are most often chosen due to their capability to hold water, which is essential to maintaining proper fruiting conditions and initiating fruit body growth. A good casing is one that is excellent at holding moisture and slow to contaminate. Casing layers do involve an extra step in the growing process, which means more time and resources to get the job done. Since not all mushrooms benefit from a casing layer, using one can sometimes be counterproductive. They can also be susceptible to contamination, especially in fruiting environments with limited amounts of fresh air. Typically, casing layers used for moisture retention should be either pasteurized or treated with hydrated lime to ward off contamination.
Mushroom farming consists of six steps: Phase I composting, Phase II composting, spawning, casing, pinning, and cropping. Phase I composting is initiated by mixing and wetting the ingredients as they are stacked in a rectangular pile with tight sides and a loose centre. Wheat straw should be stored under cover to minimize the growth of unwanted and potentially detrimental fungi and bacteria prior to its use to produce compost. Two types of material are generally used for mushroom compost, the most used and least expensive being wheat straw-bedded horse manure. Synthetic compost is usually made from hay and wheat straw, although the term often refers to any mushroom compost where the prime ingredient is not horse manure. Both types of compost require the addition of nitrogen supplements and a conditioning agent, gypsum.
Toadstools: Nature's Fungi Friends or Foes?
You may want to see also
Pinning
Oyster mushrooms are another variety that can be cultivated using the pinning process. They are grown in a substrate that includes sterilized wheat, paddy straw, and even used coffee grounds. They do not require much space compared to other crops, and they can also be grown indoors from kits.
Mushroom compost, or mushroom soil, is a by-product of mushroom farming that can be used as a fertilizer and organic soil amendment for many plants. It is a specially mixed type of compost used for growing mushrooms. Once the compost is no longer commercially viable for producing mushrooms on a mass scale, it is commonly used for growing mushrooms or other vegetables on smaller scales, such as by home gardeners, or as a general compost.
Mushroom compost provides low levels of various nutrients to plant roots over time, making it a good slow-release fertilizer. It has high calcium levels, which makes it useful for growing fruits and vegetables that need a good calcium supply. It can also be used as an effective mulch when several inches are added on top of the soil, helping to keep plant roots cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Mushrooms and Cows: An Unlikely Partnership
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Mushrooms are not fertilized in the traditional sense, but they are grown in compost. This provides the nutrients mushrooms need to grow.
Mushroom compost is made from organic materials such as hay, straw, corn cobs, and hulls, and poultry or horse manure. Gypsum, peat moss, lime, soybean meal, and other organic items may also be added.
First, the ingredients are mixed and wetted, and nitrogen supplements and gypsum are added. The mixture is then pasteurized to kill weed seeds and other harmful agents. Mushroom spawn is added, and a mixed layer of sphagnum moss and lime is added to the top of the pile.
Mushroom compost can be used as a fertilizer and soil amendment for many plants, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. It is especially useful for plants that need extra calcium, such as tomatoes.
