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Re: [compost_tea] Mushroom compost. Snapshot



Mushroom compost is high in peat, sometimes high in sawdust, can be high in salts, sometimes antibiotics, and is high in Agaricus hyphae. 

which is all to say that it is very wide C:N ratio, and thus good food for a limited number of fungi, but not necessarily the fungi you want in the daylily fields.  You need to inoculate with CT containing a good set of beneficial fungi, and probably some fish hydrolysate, or oatmeal (I love the work Jeff has done with looking at high protein-containing seed meals for fungi) or other organic N sources.  Otherwise, the mushroom compost can suck N away from your plant and cause some stunting, or even worse, perhaps plant death from lack of N, S, P, etc.

I leave for Australia tomorrow!  Not looking forward to the 15 hour plane ride, but  I just think of all the great people at the other end that I get to see, and it takes my mind off the forced sit.  Those of you who know me, know that I don't manage sitting quietly for long periods very well, but I like Australia so much, that I manage!

CT typically contains certain fungi that are parasitic on insect larvae, especially the beetles whose larvae consume roots.  The particular fungus to find is Beauveria, which may even be available as an inoculum, and thus can be added to the CT so it is active and ready to chew on roots grubs and wireworms on contact!

Hope this helps!

Elaine
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
www.soilfoodweb.com
SFI Oregon, USA
SFI Australia
SFI New York
SFI Europe
SFI New Zealand

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