Re: [compost_tea] too much N

From: David Anderson <squtch_at_gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 13:17:25 -0800
On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 06:39:12 +1000, Scott Alexander <daylily_at_bigpond.com> wrote:
> > For years, he has been using mushroom "compost" as the basis for the soil
> in
> > his raised vegetable beds in an urban setting.
>
> MY two cents worth.
> Isn't long term use of mushroom compost bad for the soil? I think i heard it
> causes compaction which means its killing off good biology.
> I don't think registered organic growers are allowed to use it. I've never
> used it.

Adding mushroom compost cannot cause compaction. Compaction is a
mechanical process. What they mean is that mushroom compost might not
be that good at resisting compaction.

There are some other concerns with mushroom compost that I have read
about, some I buy and some I don't. The two biggest concerns that I
would have when it comes to using *only* mushroom compost are that it
is steam pasturized both before and after growing the mushrooms, which
would kill off many of the beneficial organisms.

The second reason is that the recipe is basically straw and manure,
which isn't all that bad to use sometimes, but that isn't exactly a
varied diet for your garden. It also does not give you a lot of long
term structure (the compaction issue) and if you are growing under
plastic, you can get long term salt buildup.

I'm quite willing to use it, and have had some success with it, but I
don't see much value in paying a premium for second hand compost.

Dave

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Received on Wed Mar 16 2005 - 01:09:05 EST

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