Various materials are used in a process known as mushroom composting. There are many questions about mushroom composts; is it worth the price, is it useful in the garden, how is it made? We will address these questions in this article and decide if mushroom compost is really that valuable to the home gardener or even the large scale landscaper.
Mushroom composting is a long and laborious process. It is started with raw materials such as corn cobs, grass clippings, hay and straw. These materials are piled up and allowed to go through the slow process of decomposition, or composting. Once they are fully composted the result is a fine grained soil which is then transported to a large facility, usually a warehouse, where it is allowed to cure and fungal spores are introduced.
Mushroom compost has many downsides. One of the major cons to using this type of compost is that many times it is treated with chemicals. The reason that chemicals are used in this compost is that it attracts a large amount of flies and other insects while it is curing in warehouses. Many times it is treated with a chemical insecticide.
There is also a very low N-P-K amount to this type of compost, making it of little to no nutritional value to plants. When you consider that with the fact that chemicals are used in its production there are little to no reasons to actually use this type of compost.
There are better alternatives. One of the best ways to supplement your soil is to actually just make your own compost. Not only is this better for the environment, sending less waste to landfills and giving better nutrition to your plants it also makes a more eco-friendly home. You also know exactly what is going into the pile, since you are putting it all in it.
Compost can be used anywhere in your garden. It is a great alternative to fertilizers as it provides plenty of nutrients to your plants. You will be stunned and amazed at how little of this material it takes to green up your plants! It works by giving your plants more food and organic matter in the soil and also has a high content of microbes which make healthier roots and a better intake of these nutrients. So what are you waiting for? You should start your own compost pile today, you wont be disappointed!
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