Planting in mushroom compost

[redback]

I tested the mushroom compost at my landscape supplies depot, and it was neutral pH. I'm not aware of abnormal salt content either.
Mushrooms here are grown in used coffee beans from coffee shops as one basic ingredient. The spent compost is invariably stockpiled for months before being sold and mellows like normal compost.
Lawyers advise their clients to put big warnings on their products to avoid litigation. I suspect a lot of rumors about compost are fictional. I cannot speak for other places where practices vary.
If you worry about nutritional content remember that the soil life is more important. All compost is lifeless because of the risk of spreading disease. To restore the soil life, apply microbial stimulants such as yeast or lacto-bacillus with black strap molasses brews. You can also mulch with lucerne chaff and introduce worms as you would to a worm farm.
I would recommend interplanting with essential household herbs like parsley, basil, thyme and oregano. A dense planting will encourage diversity in soil life, provide soil shading and compliment the needs of the other Mediterranean plants.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Coffee grounds is new to me, but I guess people are going to use whatever is available cheaply in their locality, and mushroom compost will be a different animal in different places.

 

[clancaster23]

Just wanted to post an update on how things are growing. I planted eight beefsteak mushroom plants in the box. I dug holes for each plant and lined them in the garden soil then covered them in the soil and the compost. They have all grown very well although the tomatoes aren't as big as what we had last year. Not sure if that's because of the plant or what they're planted in. We were watering almost any day that it didn't rain. Has been very hot and dry for the most part. We have not added anything else to the box as far as fertilizer goes. As I said, we have got some baseball sized tomatoes from it but most of them are rotting out from the bottom up before they even turn red. Not sure why, I read it could be caused by too much watering. I don't feel like we watered too much. We also had some smaller metal bins that we planted cucumbers, zucchinis and green peppers in. These were basically half and half compost and garden soil. The peppers have grown very well and are still growing more of them. The zucchini and cucumbers have grown a couple on each plant but not doing well at all.

Thinking ahead to next year, were going to plant about half of what we did this year. What should I do with the box that I have the tomatoes in? I think I remember saying by next year it would be broken down enough and I could just add a bunch of soil and mix it up and it would be closer to be being where I would want it to be.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

but most of them are rotting out from the bottom up before they even turn red.

Might be magnesium deficiency, try watering with a solution of Epsom salt. As I understand the plants don't use the magnesium directly, but it allows them to use other elements. I have seen varying estimates of how much you should use, I regularly stick about a spoonful in a gallon watering can, seems to work.

 

[Sheal]

If the tomato plants are growing in containers then having to water excessively is washing out nutrients. Try using a tomato food once a week or fortnight.

 

[big rockpile]

Might be magnesium deficiency, try watering with a solution of Epsom salt. As I understand the plants don't use the magnesium directly, but it allows them to use other elements. I have seen varying estimates of how much you should use, I regularly stick about a spoonful in a gallon watering can, seems to work.

I had a soil test done and my soil just needs Organic Matter but it is heavy Clay that I have been adding to but.

Had test done on my Potting Soil and was really surprised it was good but they suggested Gypsum.

But both test showed me high in things I thought I was low in.

Have been fertilizing with Fish Emulsion.

big rockpile

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Gypsum in your soil would make sense, it is used to break up clay and make it more friable, in your potting soil I would guess it is for calcium, it's calcium sulphate.

 

[Meadowlark]

Just wanted to post an update on how things are growing.

Updates are appreciated here... Thanks!

It's probably too late for this year's crop, but the condition you described in your tomatoes sounds like BER...blossom end rot.

I find tomatoes (as well as others e.g. peppers) benefit from three or so applications of Epsom salts. One application about a week or so before you plant...just mix a handful or so of Epsom salts into the soil where you will plant tomatoes, a second application about three or so weeks after transplanting your tomato plant (again a handful of Epsom salts scattered around the base of the plant, and a third application later on after fruit set and following any heavy rain/watering event.

This practice works very well for me and has completely eliminated the problem of BER.

 

[dinolav]

I know it's late to the party, but to pull up the excess phosphorus that the mushroom manure deposited, plant celery plants, 6-10 per 7 ft x 2 ft bed, then seed more . It'll take care of the excess phosphorous quite quickly. Keep the celery going until a cheap soil test kit (Walmart) tells you that the P is within healthy range. I experienced the horror of too much mushroom manure, and my ratio was only about 25% excess Phos.... Good luck!

 

[Sluggy]

Mushroom compost is OK for brassicas and tomatoes and peppers as well as garden flowers and shrubs but not for seeds and seedlings

 

[big rockpile]

What if you was to cut it by 2/3.

Got a place that sells it. He uses it on Landscaping and says it is fine.

big rockpile

 

[Esther Knapicius]

@clancaster23, I see your from PA. Did you get your soil from Kennett sq. Anyway, years ago did get some from there to till into my clay soil on a small slope, worked out well for the heaths and heathers I planted there.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Mushroom compost is OK for brassicas and tomatoes and peppers as well as garden flowers and shrubs but not for seeds and seedlings.

But you would probably be fine if you put it in a container and grew something like a tomato in it first. Seeds don't need lots of nutrients, they contain them on the whole.