Mushroom Compost

[Goodlife1970]

Is anyone making there own mushroom compost? Have read several so called "easy" ways of making it but they all seem to be very old books and Im sure half the stuff you have to add to it isnt legal anymore! Have acess to horse manue,straw,chicken manure and lime but unsure what to do next! Also is there an easier way to search foums to see if my questions have already been answered. I start out looking for a solution then get so engrossed in other bits that I forget what it was I was looking for!

[Wombat]

G'Day Goodlife,

I have successfully made mushroom compost with just straw and chook poo in alternate layers in a 1 metre cube frame. Everthing went well until my mushies were at the pinpoint stage and some hot weather killed 'em stone dead!

That was a couple of years ago and I haven't gotten back to it yet!

Nev

[Goodlife1970]

Hi Nev,just chook poo eh? Have plenty of that! Forgive me for being thick but you just lay it down a layer of straw and then poo,you dont mix it up at any point then? Cant wait to have a go,but Ill keep an eye on the weather,although mine will be in far more danger of flooding than being scorched!

[Wombat]

G'Day Goodlife,

You put down you layers then let the pile heat up, and cool down. This usually takes a couple of weeks around here, depending on the time of year. Then drag it out and repack it so that " the material on the outside is now on the inside" - whoever wrote that obviously never tried it - then let it heat up and cool down again. It is then ready to use!

Nev

[Goodlife1970]

Thanks Nev its clearer now! Will start putting together asap. Why do these writers make things sound so easy "just fork over lightly to let the air in" they obviously have no idea how heavy a forkful of rotting compost is!

[Wombat]

No worries, are you going to have a go at growing your own mushies?

Nev

[Goodlife1970]

Yes,I hope to.Grew somw from kits under the stairs last year but the kits worked out so expensive so Ive got me some spaws (or is spore??) and Im hoping to grow them using my own compost (so to speak). The books make it sound so difficult,getting the mix right,but Ill be having a go thanks to you!

[Libby]

I,ve got a kit now, doing absolutely nothing!
That,s the second one I,ve bought and haven,t had a single mushroom from. I,ve followed all the instructions and got nothing.
What a waste of money

[Goodlife1970]

Thats awful! I did get a lot of mushrooms from my kits but it probably wouldve worked out cheaper to have bought them! Also attracted thousands of tiny flies that were a flippin menace.

[Wombat]

G'Day All

Yep, I've found the kits to be very variable - some you get loads from, some are fizzers! When I had a go I got the spawn from a local supplier, put the compost into polystyrene veggie cartons (the type with drainage holes) and then used cocopeat/horticultural coir as the casing. Must have another go!

Nev

[Goodlife1970]

Hi Nev,crikey wish you lived a bit nearer! Got my first two layers in the heap so to speak and Im following the neighbours pony around with the shovel!

[diver]

i asked the mushroom farm near here how they make their compost and they have bales of straw which the soak continuously and them mix with chicken manure and turn for about 2 weeks. We collect the spent mushroom copmpost on the allotments so we go regularly to the farm

[Goodlife1970]

What I might do is try both methods and see what happens,either way cant have too many mushrooms in this house! Thanks Diver!

[Wombat]

Hi Nev,crikey wish you lived a bit nearer! Got my first two layers in the heap so to speak and Im following the neighbours pony around with the shovel!

Well, GL I live in NEW South Wales that can't be too far!

Nev

[Goodlife1970]

So what number bus do I catch then???