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  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lflj@intrex.net>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [permaculture] Commercial mushroom production & spent mushroom substrate as soil amendment & compost tea ingredient.
  • Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:22:17 -0500



-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [compost_tea]Re: municipal compost & mushrooms
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 13:53:29 -0500
From: OOWONBS@Netscape.net
Reply-To: compost_tea@yahoogroups.com

The list, or group, is:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mushrooms_Fungii_and_Mycology
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mushrooms_Fungii_and_Mycology>

Mushroom compost is well discussed In Paul Stamet's 1st book, and
has great info.

Winrows may be 160-180F in the center of 6x6 looooong piles.
Moisture uis about 70%, in a fairly narrow range. Too much water
and air contact is reduced and everything slows down. too little and
fungi (for composting, not the shrooms) lose vigor too. Piles are
turned until mixed, then not returned, usually, until internal temps
are reachieved after the last turning, or if progress in heat forming,
was insufficient.

Another method is steam heated rooms. I believe 140 throughout
is the number there.

The substrate is called horse manure. But in actuality it is to be
from hay and straw garnered from stalls and bedding that is 1 - 2
days old, only. Actual manure is maybe 5%, and straw and hay is
the rest, with reasonable urine. These are stall cleanings.

Wetness is to be such that once moisture is incorporated, twisting
a handful of the medium, it will almost yield a drop or 2. This is a
hard twist by hand.

In 1 month of "fast composting," it is ready for common button
mushrooms, but still has great amounts of energy left in it.
Mushrooms are 95% protein, (aside from moisture.) protein
requires N.

I buy mushroom compost at $17 a cubic yard out of town, or
$30 in town, I am told. It *just* smells just a bit for 2 days, if
I spread 2" of it over my lawn and rake it in. in a week, it is not
readily visible. No neighbor complains, even with a bedroom
window nearby. Good neighbors I invite to grab a few 5 gallon
bucket's full. There are 54 - 5 gallon buckets in a cu yd.
(Some fluff factor.) It is well spent by now, and so mild that
some folks reportedly grow tomatoes directly in 12" of it.
I like to add 1-2" to a garden every yr. Can't always. Tilth
results are great. garden plants love it. No odor. No muck
even after a rain, save for what is normal. good for clay and
sand alike. It ought to make a nice, if weak, tea.

The library has Paul's books. Fungi, more than bacteria, are
responsible for composting. Some fungi compost hard woods,
some soft woods, some soft materials like hay, and some live
under soil. these are termed, Primary, secondary, and tertiary
types. once hard work is done, another types can take over.

Most inhabit dead tissue, but some are sapprophites
(sp?) Most mushroom lists deal far more with those that live
on dead tissue. there are some 65,000 known types of fungii,
with 6,000 that are readily known and used.

A mushroom as we know it, is a gathering of many strands
that form what is termed, a fruit body.
This occurs when timing, health, and moisture and temp are
all correct, and/or when a threat to the colony is percieved
or triggered, rain, cold, shock like a blow or felling of a tree,

Maybe here, or in Paul's book, you can find a clue to assist.

Grow ON!
BillSF9c




  • [permaculture] Commercial mushroom production & spent mushroom substrate as soil amendment & compost tea ingredient., Lawrence F. London, Jr., 12/18/2007

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