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In general, a good, organic compost, if used properly, can improve plant growth in
poor or marginal soils. This is because compost amended into those soils will
improve the structure of clay soils, reduce surface crusting and compaction and
therefore improve drainage, increase beneficial soil microbial activity, and provide
nutrients to plants which can reduce the need for fertilizer. Overall, compost can be
very beneficial to the soil, and mushroom compost is no exception.
The best approach would be to apply mushroom compost uniformly and evenly at a
one to three inch thickness (three to nine cubic yards per 1,000 square feet) on the
surface of the intended site, and then incorporate into the existing soil below. Next,
seed or transplant the desired vegetation. For example, with turfgrass, sow the grass
seed uniformly at a rate recommended for the turfgrass species used, and water
thoroughly. For sites with steep slopes, erosion blankets or netting may be helpful to
reduce further the possibility of soil erosion.
Prior to removing the compost from a mushroom production house, the entire inside
of the house is steam-treated (i.e., pasteurized) to eliminate any pests, pathogens or
weed seeds. In the past, lawn and garden centers often advertised “mushroom soil,”
which essentially had been sitting outside in a pile for one or two years and had
accumulated air-borne weed seeds (such as lambsquaters and velvetleaf). Then,
when this compost was tilled into a garden, those weed seeds would emerge with a
vengeance. Again, insist on a uniform and quality mushroom compost that has been
pasteurized, processed, and properly stored to ensure no contamination from weed
seeds.