Mushroom compost benefits and how to use it for thriving plants

Healthy gardens depend on good soil. If growing vegetables, flowers or herbs, the shape of the soil has an influence on how well the plants will grow. For this reason, a lot of gardeners turn to organic ways to enrich their soil. One of the best ways is with organic soil amendments that enhance soil for plant growth.

Rich soil can be created by adding common organic amendments such as compost, manure and leaf mold. They can help break up heavy soil, add nutrients and increase the population of beneficial microbes in the soil. These natural and organic fertilizer are environmentally safe and fine for home gardens, raised beds and even planting in large farm fields.

One type of compost that is increasing in popularity is mushroom compost. This compost comes from what’s left when user grow mushrooms. It is simple to use, affordable, and full of benefits. It adds a nice texture to the soil, helps the soil retain moisture and adds nutrients gradually over time. It also promotes healthy soil life, which in turn makes plant roots stronger.

What Is Mushroom Compost?

Mushroom compost is a product of mushroom farming. It's created from a blend of organic materials such as straw, hay, poultry or horse manure and crop byproducts. The ingredients are combined to form a luxurious growing bed for mushrooms.

Once the mushrooms are no longer being grown, the remaining medium is no longer practical for growing mushrooms but still provides utility to the garden. This used mash is called spent mushroom compost or mushroom soil.

Before it is sold or applied to gardens, this compost is typically pasteurized to kill weed seeds and bad bacteria. This results in a safer and cleaner material for garden use.

Nutritional Composition

Mushroom compost is packed with nutrients that strengthen plants. There’s a blend of key ingredients that both feed the soil and help nourish roots over time. Mushroom compost has some key nutrients:

• Nitrogen (N): Encourages growth in the leaves and helps plants develop strong stems.
• Phosphorus (P): Stimulates root development and flowering or fruiting.
• Potassium (K): Increases the disease resistance of plants and overall health.
• Calcium (Ca): Strong cell walls help prevent problems like blossom end rot in tomatoes.
• Magnesium (Mg): Critical to chlorophyll, which plants use in photosynthesis.

These nutrients are released in slow-motion mode, offering the plant a gentle stream over a period rather than drowning it out.

Slightly Alkaline pH

Mushroom compost generally has a pH of between 6.5 and 7.5, so it's slightly alkaline. This is great for most garden plants but would not work well for acid-loving plants such as blueberries or azaleas. You’ll want a more acidic soil mix for those plants.

Benefits of Mushroom Compost

Mushroom compost has various benefits for garden and plants. It not only improves the soil but also promotes natural plant growth. Some of the benefits of mushroom compost are:

• Improves Soil Structure: Mushroom compost aids in the breaking up of dense clay soil and allows air and water to better flow through. It cuts down on soil compaction and makes the soil more crumbly and softer, which is great for allowing roots to grow better.
• Enhances Water Retention: Thanks to its porous nature, mushroom compost allows the soil to retain water, which is particularly helpful for sandy soil. Plants remain hydrated longer, and users have to water less.
• Supplies Balanced Nutrients: High in calcium, magnesium and humic acid, which are essential plant nutrients. These nutrients help create sturdy cell walls and enhance the general health of the soil.
• Promotes Microbial Activity: Mushroom compost has trace amounts of remaining mushroom materials known as mycelium. Those assist in accelerating disintegration and facilitate an entire variety of beneficial microorganisms to flourish in the soil, resulting in a healthy growing environment.
• Helps Balance Soil pH: Mushroom compost has an alkaline pH, which can help for most veggies and flowers. But too much, over time, can raise the soil pH,so it's best to check the soil before using large amounts.
• Eco-Friendly and Cost-Effective: Mushroom compost is produced with recycled farm materials, and is therefore an environmentally sound option. It’s frequently cheap or even given away by local mushroom farms, which makes it a budget-friendly pick for gardeners.

How to Use Mushroom Compost

Mushroom compost is an organic growing material that user can apply to make soil better. It enriches the soil, aids water retention and contributes to healthful plant growth. If applied properly, mushroom compost can transform poor soil into productive, fertile earth for vegetables, flowers and grasses.

1. Enrich the Soil

Mushroom compost is rich in organic matter, which helps to give soil life and allows roots to move through it unobstructed.

• To improve garden soil, gardeners should dig mushroom compost into the top 6 to 8 inches of soil before planting.
• A good ratio is about 1 part mushroom compost to 2 or 3 parts of the native garden soil. This keeps the scale right and plants what they need.
• The best time to do this is in early spring, before planting, or in the fall to ready the soil for the next season.

2. Water Retention

The mushroom compost helps the soil retain moisture longer. This is particularly beneficial in dry or hot regions where water evaporates quickly.

• When worked into the soil, mushroom compost retains water like a sponge.
• Through their roots, plants can access this water, which allows them to maintain good health in hot weather or dry spells.
• Gardeners can also scatter it over the soil as a blanket. This top layer will help slow the evaporation of water.

3. Boost Plant Growth Naturally

Mushroom compost provides an even, mild feeding to plants. It does not burn the roots and can’t be washed away like conventional chemical fertilizing products.

• Breaking down in the soil, it releases nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other nutrients slowly.
• These nutrients promote strong stems, deep roots and lots of flowers or fruit.
• Gardeners can use it with vegetables such as tomatoes, squash and peppers. These plants will do better in good soil, which retains nutrients and stays damp.
• It does well for flowers, shrubs, and green lawns. And when used properly, it will also promote the growth of their hair to grow full, green and healthy.

4. Use Mushroom Compost as Mulch

Mushroom compost is also great for using as a mulch. A layer that goes over the soil around plants is called mulch.

• As far as the use for mulch, mushroom compost can be spread around flowers, vegetables, or shrubs at a rate of 1 – 2 inches.
• It prevents weeds from growing and keeps the soil cool and moist.
• As the mulch breaks down over time, it can enrich the soil below.

Gardeners should refrain from mounding the mulch up against the stems of their plants, this can lead to rot, or invite pests. Instead, keep a slight gap between the compost and the plant's base.

5. Mushroom Compost for Raised Beds and Containers

Plants in raised beds and containers require soil that can retain water and nutrients. Mushroom compost is very effective in these areas.

• Gardeners can blend 1 part mushroom compost with 3 parts garden or potting soil. This blend is beneficial for young plants and provides good drainage.
• For potted or contained plants, it is useful to work with potting mix around (or under) the base of the plants or mix it into the soil uniformly.

It is perfect for seeding herbs, flowers, lettuce, spinach, and other small plants for use in pots or in a small garden space.

Best Plants and Crops for Mushroom Compost

Mushroom compost is a beneficial soil additive for most plants. It's a slow feed, soil conditioner and it retains moisture, so it's ideal mushroom compost for vegetables, flowers and lawns. But it's not right for all plants.

Vegetables

Several types of vegetables do well in this kind of soil conditioning. It releases nutrients at a steady pace and helps the soil stay moist between waterings. Some of the vegetables to pick include:

• Tomatoes: The heavy feeders will benefit from slow-release nutrients in mushroom compost. It helps foster the growth of strong vines and juicy fruit.
• Squash and Zucchini: These plants like fertile, well-draining soil. Mushroom compost improves both structure and fertility.
• Peppers: Peppers, like tomatoes, will thrive where the soil holds water and the nutrition is balanced.

Healthy, thriving vegetable plants can be achieved by incorporating mushroom compost into the soil mix for garden beds or containers.

Ornamentals and Landscape Plants

Mushroom compost is well suited for many ornamental plants, such as those growing in flower beds or borders. These include:

• Roses: Roses thrive in soil full of nutrients, and compost will offer them mild feeding.
• Shrubs: Cropping plants like hydrangeas (pink types), lilacs or viburnum all benefit from added compost, even if they aren’t acid loving as such.
• Perennials: Perennials like daylilies, coneflowers and black-eyed Susans will also appreciate the addition of mushroom compost to the planting area.

It can be used, as well, as a mulch around these plants, to help suppress the growth of weeds and hold in moisture.

Lawns and Turfgrass

Mushroom compost makes an excellent topdressing for lawns. It increases the organic content of the soil and strengthens healthy, green grass. Apply thinly in early spring or fall for best results. It protects the lawn so that it remains green longer and promotes deep root growth.

Plants to Avoid

Some plants do not enjoy mushroom compost. Some may like acidic soil and not grow as well in a little basic soil. These include:

• Blueberries
• Rhododendrons
• Azaleas

If mushroom compost is used around these plants, they may struggle or turn yellow. For acid-loving plants, it’s better to use pine bark, peat moss, or composts designed for low pH soils.

Mushroom Compost vs Regular Compost

Mushroom compost and regular compost are both additives used to improve soil and make plants grow better. They are, however, constructed in a totally unique way, and have completely different features.

Potential Drawbacks or Limitations

Mushroom compost offers a number of benefits to many gardens, but it also has several limitations that gardeners should be aware of before applying it to their growing spaces.

1. Salt Content Concerns

Mushroom compost can be salty. The salts are a byproduct of the material used in growing mushrooms, like animal manure or fertilizer.

• In large quantities, the salts can accumulate in the soil and damage more sensitive plants.
• Excess salt can impede seed germination, harm emerging roots or even make plants wilt.
• To avoid this, gardeners can mix mushroom compost with other kinds of soil or compost and not apply too much.

2. Alkaline pH Level

Mushroom compost tends to have slightly alkaline pH levels (approximately between 6.5 and 7.5). This is great for many vegetables and flowers but not for every plant.

• Acid-loving plants such as rhododendron, camellia, azalea and blueberry do not excel in alkaline soil.
• Yellow leaves and stunted growth can result from the use of mushroom compost around these plants.

It’s best not to use mushroom compost with plants that like acidic soil.

3. Weed Seeds (if not fully composted)

If not properly aged or processed at high temperatures, mushroom compost may still harbor weed seeds.

• These seeds can germinate in the garden and outcompete crops or flowers.
• This issue may be minimized by purchasing compost from a reputable source or continuing to age compost further.

4. Storage or Sourcing Issues

Mushroom compost is not always readily available in large quantities.

• It is commonly marketed in bags, at garden centers and farm supply stores, although availability in bulk can be limited in certain regions.
• Also, it tends to develop odors if stored improperly, or in a worst case scenario, if it gets too “wet” (moist), it can be difficult to use.

The Bottom Line

Mushroom compost is a natural and beneficial way to enhance the garden soil. This allows the soil to retain water, adds essential nutrients, and helps develop a strong root system. If used correctly, mushroom compost can benefit vegetables, flowers, lawns, and shrubs without the help of chemical fertilizers.

Check out Growcycle for premium aged and safe mushroom compost for the garden. Their compost is helping both home gardeners and commercial growers amend their soil and grow strong, healthy plants.

Disclaimer: This material is for informational purposes only and should not be relied on for legal, medical, financial, or any other form of professional advice.

About the Author

Victor Miller

Environmental Journalist Focused on Sustainable Agriculture

Victor Miller is an environmental journalist at Growcycle, specializing in sustainable agriculture. With a passion for storytelling, he highlights the latest trends, innovations, and practices that promote ecological balance and responsible farming.