Re: [compost_tea] Re: Watering (orchard mulch) mushrooms

From: David Anderson <squtch_at_gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2004 15:47:13 -0800
On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 09:01:39 +1100, Guth <guthltd_at_mpx.com.au> wrote:
> We are actually working on vermicomposting some of our material, but we're
> having trouble getting enough green into the mix - so there's not enough
> green to mix with all our output.  We notice if the stable waste is left in

Okay, I'm a real rookie when it comes to vermicomposting as I have
only started this year, and it is on a much smaller scale, but it is
my understanding that you do not need any greens. You just need
bedding, food and some grit.  That and no worming drugs.

The Yelm Worm Farm feeds their worms almost exclusively on dairy
manure. They have a page on managing large scale vermicompost windrows
with manure:

http://www.yelmworms.com/kiss-plan/

> heaps for many months, it does get breakdown of manure, but still has a high
> amount of sawdust left in it.  These aged piles might be suitable as mulch?
> They're not true compost, but they're aged.  (Incidentally, the extra
> undecomposed sawdust keeps supporting lots of fungal growth in these aged
> piles for years.)

Once again, I'm not an expert on doing this on a large scale, and one
of the compost lists might be a better place to ask about this, but if
it was me I would try to turn it a few times and at least bury some
aeration pipes in it to try and keep it aerobic.

> We always had a vague idea in the back of our heads that we were sitting on
> a mountain of potential mushrooms.  Where would we get detail about what's
> involved in producing mushrooms from what we've got?  I know an ideal
> compost has a good fungal-bacterial ratio, but I guess mushroom compost
> should be massively fungal?  Any pointers?

For white button, crimini and portabello, Penn state is the place to check out.

But it ain't cheap to get into the mushroom bidness. It is very
capital and labor intensive.

I drive past one of the largest mushroom farms in the northwest evey
day, and it is amazing the variety of equipment that they use just for
the composting operation, then there are the building where each room
is designed to be climate controlled and steam sterilized.

As for mushroom compost, it is not fungal or bacterial, Just before
they innoculate it with the spawn, it is sterilized. Don't want any of
that healty wild fungus to compete with the domestic money making
variety.

That doesn't mean that you shouldn't go ahead and use some of that
there black gold to grow some of the tastier wild varieties for
yourself.

Dave

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Received on Tue Nov 09 2004 - 19:41:20 EST

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