Five Reasons Why Spent Mushroom Compost is Good For Your Garden

Mushroom compost is one of the many soil conditioners and improvers we stock at our shop on the edge of Cambridge. Here we explain what it is, and how it can benefit gardeners across East Anglia looking to improve the quality of their soil.

 

What is Spent Mushroom Compost?

Spent mushroom compost is a by-product of the mushroom growing process consisting of composted straw and well-rotted animal manure – usually horse or chicken.

Mushroom farmers can use it for two or three crops – which is why it’s also known as spent mushroom compost. However, it still has some handy uses in gardens up and down the country.

Before it comes to us it is sterilised at high temperature to remove any pests, diseases or weeds. We can then sell it on, secure in the knowledge that it will be beneficial to your garden. But why, and what’s the benefit for gardeners?

 

It Improves Your Existing Soil Structure

Like other soil conditioners and organic mulches, spent mushroom compost improves the structure of the soil – it effectively makes it easier for air, water and nutrients to get to your plants more easily, aiding the growth of your plants.

 

It Breaks Up Heavy Soil

Mushroom compost’s organic matter and high levels of nitrogen help to break up heavy soils and loosen clay particles. This is particularly useful for gardeners in Cambridge and across the east of England, as the soil here tends to have a high clay content.

This can be hard on your plants, as clay is heavy, very sticky and quite hard to work with. It is made up of lots of tiny mineral particles which reduce the space for air to circulate – but mushroom-based compost will help solve this problem.

 

It Boosts Soil Drainage

The organic matter in the compost creates pore spaces in the soil structure which means that any excess water can drain away more easily and ensures that your soil, plants and crops do not become waterlogged.

This has been particularly important in the past few months, given the amount of rain the country – including the Cambridge area – has had.

 

It Reduces Weed Growth

Again, as with other soil conditioners and mulches, this type of compost can help reduce weed growth (which deprives the plants you do want to thrive of valuable nutrients).

When applied, spent mushroom compost effectively acts as a mulch, providing a physical barrier which prevents any weeds from germinating and growing. Usually, it should be applied to a depth of 2-3 inches (without touching the plants themselves – and our mushroom compost isn’t ideal for planting straight into).

 

It’s Rich in Nutrients

Although it’s effectively already been used, spent mushroom compost still has plenty of valuable plant nutrients. These include nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, all of which are essential for plant growth.

As it slowly decomposes, the compost releases these nutrients into the soil, providing a steady supply of food for your plants.

This will enable you to grow a wide range of flowers and vegetables; these include root veg such as onions, potatoes and carrots; leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach and kale; fruit vegetables including tomatoes and peppers; many herbs including basil, parsley and rosemary; and flowers including roses, sunflowers, marigolds, petunias and dahlias.

 

Mushroom Compost in Cambridge from Madingley Mulch

Our spent mushroom compost can be found in our online shop here.

Remember, we stock a range of other mulches, composts and soil conditioners to customers as far afield as Hertfordshire, Essex and Suffolk as well as our home county of Cambridgeshire. These include Tony’s Tonic and Denise’s Delight, which are both sold exclusively by Madingley Mulch.

Feel free to call us on 01954 212144 if you need any advice on which one is best for your garden, and if you do live a distance away from us, we do offer deliveries which are charged on a sliding scale and are available for all orders in excess of £50. For more details follow this link.

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