A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Mushroom Compost as a Mulch

After planting and posting "New Shade tree Plantings";I realized that while I was planting these plants;that the soil was "dry and course".There were many roots from the pear tree so planting was done in small holes mixing Miracle Gro tree and Shrub mix with the existing soil. My question is : Should I lay down a 1" to 2" layer of Mushroom Compost;not tilled into the existing soil,but used as a mulch. The instructions printed on a bag says that this is OK. To try to till any amendment into the existing bed would destroy previous plantings.I really need help here!

Merrill, mushroom compost is awesome stuff and quite expensive, but I don't see any reason why you can't use it as a mulch. I'm assuming what they are referring to is the tilling of the soil which would cetainly disturb or destroy the roots of any other things you have planted there.

Patti, i think part of the problem i had earlier in the heat wave of August was a lack of mulch to help retain moisture. I wasn't able to rototil the area because of potential damage to the tree roots. i would like to start with a "finer" mulch, almost like soil, and work up to a coarser mulch such as bark chip. I'm looking for someone who has tried putting down a 1 to 2" layer of mushroom compost onto the existing bed without tilling it in;as instructions on the bag say you can do this.My existing bed is essentially just topsoil,with "tree and Shrub" planting soil mixed in to each planting.

Merrill, I only use my tiller when I'm starting a bed because I have clay soil and I could never break up the clumps of soil without my tiller, but after I have a bed established I never use the tiller on the beds anymore. I have an awesome hand-held garden tool made by Snow & Nealley and I use that whenever I want to ammend the soil by adding compost, peat, etc., and I don't have to worry about disturbing the roots of other plants if I'm careful!

Many people are constantly tilling up their beds but this is detrimental to maintaining healthy soil! Tilling can destroy soil structure by breaking the soil up into finer and finer pieces which can wash down and clog the pores so air and water cannot get through which results in poor drainage. Tilling will also destroy the organic matter in the soil and this can result in loss of nutrients. Tilling also disrupts the soil ecology because it can hurt of kill earthworms and other organisms which are necessary to maintain a healthy soil.

Merrill, I see no reason why you can't add the mushroom compost and work it into the topsoil with a hand tool.

Thanks for the info Patti, that's what i'm going to do!