ISHS Acta Horticulturae 172: Composts as Horticultural Substrates
PROPERTIES OF SUBSTRATE MADE WITH SPENT MUSHROOM COMPOST |
| Authors: | F. Lemaire, A. Dartigues, L.M. Rivière |
| Abstract:
The production of spent mushroom compost gets up 500.000 T/year in the Loire valley. A study realized in 1980 has shown the value of this product as organic improvement if superficial calcareous bed is carried off. This paper studies the possibilities of using mushroom compost as material for making substrates in ornamental container crops. Results are brought about the physical, physico-chemical and chemical characteristics of spent mushroom compost and their transformation with time. The possibilities of mixing spent mushroom compost with other materials like sphagnum peat, French brown peat and pine barks have been studied with 15 month long experiments in containers without plant. It is discussed about the evolution of the porosity, water capacity, pH, salinity and C/N ratio of different mixtures. | |
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