Photorikki
Member
I mix Edna's Best half and half with Black Soil and add a bit of perlite as well.
Works great!
Works great!
EB STONE- "edna's best" potting soil
- Thread starter Thread starter Yes4Prop215
- Start date Start date
D
Durdy
I'm curios where Edna's sources their Mushroom Compost.
Here's a post from ClackamasCootz about the dark side of this material
"First, Mushroom Compost is not real compost. The real name of this product is Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS). It is called “Mushroom Compost” as a marketing ploy to help dispose of it.
SMS is made from a combination of wheat straw, dried blood, gypsum, lime or crushed limestone, poultry litter, cow or horse manure & bedding, hay, corn cobs, cottonseed hulls, cocoa bean hulls, clay, peat moss, etc. depending on what is available in a given area. The material is partially composted for a few weeks and then steam pasteurized (sterilized) which kills off all of the beneficial microbes. Then the material is then inoculated with the species of mushroom (fungus) that the grower wishes to produce. Additionally, the material is often loaded with table salt (Sodium Chloride, NaCl) to ensure only the desired species of mushroom will live and grow in the substrate.
Several crops of mushrooms are raised and harvested on this substrate until yields start to decline as the original nutrients are used up. When the nutrient level drops to low to raise mushrooms, it is at this time the substrate is replaced by fresh substrate. The old used substrate must be then disposed of. Worldwide this is over 4 million tons per year.
Common Problems:
Studies have shown decreased plant growth and yield at levels as low as 5% SMS in a mix due to high soluble salts. Other studies have shown it may have a high pH level which is harmful to plants that like acidic conditions.
Even the low quality bagged manure often sold in Big Box stores often has 3X the amount of nutrients.
Mushroom growers have major problems with fungus gnats hence they regularly spray with toxic chemicals such as methoprene, cyromazine, diflunezuron, Dimlin, and Diazinon. Other toxic chemicals occasionally used are benmyl, thiabendazole, and chlorothalonill. Hence SMS does not meet the standards for use in organic production.
The SMS is often stored in large piles that become anaerobic. This allows pathogens to growinthematerial. Theputrefyingorganicmattercrea tesorganicacidsthatoftenhavea strong odor. Common odors are vinegar, sour milk, vomit, rotting meat smell and occasionally ammonia or rotten eggs. All these odors indicate that alcohol is present which is toxic to plant roots in concentrations as low as 1 ppm.
Benefits:
SMS is organic matter and still contains some nutrients. Since most of our area soils are very low in organic matter it may provide some benefit. Best results occur in sandy soils in areas with lots of rainfall so the water can wash out and leach the salts. Note: In clay soils the salts help glue the particles together helping to create hardpan.
Comment:
The quality and usage of SMS varies greatly around the world, from good and useful to very bad and toxic based on regional customs and local regulations."
I've been using the Edna's Top Coat mulch product and as far as I can tell I see no negative side effects, however I'll be sourcing some mulch from a local tree pruning company and moving away from the above mentioned product.
Here's a post from ClackamasCootz about the dark side of this material
"First, Mushroom Compost is not real compost. The real name of this product is Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS). It is called “Mushroom Compost” as a marketing ploy to help dispose of it.
SMS is made from a combination of wheat straw, dried blood, gypsum, lime or crushed limestone, poultry litter, cow or horse manure & bedding, hay, corn cobs, cottonseed hulls, cocoa bean hulls, clay, peat moss, etc. depending on what is available in a given area. The material is partially composted for a few weeks and then steam pasteurized (sterilized) which kills off all of the beneficial microbes. Then the material is then inoculated with the species of mushroom (fungus) that the grower wishes to produce. Additionally, the material is often loaded with table salt (Sodium Chloride, NaCl) to ensure only the desired species of mushroom will live and grow in the substrate.
Several crops of mushrooms are raised and harvested on this substrate until yields start to decline as the original nutrients are used up. When the nutrient level drops to low to raise mushrooms, it is at this time the substrate is replaced by fresh substrate. The old used substrate must be then disposed of. Worldwide this is over 4 million tons per year.
Common Problems:
Studies have shown decreased plant growth and yield at levels as low as 5% SMS in a mix due to high soluble salts. Other studies have shown it may have a high pH level which is harmful to plants that like acidic conditions.
Even the low quality bagged manure often sold in Big Box stores often has 3X the amount of nutrients.
Mushroom growers have major problems with fungus gnats hence they regularly spray with toxic chemicals such as methoprene, cyromazine, diflunezuron, Dimlin, and Diazinon. Other toxic chemicals occasionally used are benmyl, thiabendazole, and chlorothalonill. Hence SMS does not meet the standards for use in organic production.
The SMS is often stored in large piles that become anaerobic. This allows pathogens to growinthematerial. Theputrefyingorganicmattercrea tesorganicacidsthatoftenhavea strong odor. Common odors are vinegar, sour milk, vomit, rotting meat smell and occasionally ammonia or rotten eggs. All these odors indicate that alcohol is present which is toxic to plant roots in concentrations as low as 1 ppm.
Benefits:
SMS is organic matter and still contains some nutrients. Since most of our area soils are very low in organic matter it may provide some benefit. Best results occur in sandy soils in areas with lots of rainfall so the water can wash out and leach the salts. Note: In clay soils the salts help glue the particles together helping to create hardpan.
Comment:
The quality and usage of SMS varies greatly around the world, from good and useful to very bad and toxic based on regional customs and local regulations."
I've been using the Edna's Top Coat mulch product and as far as I can tell I see no negative side effects, however I'll be sourcing some mulch from a local tree pruning company and moving away from the above mentioned product.
Yeti
Active member
Edna's: the best premix I've found
Edna's: the best premix I've found
This is my second year using Edna's potting mix. I mix at one part E.B. to two parts coco coir or peat/perlite mix for starting seed and up-pot to 2 parts Ednas and 1 part coco/peat/perlite when I see the first yellowing in the cotyledons.
I use this only for initial starts and they are sold or put into the ground before the second mix is completely digested. So, I cannot speak for its prolonged use, but my starts reach about 2.5 feet in 3 inch pots and are generally more vigorous and healthy than anything sold at the farmer's market. No fertilizer of any sort, but I did run starts in happy frog and ff ocean forest of the same ratios last year with lower germination rate and slower growth than with Edna's.
My experience with fungal compost has been positive in the mixes I've received. I cannot pinpoint that the mushroom compost made the mix better, but have ordered in a mix by the yard in my area for many people building raised beds that contains steer, fruit and vegetable, and mushroom composts with oregon topsoil, pumice and sand with excellent results. People always ask, "how do you get your_______to grow like that?" On the other hand this mix doesn't work as well in containers, so perhaps the natural Soil web or the veggie and steer manure balances the mushroom compost?
Not sure, but like everyone else has said, if you're looking to keep it on the cheap and have the space, build your own soil and recycle it and you will greatly appreciate the fruits of your labors and the minimal expense in keeping your gardens happy and healthy. Keeping things simple though, I would recommend EB Stone over FauxFarm anyday. They're crooks. You'll see why if you ever have the opportunity to build your own soils.
Edna's: the best premix I've found
This is my second year using Edna's potting mix. I mix at one part E.B. to two parts coco coir or peat/perlite mix for starting seed and up-pot to 2 parts Ednas and 1 part coco/peat/perlite when I see the first yellowing in the cotyledons.
I use this only for initial starts and they are sold or put into the ground before the second mix is completely digested. So, I cannot speak for its prolonged use, but my starts reach about 2.5 feet in 3 inch pots and are generally more vigorous and healthy than anything sold at the farmer's market. No fertilizer of any sort, but I did run starts in happy frog and ff ocean forest of the same ratios last year with lower germination rate and slower growth than with Edna's.
My experience with fungal compost has been positive in the mixes I've received. I cannot pinpoint that the mushroom compost made the mix better, but have ordered in a mix by the yard in my area for many people building raised beds that contains steer, fruit and vegetable, and mushroom composts with oregon topsoil, pumice and sand with excellent results. People always ask, "how do you get your_______to grow like that?" On the other hand this mix doesn't work as well in containers, so perhaps the natural Soil web or the veggie and steer manure balances the mushroom compost?
Not sure, but like everyone else has said, if you're looking to keep it on the cheap and have the space, build your own soil and recycle it and you will greatly appreciate the fruits of your labors and the minimal expense in keeping your gardens happy and healthy. Keeping things simple though, I would recommend EB Stone over FauxFarm anyday. They're crooks. You'll see why if you ever have the opportunity to build your own soils.
