Good compost on the farm COMPOST 5
Compost is the foundation that supports cultivation and represents 85% of the power behind mushroom production, so it goes without saying that good compost is vital. But what actually constitutes good compost? This article examines how to get good quality compost on the farm and
how to maximise its production capacity. By Con Hermans, Heythuysen
AdVisie ‘the mushroom growing consultants’,
hermans@mushroomconsulting.nl C
omposting companies that aim to supply the best quality compost also depend on the raw materials they have to work with and weather influences. This unpredictability means the compost does not always have the desired uniformity. Growers must respond adequately to this in order to still achieve good production results. We know that compost has the greatest influence on production. But for really good results other elements also come into play such as perfect casing soil, a sound climate installation, the grower’s own experience and intuition and a well-planned harvesting organisation. However, in this article I will concentrate on compost and how to use it to your best advantage. For even if the end product is good quality compost, many things can still go wrong, and growers - and composters – must stay focussed on getting the details right.
Temperature management Good quality compost can still be ruined at the last moment if the temperature is not kept under control, resulting in burnt patches and competitor moulds being activated.
In tunnels, air is blown through the compost, but on the farm the air just circulates around the compost. And this compost is also sandwiched between plastic below and by casing soil above. This makes it easier to control the compost temperature in the tunnel than on the beds. Tunnel companies should attempt to deliver compost at a temperature that can be controlled on farm level, taking into account the transport distance and weather conditions. Tunnel companies with a limited cooling capacity can sometimes experience problems in summer. Cold night time temperatures should be utilised as long as possible to assist cooling the com-
While the room is being fi lled, compost from three dif- ferent lorries is mixed to form a homogenous product.
Cooling compost with ice is an effi cient way of controlling the temperature and adding moisture
34 MUSHROOM BUSINESS
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