A dosed volume of water can also be added to the incubated compost on the fi lling machine.
Automatic spraying is not essential.
coarser, more open structure. When the incuba- ted compost arrives at the farm, the grower can decide to add more water on the filling machine when the compost is loaded into the growing room. At this stage, it is very important to evenly distribute the extra water through the compost. The best way is to mix the compost and water together well, i.e. in front of the mixing axle on the filling machine. Water can also be added when the compost is on the supply belt, or at an earlier stage of filling, for instance when the compost is unloaded into the hopper. The earlier water is added, the more mixing moments, which is positive for the process. The volume of water added is normally calcula- ted as litres per square metre of growing area in the room. The majority of filling machines have a spraying installation with a water meter for this purpose.
Peat
Peat is the other raw material used in mushroom growing. Peat is used to make casing soil, which acts as an important water buffer. Casing soil can contain up to as much as 80% water, depending on the type of peat available locally. The structure of casing soil supplied in the Netherlands by specialised companies can be heavy and greasy, depending on what growers request. However, if the same casing soil is
exported over great distances, a high water content is a disadvantage for the transport costs. And, while casing soil can be used as soon as it is unloaded from the trailer in the Netherlands, exported casing soil must be hydrated at least one day before use, otherwise the peat is unable to absorb the water properly. Adding – clean – water to the casing soil can be done by dischar- ging the casing onto a clean floor and mixing it with a loader, but water can also be added in a casing soil mixing machine. Avoid using a rotating worm screw, as this blocks the pores in the casing soil, instead mixing loosely using a toothed shaft is better and retains an open structure. How much water is added depends on the cultivation system and the individual grower. The mixing machine has a special connection to supply water.
Manual watering
Once the growing room has been filled with compost and casing soil, completely different systems are used to apply water. From this moment on, applying water evenly over the entire growing surface in the room is para- mount. Growing rooms may contain rows of tiered shelving, or rows of stacked trays, so the watering system has to be chosen accordingly. Nowadays, the majority of farms use Dutch-style shelving so most of the watering installation
Ò MUSHROOM BUSINESS 9
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