CULTIVATIONTIPS JOHN PEETERS Poor quality in the second flush
During the autumn months of September to November, you often see a recur- ring pattern: the first flush proceeds as usual, but while the second flush has enough pinheads, they develop into disappointing quality mushrooms with caps that open much too soon. This is often linked to a lack of activity in the second flush. Some of the possible causes include: 1. The compost filling weight is often lower because growers are transitioning from the summer months when less compost was filled due to high compost temperatures. 2. The compost was produced from old straw maybe still in the horse manure, because no deliveries of new straw have arrived yet. 3. The dose of supplement has not been adapted to suit the cooler weather. 4. The compost is often compacted more to control the temperature. 5. The compost is often a little moister and softer in structure, so less dry matter is filled. 6. The climate
system controls are still set to ‘summer’, which means more dehydration during colder nights. Growers should therefore adapt their strategy to suit the colder weather. Also check with the compost supplier what type of straw was used and the dose of supplement can often be increased. Other measures you can take include increasing the filling weight of the compost and not compacting the surface as much. With chestnut mushrooms in particular, a relatively low filling weight is often used, in combination with a four-week cropping cycle and two flushes. This approach is often successful, but with old, soft straw in the compost it will be at the expense of activity in the second flush. With insufficient activity in the second flush, you can also increase the air temperature towards the end of the first flush and set the temperature to 20 or 21°C after the flush to support the compost. However, it is important not to lower the air temperature again too quickly in an attempt to encourage enough mushrooms. It’s preferable to harvest fewer but better quality mushrooms, especially in the second flush. Try to keep the compost temperature at a minimum of 20°C. Too much water is also often applied during the flushes. It is obviously important to maintain the right moisture levels, but also pay attention to the compost temperature when spraying. After all, higher activity equates to higher evaporation, but the same applies in reverse.
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40 MUSHROOM BUSINESS
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