Laura,why don't you use it as a mulch too? I use it every year and it's the best mulch I've ever had.

mWoods,

Never thought of using it that way. Do you just mix it in with the mulch you have? And/or just spread it around like mulch?

P.S. Do you work in Mohnton? I looked at your page and with your name and interests I think I might know you :-)

You could top dress your lawn with it, just rake it over the lawn and the grass will grow right up through it. A half inch would be perfect, any more and you may smother the grass.

.....just think how much better the soil will be when you dig up the lawn for new flower beds!

what is this stuff good for? Is it like manure?

mushroom soil can only be purchased in states which grow mushrooms.You can get it in some places in bags but here in Pa you can get it delivered and dumped. It's horse manure which has been sterilized with straw,wheat and other things added to it.Mushrooms grow in this as I understand it. It's very rich and makes a terrific mulch on established plants. When I use it around my new annuals,I have to pull it back a little because it will burn but my roses,perennials and vegetables all love it and the soil the next year is like powder.Laura,I never use a hardwood mulch as it never all breaks down and I don't like little pieces of wood in the soil. I spread the mushroom soil like I would any other mulch. You asked about my web page but I don't really have one so I think you are thinking of someone else.dart..it's great for amending the soil and adding nutrients. Some people will tell you that after a few years you should stop using it because it will change the ph of the soil but I have yet to find that to be true in my gardens.

Here is a link that might be useful: mushroom soil

Here's a picture I took of my rose garden last spring. You can easily see the mushroom soil.

{{gwi:1107921}}

Mushroom soil, sigh.

This is the sort of thing that makes me determined to get my drivers leisense this summer.

Sigh

Springcherry

I'll add my recommendation to the 'heap' lol, it is as Mwoods describes. Those lucky enough to live near mushroom farms, and have a pickup, can get it for free. I live near them, but I don't have a truck, and hauling it twice is not what I want I do, so I have it delivered by truckload from Weaver's Mulch. Wonderful rosebed mWoods!

Could anyone give me the name of some places where I can buy mushroom soil by the truckload north of Harrisburg? There is only one place that I know. They only take orders over the phone and I haven't been able to contact them for the past two weeks. I am getting desparate! I want some mushroom soil!
Fran

Can you be more specific as to where you are? They have it in Harrisburg.

Here is a link that might be useful: mushroom soil

Thanks all for the ideas/suggestions.
What I ended up doing was mixing a lot of it in with our mulch and introducing a neighbor to gardening in a sense. I had planted 2 bushes for the neighbor that they bought last year but never planted, and offered them some of the mushroom soil as well as some of my winter sown plants.

So the soil is all gone. I do think though in the future I will be going with the mushroom soil rather than mulch.

Happy Gardening...now if only all this rain would stop!

mWoods,

What a wonderful rose garden! The roses are beautiful and healthy looking. Could you tell me what their names are?

What a gorgeous rosebed!

I am waiting for a 3 yard delivery of mushroom soil as I type. It will be my first experience with it and I can't wait to give it a go. I had read on the Soil, Compost & Mulch forum that mushroom soil is usually very alkaline (pH about 8.0) so I was a little concerned about it changing the pH of my beds. Has anyone else run into this?

Of course, the prooof is in the pictures and mWoods picture is pretty convincing!

Alexa

I've heard the same thing about the PH and can see why you wouldn't want to use it forever. If you do use it around tender annuals which you've just planted,be sure to keep it away from the tender young stems. Once they are larger and established it doesn't matter.

Mwoods---your roses are lovely Can we have the names please.

Florence/zeffyrose

Fran,
I do not know how far north of Harrisburg you are, we are about 60 miles north in Yeagertown. I get my mushroom soil from Sam's backhoes service on route 655 between Reedsville and Belleville. I have only used it in the vegetable garden, as I have all of my flower beds done in Red Cedar mulch. I can tell you this, your soil will be perfect after you amend with the mushroom soil, and I even spread it about 5" thick over the top of the garden as a mulch and turn that in the next year and mulch again. The veggies love it!!!

Zeffyrose,the 7 you see are Carefree Wonder,Carefree Beauty,Bonica,Europeana,Queen Elizabeth,and Madame Hardy.

Sorry for not answering the questions. I lost track of the posts. RYR, I live on the other side, N.E. of Harrisburg near route 81. There is a place I used to buy from, but I moved and now they are about 30 miles away. It's not bad and they come this far, but they are out of soil and so, I am investigating other options. And they don't have mushroom soil!

Hello, I am starting a new vegetable garden and I know the soil needs to be replenished. I thought of muchroom soil. I am originally from New Mexico, so I am new to PA. I don't understand why I can't find bulk compost. I found bags of compost, but my vegetable garden is about 3500 sq. feet. I have an established asparagus bed in there and black raspberries grow on the fence. They are driving me crazy. I am anxious to begin this adventure, but I do need to do something with the soil. Any information or help would be appreciated. I am located in Carlisle.

I AM INTERESTED IN MUSHROOM SOIL, ANY SUGGESTIONS OF WHERE I CAN BUY IT IN BULK. 2 0R 3 TRUCKLOAD WOULD DO.

call around to you local soil/mulch distributors.

It is not very high in nutrients, and too much can change the pH of the soil. I prefer leaf mulch, many townships in this area collect the leaves and grind up and allow you to take pick up truck loads for free. Ask your local gov. 0r county extension office.

Beidel mulch is in Carlisle off of Walnut Bottom Rd. They have mushroom compost. If you haven't already found some.

Here is a link that might be useful: Beidel mulch

I'M CONSIDERING RELOCATING MY VEGETABLE GARDEN. MY SOIL IS TERRIBLE --ALL CLAY.
IF I DO RELOCATE- - CAN I USE MUSHROOM SOIL AS THE ONLY SOIL FOR MY NEW VEGETABLE GARDEN OR MUST IT BE MIXED IN TO THE EXISTING SOIL ?

Mushroom "Compost" is a better term for what you are calling Mushroom "Soil," as it is compost. Therefore, it should always be blended with soil. It is an excellent soil conditioner, but unless it is mixed with soil it can be too high in nutrients and burn sensitive plants. When blended with the soil the nutrients are diluted and the organic matter will improve clay and other poor soils.

It can be spread thinly over lawns as a previous poster said. It also must be raked in as they said, but the best time to do it is after the lawn has been aerated so the compost can get down into the soil. This also helps with air and water infiltration.

You can get much information at http://mushroomcompost.org/

Here is a link that might be useful: Mushroom Compost

Mushroom compost is not necessarily a better term to use, if one is using the terms correctly. Mushroom compost and mushroom soil are 2 different things. I use mushroom soil which is a mix of 1/3 topsoil and 2/3 mushroom compost which is sold by the yard at a local supply place in my town. Mushroom compost is just that....with no soil mixed in.

Mushroom soil is sold here as a vegetable garden soil and it is amazing stuff.