Re: Organic Fertilizers

**P* M* <p*@meadows.pair.com>**

On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 12:09:01 -0700, you wrote:

>FWIW, mushroom compost is usually loaded with pesticides.  Unless the 
>process has changed recently, they have traditionally used insecticides 
>to control fungus gnats and a number of other pests that feed on 
>mushrooms in large quantities.  The old formula that I'm aware of for 
>mushroom compost also included a hefty amount of chemical fertilizer.
>I do NOT know for certain that this is the current method, but I've not 
>heard of any new ones recently.
>

If it's the current method, then the American Mushroom
Growers website is a pack of lies.  This is possible, I
suppose.  

They state, in part,

------------------
Mushroom soil is great for gardens as a slow release
*organic* (my emphasis) fertilizer (2-1-1, pH 6.8) when
mixed into soil or as a mulch one year and a soil amendment
the next.  With SMC there need be no concern about heavy
metals or pesticides since the compost ingredients have very
low levels of heavy metals. Mushroom farmers have used
integrated pest management practices for decades and
pesticides are rarely used on mushroom crops.
-------------------

Sellers like Green Valley Soils (formerly Laurel Valley),
definitely sell certified organic mushroom compost.  I'd
expect that to be organic. 

Pat
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