The Effect of Spent Mushroom Substrate on Landscape Plant Establishment
| Author(s) | Chatterson, Sarah | |
| Date Accessioned | 2009-08-06T01:37:26Z | |
| Date Available | 2009-08-06T01:37:26Z | |
| Publication Date | 2009-05 | |
| Abstract | Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) is compost that had been used to grow mushrooms, then steamed and pasteurized once it was discarded after mushroom production. Spent mushroom substrate has the potential to improve soil structure and provide nutrients when tilled into the soil as an amendment to a planting bed or when used as a topdressing mulch during landscape establishment (Guo 2004). The research objective was to determine the effectiveness of SMS for use in landscaping as a soil amendment or as a topdressing. This study observed plant growth and health in four landscape plants over the course of one growing season. The effect of incorporating and topdressing with SMS and the effect of tilling on successful plant establishment on two species of woody shrubs and two species of perennials were measured. This study concluded that SMS is as effective as using fertilizer without tilling the soil but has the added benefits of adding organic matter to the soil, preventing soil borne pathogens, improving soil structure, maintaining or increasing pH, increasing cation exchange capacity, and reusing organic waste. SMS should be used with caution, however, to avoid excessive levels of phosphorus and soluble salts. | en |
| Advisor | Susan S. Barton | |
| Program | Natural Resource Management | |
| URL | http://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/4243 | |
| Publisher | University of Delaware | en |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Mushrooms -- Soils | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Compost | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Soil amendments | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Landscape plants | |
| Title | The Effect of Spent Mushroom Substrate on Landscape Plant Establishment | en |
| Type | Undergraduate Thesis |