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Mushrooms in compost

IanFaraday-WhiteIanFaraday-White Posts: 3
in Problem solving
Hi. Ive found these mushrooms growing in my compost. The compost is a mix of garden waste, cardboard and chicken manure and bedding. I'm certainly not going to eat them as I dont know what they are. Is this a bad thing?

Posts

  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    I don't believe so, just a natural process.  You are right not to eat them.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited July 2022
    The mushrooms/fungi are simply the fruiting bodies of the many types  mycelium that break down the organic matter in your compost into a form that’ll be accessible to the roots of your plants. Without fungi it wouldn’t break down and turn into compost.  

    However, although most are harmless and many are edible, you should never eat any unless identified any an expert, as a few types can make you quite ill indeed if eaten, but they’ll not do any harm to your garden and it’s quite safe to eat veg that have been grown in the compost. 

    😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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