Can You Grow Mushrooms in Manure?

Type

• The button mushroom grows best in mixtures containing horse and chicken manure which is aged and mixed with straw. Grain nutrients are added to assist optimal mushroom growth.

Compost

• Manures must go through stages of composting before being used for mushroom cultivation.

  Compost piles and windrows are turned to allow the mix to reach temperatures of 155 degrees Fahrenheit to kill unwanted pathogens and create chemical reactions necessary for nitrogen formation.

Equipment

• Tractors and specially designed compost turners are used to make acres of manure compost for mushroom production. Manure compost must be oxygenated by turning and it must be kept moist for proper chemical reactions to occur.

Cooling

• After the compost reaches its highest temperature and completes the neccessary chemical reactions, it will naturally cool down. Temperature monitoring of the entire process is the best indicator that the composting process is complete.

Pasteurization

• Finished manure compost will go through a pasteurization process before being used in mushroom cultivation.