What is sms

Spent mushroom substrate is the soil-like material remaining after a

crop of mushrooms. Spent substrate is high in organic matter making it
desirable for use as a soil amendment or soil conditioner. Spent mushroom
substrate (sometimes called mushroom soil, recycled mushroom compost, or
mushroom compost) can improve the structure of clay soils, reduce surface crusting
and compaction, promote drainage, increase microbial activity, and provide
nutrients to turfgrasses.

characteristics

Mushrooms are grown in a mixture of natural products, including horse-

bedded straw (straw from horse stables), hay, poultry manure, ground corn cobs,
cottonseed hulls, gypsum, and other substances. This mixture is composted in piles
or ricks, creating a dark brown, fibrous, and pliable organic growing media. When
the composting process is complete, the media is brought into mushroom houses
where it is placed into beds or trays and used as a substrate for growing
mushrooms. After the mushrooms are harvested, the "spent" substrate is removed
from the houses and pasteurized with steam to kill insects, pathogens, and
mushroom remnants.

Basic guidelines

Some basic guidelines for evaluating the suitability of SMS products are:

a.) General appearance: The appearance of fresh SMS is similar to peat,

with a light brown color and a light, fibrous texture. Weathered SMS products
should resemble dark topsoil and have a loose, crumbly structure. All SMS products
to be used on turf should be free of large stones, plastic, and other objectionable
objects.

B.) Particle size: The size of SMS particles can vary depending on how it is
produced. For use in surface applications on athletic fields, lawns, or golf course
fairways, the SMS should pass through a 1/2 inch screen (or be of similar size).
Composts with slightly larger particles can be used as soil amendments if
thoroughly tilled into the soil prior to seeding or sodding.

c.) Odor: A good quality SMS product should have an 'earthy' aroma. It
should not emit peculiar or offensive odors such as those associated sulfur or rotten
eggs. Also, it should not emit a strong ammonia odor. Peculiar odors may be an
indication that the product is not mature (not fully composted). Immature SMS may
have adverse effects on turf and should not be used.
 d.) Weed seeds: If the SMS product has been properly composted and
stored, weed seed contamination will not be a problem. On rare occasions, SMS
products are stored for long periods and neglected. In such cases, weed plants can
begin to grow in the piles. If these weeds are not controlled immediately they can
deposit seeds in the product.

e.) Moisture content: The moisture content of a SMS product is important

where uniform application and good mixing with soil is desired. Products with
moisture contents between 30 and 50% are usually ideal for handling, surface
applications, and soil incorporation. Wet products (greater than 60% moisture
content) tend to form clumps and do not spread evenly when applied to turf
surfaces. Tilling wet material into soil may result in poor mixing with soil and
uneven turf establishment. Wet SMS is heavy and difficult to handle.

f.) Organic matter and ash content: When using SMS as an organic
matter supplement, keep in mind that not all of the product is organic matter.
Spent mushroom substrate products typically contain between 40 and 60% organic
matter on a dry weight basis. Organic matter content can be determined by a lab
test. The most common procedure employed by laboratories, "loss on ignition",
considers everything that is combustible as organic matter.

g.) Carbon to nitrogen ratio: The amount of carbon (C) relative to the
amount of nitrogen (N) in a SMS product is an important indicator of nitrogen
availability. The carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio of a product should be 30:1 or
below. If above 35:1, soil microorganisms can immobilize nitrogen, making it
unavailable to the turf. Most SMS products have C:N ratios well below 30:1.

h.) Nutrients: When compared with fertilizers, SMS products generally

contain low amounts of plant nutrients. Whereas a small amount of quick-release
nitrogen (ammonium) is present in SMS, most nitrogen is in the organic form and is
slowly available to turf. Test results of SMS products typically indicate 1.5 to 3%
total nitrogen on a dry weight basis. Other nutrients found in SMS include
phosphorus (0.5 to 2.0 %, reported as P 2 O 5 ), potassium (1.0 to 3.0%, reported
as K 2 O), calcium (3 to 6%), and magnesium (0.4 to 1.0%).

i.) pH: The pH of most SMS products is between 6.0 and 8.0, a range
favorable for turf root growth. On rare occasion, a product may fall outside of this
range. The pH of organic amendments may be detrimental to turf when very high
(greater than 8.5) or very low (less than 5.5). Extremes in pH may result in
reduced availability of some plant nutrients and/or aluminum toxicity problems.
Fortunately, most soils are buffered against rapid and drastic changes in pH and
even organic amendments with extremes in pH may not alter the overall soil pH a
great deal. To be on the safe side, however, try using products with a pH between
6.0 and 8.0.
 j.) Soluble salts: Soluble salts may be higher in SMS products than in other
types of organic amendments. Whereas, excess soluble salts can cause turf injury,
research conducted at Penn State shows that good quality SMS products do not
contain salt levels high enough to damage turf. If you have questions regarding the
soluble salt content of a particular SMS product and how safe it is to use on turf,
send the product to a soil test lab that performs soluble salts analyses on composts.

Appropriate uses

There are many appropriate uses for spent mushroom substrate. Spent
mushroom substrate is excellent to spread on top of newly seeded la wns. The
material provides cover against birds eating the seeds and will hold the water
in the soil while the seeds germinate. Since some plants and garden vegetables
are sensitive to high salt content in soils, avoid using fresh spent substrate
around those plants. You may use spent substrate weathered for 6 months or
longer in all gardens and with most plants. Obtaining spent substrate in the fall
and winter, allowing it to weather, will make it ready to use in a garden the
following spring. Spring and summer are the best time to use weathered
material as a mulch.

As a soil amendment, spent substrate adds organic matter and structure to the
soil. Spent substrate primarily improves soil structure and it does provide a few
nutrients. Spent substrate is the choice ingredient by those companies making
the potting mixtures sold in supermarkets or garden centers. These companies
use spent substrate when they need a material to enhance the structure of a
soil.

Soil Amendment

A soil amendment is any material added to a soil to improve its physical

properties, such as water retention, permeability, water infiltration, drainage,
aeration and structure. They reduce compaction, aerating the soil to allow water
and nutrients to more easily move through it and reach plant roots. Some soil
amendments also add nutrients to the soil and help retain moisture. The goal is to
provide a better environment for roots. To do its work, an amendment must be
thoroughly mixed into the soil. If it is merely buried, its effectiveness is reduced,
and it will interfere with water and air movement and root growth.

Amending a soil is not the same thing as mulching, although many mulches
also are used as amendments. A mulch is left on the soil surface. Its purpose is to
reduce evaporation and runoff, inhibit weed growth, and create an attractive
appearance. Mulches also moderate soil temperature. Organic mulches may be
incorporated into the soil as amendments after they have decomposed to the point
that they no longer serve their purpose.

There are two broad categories of soil amendments: organic and inorganic.
Organic amendments come from something that was alive. Inorganic amendments,
on the other hand, are either mined or man-made. Organic amendments include
sphagnum peat, wood chips, grass clippings, straw, compost, manure, biosolids,
sawdust and wood ash. Inorganic amendments include vermiculite, perlite, tire
chunks, pea gravel and sand.

Common organic soil amendments are listed below:

Sphagnum peat moss absorbs water, slowly releasing it for use by plant
roots. It lightens clay soil, providing aeration, and adds mass to sandy soil, helping
prevent the leaching of nutrients. Don't confuse sphagnum peat moss with
decorative sphagnum moss, which is primarily a floral design product.

Humus consists of decayed organic matter. It improves fertility and aeration

and helps soil hold moisture.

Composted manure is an odorless farm byproduct. In addition to improving

aeration and moisture retention, it enriches the soil. Dehydrated manure is a similar
product that contains less moisture.

Mushroom compost is a mixture of straw, peat moss and other organic

components, formulated for use in commercial mushroom production. The mixture
is used for one round of growing and then packaged as an amendment for the
home garden.

Topsoil is commercially produced compost that's usually partially

decomposed. Because of its rough texture, use topsoil in the yard or mixed with
other products, and not as a potting soil.

You can also find inorganic soil amendments:

Lime raises soil pH, reducing acidity.

Sulfur lowers soil pH, increasing acidity.

Gypsum improves aeration of compacted soil, helping it drain more

efficiently.
Perlite improves aeration and drainage.

Vermiculite improves moisture retention and aeration.

Builder's sand is coarse sand that can improve soil drainage.