"Getting rid of everything that doesn’t matter allows you to remember who you are. Simplicity doesn’t change who you are, it brings you back to who you are."

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Kaa-Blam

If anyone ever needed proof that good soil provides good results, all they'd ever have to do is look at my raised beds this year.


We tossed yards of mushroom compost in the raised beds and then topped it all off with a couple of bags of composted Moo-Nure.  

Then planted the seeds.
And added the water and Kaa-Blam.


Monster Zucchini plants and Yellow Summer and Winter Squashes.



And Cucumbers.



And Beans.



Even the Zinnia bed is looking better than I've ever seen it.
My raised bed garden is going nuts.  
In comparison, everything that's "in-ground" is stunted.


No doubt due to the fact that the roots are trying to grow through dry soil.

So I'm amazed at the results I'm getting with the raised beds since I'm standing there watering with only the hose.  I know there's no way that I'm providing any deep soaking to the roots so I'm slightly mystified as to why the raised beds look as good as they do.

So I googled Mushroom compost and water retention.  Holy Moley..Lookie Here!

Mushroom Compost stores up to 70% of its own weight in water
Improves transmission of water through the soil
Keeps the soil cooler in warmer weather and increases soil resistance to both wind and water erosion

So that explains it.  
I hit the jackpot on this one, didn't I?

Of course June could turn into a wet soggy mess.  It was a washout last year I recall.  Something like 10 inches of rain if I recall correctly.

 I'll be curious how it goes with really wet weather.  But for now, I'll take it.

Maybe I should spread mushroom compost on the lawn.  
The lack of rain is killing any grass we might have and the weeds have taken over.  

At least I don't have to mow @;)

9 comments:

  1. You've got a zucchini jungle! We're saturated here, I haven't had to water the veggies with the exception of the first two days we stuck 'em in the ground. I LOVE our raised beds, they'd be even better if I had a fence around them because the stupid chickens love them as well.

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  2. What a lush garden! Those leaves are huge. I used to use loads of mushroom compost when I gardened in SC but now use composted leaves and homemade worm compost. The results are very similar.

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  3. I knew mushroom compost was good stuff but didn't know about the water retention properties. Hmmm....guess I need to find some for my new raised bed. I could still add it since there's only a handful of plants there as yet.

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  4. Love may mushroom compost...I've used it for about 9+ years. I wouldn't have a garden in this drought if it wasn't for my mushroom compost filled beds...I only water every 10 days. The garden looks great!

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  5. That's awesome. I'm jealous. Our gardens look more like moonscapes these days.
    I looked into ordering a truckload of mushroom compost from Pennsylvania. It's really cheap for the compost, but the shipping cost was exorbitant. Now you've got me wanting it again (and more raised beds to put it in).

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  6. Beautiful.............but I also think it has a lot to do with your green thumb and hard work! I have never heard of mushroom compost..............I am in the west part of Texas and not even sure if I can find it here. Where do you get it and is it expensive?

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