Fungus in the Compost

[d***@yahoo.com]

Hi All,

Two weeks ago I began composting for the first time, and I have two
questions about fungus in the compost:

1. Can I throw poisonous mushrooms (i.e. Amanita virosa) into a compost
pile?

2. Can penicillin from citrus molds slow down decomposition by killing
microorganisms?

Thanks,

C.W.

[Pat Kiewicz]

Post by d***@yahoo.com
Hi All,
Two weeks ago I began composting for the first time, and I have two
1. Can I throw poisonous mushrooms (i.e. Amanita virosa) into a compost
pile?

Since you don't eat the compost, I don't see why not.

Post by d***@yahoo.com
2. Can penicillin from citrus molds slow down decomposition by killing
microorganisms?

Not that I've ever noticed (small amount of citrus, large pile). The mold
might be able to keep the citrus remnants all to themselves for a while, but
that's about it. The rest of the microorganisms will just keep on going.

[b***@localnet.com]

Fungi are one of the mechanisms of a compost pile.

[Larry Caldwell]

Post by d***@yahoo.com
Hi All,
Two weeks ago I began composting for the first time, and I have two
1. Can I throw poisonous mushrooms (i.e. Amanita virosa) into a compost
pile?

It is more sensible to throw edible mushrooms into the compost. If
there are a lot of grass clippings in with your compost, agaricus
campestris will fruit nicely in a compost pile, and also on ground where
you spread the compost.

Amanitas are mostly mycorrhizal, so probably won't do anything at all to
your compost pile.

[Doug Kanter]

Post by d***@yahoo.com
Hi All,
Two weeks ago I began composting for the first time, and I have two
1. Can I throw poisonous mushrooms (i.e. Amanita virosa) into a compost
pile?
2. Can penicillin from citrus molds slow down decomposition by killing
microorganisms?
Thanks,
C.W.

Interesting question about the poisonous mushrooms. I don't know the answer.
Do you know how long the toxins last after the mushroom decomposes? Do you
use the compost on edible plants eventually? Might be worth a call to your
cooperative extension.

[d***@yahoo.com]

Post by Doug Kanter

Post by d***@yahoo.com
Hi All,
Two weeks ago I began composting for the first time, and I have two
1. Can I throw poisonous mushrooms (i.e. Amanita virosa) into a compost
pile?
2. Can penicillin from citrus molds slow down decomposition by killing
microorganisms?
Thanks,
C.W.

Interesting question about the poisonous mushrooms. I don't know the answer.
Do you know how long the toxins last after the mushroom decomposes? Do you
use the compost on edible plants eventually? Might be worth a call to your
cooperative extension.

Toxin from poisonous amanita is a protein, but I'm not sure how long it
takes to break down. On the other hand, the poison may be a good souce
of nitrogen for plants. I plan to use the compost for fruit trees.

[Doug Miller]

Post by d***@yahoo.com
Toxin from poisonous amanita is a protein, but I'm not sure how long it
takes to break down. On the other hand, the poison may be a good souce
of nitrogen for plants. I plan to use the compost for fruit trees.

According to one source
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.
uk/mag/artjun00/jpfungi.html
the typical amanita cap contains 30 to 90 milligrams of toxin. You'd have to
have thousands of them before the toxin would provide enough nitrogran to
measure, except with laboratory instruments.

[Doug Kanter]

Post by d***@yahoo.com

Post by Doug Kanter

Post by d***@yahoo.com
Hi All,
Two weeks ago I began composting for the first time, and I have two
1. Can I throw poisonous mushrooms (i.e. Amanita virosa) into a compost
pile?
2. Can penicillin from citrus molds slow down decomposition by killing
microorganisms?
Thanks,
C.W.

Interesting question about the poisonous mushrooms. I don't know the answer.
Do you know how long the toxins last after the mushroom decomposes? Do you
use the compost on edible plants eventually? Might be worth a call to your
cooperative extension.

Toxin from poisonous amanita is a protein, but I'm not sure how long it
takes to break down. On the other hand, the poison may be a good souce
of nitrogen for plants. I plan to use the compost for fruit trees.

Good luck. Let us know how that goes! :-)

[Larry Caldwell]

In article <c9mOe.4913$***@news02.roc.ny>, ***@hotmail.com
(Doug Kanter) says...

Post by Doug Kanter
Interesting question about the poisonous mushrooms. I don't know the answer.
Do you know how long the toxins last after the mushroom decomposes? Do you
use the compost on edible plants eventually?

Amatoxin is a long chain polypeptide that could not be incorporated into
a plant without decomposing first. Unless you plan on eating shovels
full of compost, it should be safe enough.

I think the question was if the mushroom would grow in the compost.
Since amanitas are not saprophytes, it is highly unlikely. Amanitas are
mycorrhizae, literally "fungus root", that live in symbiosis with tree
roots.

Compost piles are inhabited by saprophytes, which live by breaking down
concentrations of vegetable matter. I once got two years of agaricus
campestris, many many pounds, by spreading a manure pile one foot thick
and plug inoculating spawn every 3 feet. Every time it rained, they
fruited. After a year, lepiotas took over the fruiting, so I spread the
compost on my garden and rototilled it in. Every time I watered the
garden, I got another crop of meadow mushrooms and lepiotas.

[Doug Kanter]

Post by Larry Caldwell
(Doug Kanter) says...

Post by Doug Kanter
Interesting question about the poisonous mushrooms. I don't know the answer.
Do you know how long the toxins last after the mushroom decomposes? Do you
use the compost on edible plants eventually?

Amatoxin is a long chain polypeptide that could not be incorporated into
a plant without decomposing first. Unless you plan on eating shovels
full of compost, it should be safe enough.
I think the question was if the mushroom would grow in the compost.
Since amanitas are not saprophytes, it is highly unlikely. Amanitas are
mycorrhizae, literally "fungus root", that live in symbiosis with tree
roots.
Compost piles are inhabited by saprophytes, which live by breaking down
concentrations of vegetable matter. I once got two years of agaricus
campestris, many many pounds, by spreading a manure pile one foot thick
and plug inoculating spawn every 3 feet. Every time it rained, they
fruited. After a year, lepiotas took over the fruiting, so I spread the
compost on my garden and rototilled it in. Every time I watered the
garden, I got another crop of meadow mushrooms and lepiotas.
--
http://home.teleport.com/~larryc

Interesting. Thanks!

[a***@invalid.com]

On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 15:27:04 GMT, "Doug Kanter"

Post by Doug Kanter

Post by d***@yahoo.com
Hi All,
Two weeks ago I began composting for the first time, and I have two
1. Can I throw poisonous mushrooms (i.e. Amanita virosa) into a compost
pile?
2. Can penicillin from citrus molds slow down decomposition by killing
microorganisms?
Thanks,
C.W.

Interesting question about the poisonous mushrooms. I don't know the answer.
Do you know how long the toxins last after the mushroom decomposes? Do you
use the compost on edible plants eventually? Might be worth a call to your
cooperative extension.

I dont understand this question. Why does it matter? The compost is
not eaten. Livestock eat near all sorts of toxic plants and they are
actually "eating". The only possible problem I see as possible is the
spores in these mushrooms growing more mushrooms from the finished
compost. However I tend to think the heat produced during composting
would kill the spores. But I know little about the manner in which
mushrooms reproduce.

[Tom Jaszewski]

Post by a***@invalid.com
However I tend to think the heat produced during composting
would kill the spores. But I know little about the manner in which
mushrooms reproduce.

What a goofy thread.....good compost is teaming with fungi. Many
fungi form symbiotic relationships with plants and provide a healthy
soil food web.....



Acts of creation are ordinarily reserved for gods and poets. To plant a pine, one need only own a shovel.
-- Aldo Leopold