Soil with white stuff in

[Mushroom]

Hi! we recently replaced the shed, and cleared some soil that had been in the dark around the back of the old shed. We decided to put it in the compost bin, but i noticed alot of powdery white stuff like a kind of mould almost in it. I am a bit concerned now that it will be no good for planting things in, in case it has diseases in it. My boyfreind thinks it might be a kind of mushroom spore powder. I was just wondering if anyone has seen that type of thing or knew what it was?

[SimonCole]

It's a fungi and could be almost anything. Most are not dangerous to human health and some help plants to grow by providing mycorrhizas. You could take a sample to your local uni and they may be able to identify it.

Once I found one that glowed in the dark!!! now that was freaky, given that I was rough camping in a farmer's forest... I thought he was dumping radioactive waste!

[Norm]

Yo Si, Were you anywhere near Selafield at the time?

[SimonCole]

I was near rural Buckingham. Have you seen similar?

[Nicos]

Mushroom- Fungii are another of nature's ways of decomposing debris.
Whilst it's a good thing in one way, I would be tempted not to put it in the compost. Just chuck it. Small amounts in the compost might be fine, but too much of anything in a compost will upset the balance.

[SimonCole]

That is a good point... Fungi produce antibiotics that can inhibit bacterial decomposition, so I'd trust your instinct on this one Mushroom.

[bubblewrap]

HI Mushroom is your lottie anywhere near Colombia?

[Mushroom]

hi there, thanks for the replies! Yes I'll start a noo compost pile then to be on the safe side.
Actually its my boyfriends garden, rather than an allotment near columbia!