Unwanted mushrooms - is this normal?

[zazen999]

I get the odd one now and again; I think it is when the compost stays damp for a little too long [rather than drying out a bit and then being watered again].

[Norm]

I'm feeling deprived! The only thing I get is the moss growth if I have the compost too warm and wet. There was a film once about plant spores. What was i called now..... erm...Day Of The Triffids!

[FoxHillGardener]

I finally took some pictures of the skinny mushrooms. Let's see if I can attach one

[Cutecumber]

They're very common. In my experience it's a sign that things are too wet. During germination and seedling stage the growing media should be moist, but not wet.

Little fungi usually appear if you use toilet toll tubes, newspaper pots, pea tubes (which are made of paper) or cardboard modules.

I don't personally get them from New Horizon compost unless it is used with the types of tubes or pots above.

[Seahorse]

I finally took some pictures of the skinny mushrooms. Let's see if I can attach one

FHG - that's exactly what I have. I may have been guilty of over watering when first sowing but I didn't water at all after that and still got the shrooms.

I've got Mr Caveman's freebie already - looking forward to trying it!

[smallblueplanet]

Search for Caveman's Bat Guano, free sample enough to fertilize 5 litres of soil available now.

Got some thanks.

[Norm]

I finally took some pictures of the skinny mushrooms. Let's see if I can attach one

It could be saprophytes, which is just a continuation of the decomposition process of the compost. If it is, it means the compost isn't completely broken down and/or isn't sterile.

What is the compost made from?

[Alison C]

New Horrizons compost cotains a large amount of wood chippings. The mushrooms that have sprang up are simply the type of mushrooms/fungi that feed on wood and in the process break it down. This isnt a bad thing at all and it wont affect your seedlings. I buy new horrizons and this happens a lot. The mushrooms are not poisonous in comparison to the the deadly death cap but you really shouldnt eat them and I would wash your hands after touching them.
Mushrooms only ever produce fruiting bodies i.e the mushroom when they need to extend their hyphea which is the equivalant to a rootsystem. Fungi cant move like bacteria through soil, instead they produce a fruiting body that disperses spores which add cells onto the end of a hyphea in order for the fungi to extend. They dont grow in the same way plants do. So the fungi is only producing mushrooms in order to reach more food.
Wood is generally a hard thing to break down as it contains lignin and the normal enzymes struggle to decompose it which is why fungi has its own little niche.
Hope this helps.

[Alison C]

oh forgot to say that new horrizons composts are not completely broken down and im sure it says something to that effect on the bag

[FoxHillGardener]

Thanks for the info AlisonC, I've also got some pretty impressive bracket fungi going on some tree stumps too. Ain't nature clever

I've had the skinnies before on loo roll tubes but this is the first time direct from the compost. I usually use New Horizon peat free, but this was Durstons brand from the milkman. I'm now back to New Horizon and not had any more. I guess it was just that bit too hot and wet for the Durstons. Note to self, open vents on propagators when weather's warm!