A practical guide to growing mushrooms in IndiaA joint educational initiative by MushroomWale & DMR Solan ↗
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Compost, step by step

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Contents · choose a chapter or topic
Start here
  1. 01Compost, step by step
  2. 02What you need before starting
Understand the basics
  1. 03Preparation is not finished when heating stops
Records that make sense
  1. 04Follow one batch from input to sale
The process
  1. 05Make the material balance explicit
  2. 06Connect structure with the process
  3. 07Distinguish Phase II objectives
  4. 08Close the batch record
Inspect the system
  1. 09Know what goes into the batch
  2. 10Manage structure, water and air in Phase I
  3. 11Separate pasteurisation, conditioning and cooling
  4. 12Release and receive with traceable evidence
In the field
  1. 13A recipe starts with the material, not the bag count
  2. 14A recipe starts with the material, not the bag count · continued
  3. 15Worked example: wet mass and dry matter
  4. 16Read Phase I as a changing biological process
  5. 17Read Phase I as a changing biological process · practical sequence
  6. 18Distinguish pasteurisation, conditioning and cooling
  7. 19Distinguish pasteurisation, conditioning and cooling · continued
  8. 20What each record can and cannot establish
  9. 21Investigate the batch before changing the formula
  10. 22Write it in your farm notebook
  11. 23Where the field guidance comes from
Raw Materials
  1. 24Raw Materials
  2. 25Four jobs, not four ingredients
  3. 26What the DMR table says, and what it does not
  4. 27Inspect the lot at the gate
  5. 28Why a copied formula fails
  6. 29Read the numbers in context
  7. 30Read the numbers in context
  8. 31Read the numbers in context
  9. 32Run a gate check on the next delivery
  10. 33Avoid these mistakes
  11. 34Check your understanding
  12. 35Check your understanding
  13. 36Check your understanding
  14. 37Words used in this lesson
  15. 38Sources and field reference
Formulation
  1. 39Formulation
  2. 40The two targets
  3. 41Published Indian formulae
  4. 42Doing the arithmetic yourself
  5. 43Outside the band
  6. 44Read the numbers in context
  7. 45Read the numbers in context
  8. 46Read the numbers in context
  9. 47Rebuild your own formula on paper
  10. 48Avoid these mistakes
  11. 49Check your understanding
  12. 50Check your understanding
  13. 51Check your understanding
  14. 52Words used in this lesson
  15. 53Sources and field reference
Water & Moisture
  1. 54Water & Moisture
  2. 55Pre-wetting is the first control point
  3. 56One number per stage
  4. 57How to measure it
  5. 58Too wet and too dry
  6. 59Read the numbers in context
  7. 60Read the numbers in context
  8. 61Read the numbers in context
  9. 62Build a moisture log for one batch
  10. 63Avoid these mistakes
  11. 64Check your understanding
  12. 65Check your understanding
  13. 66Check your understanding
  14. 67Words used in this lesson
  15. 68Sources and field reference
Microbiology
  1. 69Microbiology
  2. 70Who does the work
  3. 71Heat is the meter reading
  4. 72Selectivity is the point
  5. 73What the biology costs
  6. 74Read the numbers in context
  7. 75Read the numbers in context
  8. 76Read the numbers in context
  9. 77Plot one heap instead of spot checking it
  10. 78Avoid these mistakes
  11. 79Check your understanding
  12. 80Check your understanding
  13. 81Check your understanding
  14. 82Words used in this lesson
  15. 83Sources and field reference
Phase I
  1. 84Phase I
  2. 85Three routes, three timetables
  3. 86Building the stack
  4. 87Turning is the process
  5. 88Knowing Phase I is over
  6. 89Read the numbers in context
  7. 90Read the numbers in context
  8. 91Read the numbers in context
  9. 92Write the turning calendar before you stack
  10. 93Avoid these mistakes
  11. 94Check your understanding
  12. 95Check your understanding
  13. 96Check your understanding
  14. 97Words used in this lesson
  15. 98Sources and field reference
Bunker Operation
  1. 99Bunker Operation
  2. 100What a bunker is
  3. 101Fill condition decides where air goes
  4. 102Airflow, timers and what DMR specifies
  5. 103Monitoring, not spot checking
  6. 104Read the numbers in context
  7. 105Read the numbers in context
  8. 106Read the numbers in context
  9. 107Map the air path in your own bunker
  10. 108Avoid these mistakes
  11. 109Check your understanding
  12. 110Check your understanding
  13. 111Check your understanding
  14. 112Words used in this lesson
  15. 113Sources and field reference
Aeration
  1. 114Aeration
  2. 115Rated air and delivered air
  3. 116Oxygen is the real target
  4. 117Evidence of distribution
  5. 118Acting on the evidence
  6. 119Read the numbers in context
  7. 120Read the numbers in context
  8. 121Read the numbers in context
  9. 122Test distribution on the next batch
  10. 123Avoid these mistakes
  11. 124Check your understanding
  12. 125Check your understanding
  13. 126Check your understanding
  14. 127Words used in this lesson
  15. 128Sources and field reference
Phase II
  1. 129Phase II
  2. 130The four stages in order
  3. 131Filling the tunnel
  4. 132Rates, not only setpoints
  5. 133Release boundaries
  6. 134Read the numbers in context
  7. 135Read the numbers in context
  8. 136Read the numbers in context
  9. 137Write the run sheet before filling
  10. 138Avoid these mistakes
  11. 139Check your understanding
  12. 140Check your understanding
  13. 141Check your understanding
  14. 142Words used in this lesson
  15. 143Sources and field reference
Pasteurization
  1. 144Pasteurization
  2. 145What the heat is for
  3. 146A narrow window
  4. 147Where you measure decides everything
  5. 148When there is no steam line
  6. 149Read the numbers in context
  7. 150Read the numbers in context
  8. 151Read the numbers in context
  9. 152Prove your hold on the next batch
  10. 153Avoid these mistakes
  11. 154Check your understanding
  12. 155Check your understanding
  13. 156Check your understanding
  14. 157Words used in this lesson
  15. 158Sources and field reference
Conditioning
  1. 159Conditioning
  2. 160Two conditionings, one purpose
  3. 161Where the ammonia goes
  4. 162Oxygen is the quiet input
  5. 163Knowing when it is finished
  6. 164Read the numbers in context
  7. 165Read the numbers in context
  8. 166Read the numbers in context
  9. 167Map one conditioning hold
  10. 168Avoid these mistakes
  11. 169Check your understanding
  12. 170Check your understanding
  13. 171Check your understanding
  14. 172Words used in this lesson
  15. 173Sources and field reference
Ammonia
  1. 174Ammonia
  2. 175Where it comes from
  3. 176Smell is not concentration
  4. 177Four questions before you decide
  5. 178What it looks like after spawning
  6. 179Read the numbers in context
  7. 180Read the numbers in context
  8. 181Build an honest ammonia record
  9. 182Avoid these mistakes
  10. 183Check your understanding
  11. 184Check your understanding
  12. 185Check your understanding
  13. 186Words used in this lesson
  14. 187Sources and field reference
Tunnel Operation
  1. 188Tunnel Operation
  2. 189One circuit, not one box
  3. 190The fill decides the batch
  4. 191The three temperatures
  5. 192What the nameplate cannot tell you
  6. 193Read the numbers in context
  7. 194Read the numbers in context
  8. 195Read the numbers in context
  9. 196Inspect the tunnel before the next fill
  10. 197Avoid these mistakes
  11. 198Check your understanding
  12. 199Check your understanding
  13. 200Check your understanding
  14. 201Words used in this lesson
  15. 202Sources and field reference
Sensors
  1. 203Sensors
  2. 204What a reading actually is
  3. 205Where probes go
  4. 206The boring checks
  5. 207Disagreement is information
  6. 208Read the numbers in context
  7. 209Read the numbers in context
  8. 210Read the numbers in context
  9. 211Draw your tunnel probe map
  10. 212Avoid these mistakes
  11. 213Check your understanding
  12. 214Check your understanding
  13. 215Check your understanding
  14. 216Words used in this lesson
  15. 217Sources and field reference
Quality Control
  1. 218Quality Control
  2. 219Release is a decision with a name on it
  3. 220The checks DMR puts numbers on
  4. 221The moisture figure that has two answers
  5. 222Write down what you did not check
  6. 223Read the numbers in context
  7. 224Read the numbers in context
  8. 225Read the numbers in context
  9. 226Write a one page release sheet
  10. 227Avoid these mistakes
  11. 228Check your understanding
  12. 229Check your understanding
  13. 230Check your understanding
  14. 231Words used in this lesson
  15. 232Sources and field reference
Sampling
  1. 233Sampling
  2. 234Ask the question first
  3. 235Where the variation lives
  4. 236Composite without hiding a failure
  5. 237Label, seal and record
  6. 238Read the numbers in context
  7. 239Read the numbers in context
  8. 240Read the numbers in context
  9. 241Sample one batch properly
  10. 242Avoid these mistakes
  11. 243Check your understanding
  12. 244Check your understanding
  13. 245Check your understanding
  14. 246Words used in this lesson
  15. 247Sources and field reference
Troubleshooting
  1. 248Troubleshooting
  2. 249Describe before you diagnose
  3. 250List competing causes
  4. 251Let the numbers name the domain
  5. 252Measure next, do not spray next
  6. 253Read the numbers in context
  7. 254Read the numbers in context
  8. 255Read the numbers in context
  9. 256Run one structured investigation
  10. 257Avoid these mistakes
  11. 258Check your understanding
  12. 259Check your understanding
  13. 260Check your understanding
  14. 261Words used in this lesson
  15. 262Sources and field reference
Hygiene
  1. 263Hygiene
  2. 264One direction only
  3. 265The movements that break it
  4. 266End of crop and spent compost
  5. 267Chemicals are not the plan
  6. 268Read the numbers in context
  7. 269Read the numbers in context
  8. 270Read the numbers in context
  9. 271Map the dirty to clean route
  10. 272Avoid these mistakes
  11. 273Check your understanding
  12. 274Check your understanding
  13. 275Check your understanding
  14. 276Words used in this lesson
  15. 277Sources and field reference
Batch Records
  1. 278Batch Records
  2. 279What a batch record holds
  3. 280Start with what you actually used
  4. 281The process states worth logging
  5. 282Carry the number forward
  6. 283Read the numbers in context
  7. 284Read the numbers in context
  8. 285Read the numbers in context
  9. 286Rebuild your batch sheet
  10. 287Avoid these mistakes
  11. 288Check your understanding
  12. 289Check your understanding
  13. 290Check your understanding
  14. 291Words used in this lesson
  15. 292Sources and field reference
Practise and review
  1. 293Mistakes to avoid
  2. 294Review a deliberately incomplete batch sheet
Sources and next steps
  1. 295Keep learning with the field guides

Quality Control

Field notes

The checks DMR puts numbers on

DMR describes compost after Phase II as holding 64 to 66 percent moisture, with no liquid oozing when it is squeezed firmly, and free ammonia below 10 ppm. The pH that suits Agaricus bisporus mycelium is 7.2 to 7.8, and compost is cooled to 25 to 30 °C before spawning.

Final nitrogen depends on the method used: DMR gives 1.75 to 2.0 percent for long method compost, 2.0 to 2.2 percent for short method, and 2.2 to 2.5 percent for indoor bunker compost. Judge your batch by the figure for the method you ran.

  • Moisture
  • Ammonia
  • pH
  • Nitrogen
  • Temperature
Compost, step by step220

English learning edition · Independent technical review pending. Keyboard: focus the reading page and use ← / →. Page turning does not mark practical competence.