Frequently asked questions

Why screened topsoil?

While our regular topsoil is excellent for large jobs, the stones, sticks and larger chunks of dirt can provide unwanted results where a finer material is needed.

Screened topsoil is simply our rich topsoil that we have run through our Royer 366 Soil Shredder. This diesel-powered machine can screen 80-100 cubic yards of soil per hour. 
A complete mobile processing plant, The Royer 366:

• provides two-stage mixing of materials.
• automatically separates non-shreddable materials.
• breaks down lumps & oversize materials into uniform particles.
• aerates materials both before and after discharge.

After material is loaded into the hopper of the Royer, a feed conveyor carries it up to the shredding chamber [1] where it cascades onto the shredding belt [2].  


There, the material is thoroughly churned while rows of steel shredding cleats rake and aerate the load. Fully processed material discharges under an adjustable sweep [3]. 


Oversize lumps fall back for further processing. Non-shreddable materials and debris are separated automatically and discharged through a trash chute [4].


The result is a light, fully aerated product that’s clean, uniform in particle size, and free of unwanted materials.


This process provides a perfect hassle-free dirt, that is great for top coating your lawn, as well as your flower beds and gardens. Simply spread and plant!

Why Mushroom Compost?

Mushroom Compost is a totally organic, dark, rich, moist mixture of wheat straw, peat moss, cottonseed meal, cottonseed hulls, corncobs, cocoa bean shells, gypsum, lime, chicken litter, and /or horse stable bedding. This combination of ingredients is used in commercial mushroom farms to grow mushrooms. These materials are composted for many weeks and then placed into a huge room, where it is completely sterilized. After the sterilization is complete, the compost is then placed into growing trays, where the mushroom growing cycle begins.

Strangely enough, mushrooms can only be grown in this mixture for a short period of time. At this time the compost has to be removed. Not because it is nutritionally depleted, but because the growing environment is very dark and moist and could be subject to invasion by fungi and bacteria. This could be devastating to the mushroom farm. After 18-20 days, the compost is removed, and a brand new batch is prepared for the next crop. The mushroom compost is loaded from the growing trays directly into huge trucks and then shipped. It never touches the ground until it arrives at our facility.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I use Mushroom Compost?

    Mushroom Compost is a very versatile product since you can incorporate it into the soil prior to planting, or you can top dress existing plants. Some of the most dramatic results are obtained in annual or perennial beds and vegetable gardens. It is a valuable amendment to be used on almost everything you want to grow. Most landscapers that have the availability of mushroom compost will use it on almost everything they plant. Before laying sod, it is recommended to till Mushroom Compost into the soil. Before planting an annual bed, perennial bed, or vegetable garden, it is recommended to apply at least a 3 inch layer of Mushroom Compost on top of your bed, and till it in 5-6 inches deep. Then plant your plants and water them regularly. You won't need to add anything else to your beds for the entire growing season.


    If you have an existing bed that is not doing its best, you can top-dress with a 1 inch layer and continue watering on a regular basis. Mushroom Compost is considered non-burning, so don't be afraid to let the material be right up against the stems of your plants. You don't want to plant directly into the compost, since it is much too rich for this type of application. It is only considered non-burning when you incorporate it into the soil, or top-dress existing plants that already have an established root system.

  • What About Weeds?

    Weeds can be a major problem in most composted materials. Perhaps you've experienced this. As stated earlier, Mushroom Compost has to be completely sterilized before being placed into growing trays. Mushroom growers are extremely cautious and take every precaution to make sure there are no foreign weeds or bacteria in the growing medium. You won't have to worry about contaminating your flower beds, yard, or vegetable gardens with weeds when you use Mushroom Compost.

  • Can I use Mushroom Compost in My House Plants?

    A thin layer of mushroom compost can be applied on top of potting soil in house plants, but make sure the container has proper drainage. It is not recommended to use Mushroom Compost in flower boxes or other containers that have no drainage.

Mushroom Compost vs. Cow Manure

Mushroom compost is shipped to us directly from the mushroom farms when the mushroom growing trays are emptied. We do not alter the composition of this product in any way. Although we only sell mushroom compost in bulk there are some bagged products being marketed as mushroom compost when in fact it could be a variety of other materials with a little bit of mushroom compost added. It certainly is not pure mushroom compost like our product. BE CAREFUL! Cow manure is being marketed in a similar way. The actual amount of pure cow manure in most products is very limited. Unless it is dehydrated cow manure, you're not getting much more than a glorified potting soil. Again, BE CAREFUL!

Our mushroom compost has an odor when you buy it but don't be alarmed. It will rapidly disappear when applied to your flower beds and vegetable gardens. In fact, if it doesn't have an odor when you buy it, be it mushroom compost or cow manure, it probably won't do you much good anyway. THINK ABOUT IT! The effectiveness of mushroom compost compared to cow manure is much greater even if it's dehydrated cow manure. The reason being, in cow manure all you have is cow manure. In mushroom compost you have wheat straw, peat moss, cottonseed meal, cottonseed hulls, corncobs, cocoa bean shells, gypsum, lime, chicken litter and/or horse stable bedding. When these ingredients are composted you gain a multitude of plant benefits.

The next time you want cow manure, just compare it to mushroom compost. Look at the difference, feel the difference, smell the difference. Then choose mushroom compost... You'll be glad you did!

WHY PLANTING MIX?

Great choice for raised beds or addition to existing gardens.

Over the years its broad range of uses have become more evident. Planting mix can be used anywhere flowering plants grow in large volumes of soil, such as raised beds and large gardens. Planting mix is good at any depth. The deeper the soil, your plants roots will have more room to grow into, draw nutrients from and store water. Please keep in mind 12” depth is recommend in raised beds. Please enjoy!

Why WINCHESTER "GOLD"?

Shenandoah Sand Inc. is proud to announce a unique solution to RAISED BED GARDENING:

Winchester “GOLD” Planting Mix! Gardening that replaces topsoil. NO MORE PULLING WEEDS.

With raised bed gardens you can create a wonderful flower or vegetable bed anywhere in your yard. You can begin by using whatever materials you prefer, ie. retaining blocks, stone, landscape timbers, etc. We carry railroad ties that work very well for this type of project.

To prepare the area where the raised bed will be you should first do any weed removal, ie. using an herbicide like RoundUp and digging up the area to be used. Once any weeds are taken care of you should put a thin layer of newspaper at the bottom of bed and moisten it to stay in place. (You should NOT use plastic or landscape fabric!) Add the Winchester “GOLD” Planting Mix. For best results you should have a depth of at least 6” – 8” inches.

Now that you have your raised beds ready, plant your vegetables and flowers. DO NOT add any soil enhancers, fertilizers, etc. This mix is “ready to go”. Just add water throughout the season regularly as with any garden. Do Not Till !

To plant trees and shrubs permanently in the ground you can also use Winchester “GOLD” Planting Mix. Prepare the hole as you normally would, make sure the hole is much larger than the root ball of your plant. You will NOT use the soil you dig out the hole. Place Winchester “GOLD” Planting Mix in the bottom of the hole and make sure you tamp it down well. You will need to adjust the depth of root ball to give you at least 1” – 2” of top of root ball above the surrounding soil. After you have the plant in place fill the entire area with Winchester “GOLD” Planting Mix. As with the raised bed gardens you will NOT need to add any enhancers, fertilizers, etc. as this is a stand alone product.

Placing a 2” – 3” layer of mulch around your plants is always recommended after installation.

Winchester “GOLD” Planting Mix
The planting mix that Meets All Your Needs - No Weed Seeds