Guano
grow cycle | soup up your soil
Studies have shown that milk does work as a fertilizer , even for foliar feeding . Another benefit of spraying the molasses-milk combo is that it controls broad-leafed weeds and runs off any hungry grasshoppers . “ We ’ re big on molasses . It ’ s not just for plants , it great for the microbes — the more organics the better ,” says Eric Olsen of NPK Industries . “ We use the entire plant , roots and all , which has a good amount of iron . Our veteran growers have been using molasses a long time .”
Guano
Another great organic amendment for plants is guano . Guano is the accumulated poop of seabirds , seals , and bats , which ends up being some of the most potent , sought-after , and expensive natural fertilizers in the world . Most guano comes from caves that have long established colonies or “ camps ” of bats . The caves are usually in mountainous areas and in a tropical climate . In North America , guano is imported from all over the world , including Mexico , Jamaica , Indonesia , Sumatra , and Peru . Mexican guano boosts lots of vegetation , as opposed to promoting fruit and flowers , while Jamaican and Indonesian guano boosts bud production . Seabird guanos are the most balanced ( see sidebar ).
“ Make sure the harvester is going about things as
ECO-FRIENDLY AS POSSIBLE .”
WHAT ’ S IN A GUANO ?
The N-P-K values of guano vary depending on what part of the world the guano is harvested from , so read your labels carefully . Some examples include :
• Indonesian , 0.5-12-0.2
• Jamaican , 1-10-0.2
• Sumatran , 8-3-1
• Mexican , 10-2-1
• Mexican liquid , 8-5-0
• Peruvian seabird , 10-10-2
Whichever source of guano you ’ ve considered , check to make sure the harvester is going about things as ecofriendly as possible . For example , in Peru , through the Fair Trade Agreement , the sale of guano has been a huge financial benefit for the country ’ s economy , says John Lorey of Sunleaves Garden Products . “ We have people there overseeing the operation to make sure everything is being done right .” There are more than 1,200 species of bats worldwide , which can be broken down into two types based on their diets . Bats that eat moths and other insects produce guano that ’ s high in nitrogen , while bats that eat fruit produce guano that is low in nitrogen but high in phosphorus . There are a few ways to go about introducing your plants to guano . Guanos come as a loose powder in bags and in a liquid . Seabird guano is pelletized . Some customers make guano tea , a potent plant elixir , which has to be used in the first 12 hours . “ Guano is popular with our hydroponic growers , and hydroponics is growing by leaps and bounds because it ’ s so ecologically sound ,” says Tony Bayt of Sunleaves Garden Supply .
110 Maximum Yield USA | February 2017