This is from my local nursery and I was wondering if I bought this bag of bat guano, could I make a liquid fertilizer with it? If so, what are your recommendations for doing so? Sent from my LM-V350 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Guano tea can be made by filling a 5-gallon bucket with distilled water and setting it out of direct sunlight. Place a heater in the water, and raise the water temperature to 75 F. When the water is warm, fill a composting teabag with guano, and place it in the water. Add microbe food such as 1.6 ounces of molasses or 0.3 ounce of fish oil emulsion. With an aerator in the bucket, the tea mixture should brew 12 to 48 hours. After turned off, the aerator and heater can be washed thoroughly. Use the tea to fertilize plants. The mixture can be used as is for a soil drench or strained and applied as a foliar spray twice each month. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
Uh... Couldn't I just simply get a cup of water, put a tablespoon of bat guano in it, mix it, and then feed it to my plants immediately? Sent from my LM-V350 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
It would be of lower quality. There are less time invested methods. You should at least steep it in warm water for a while. I would add some food though. You really want the growth from steeping with food for microbes. Add 1 tablespoon of guano to 1 gallon of water, and allow the mixture to sit 24 hours. Your plants won't get the maximum fertilization benefit this way, but they will get some. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
Okay then what if I just top dressed the surface of the soil by adding by sprinkling a pinch or two onto the surface of the soil? Sent from my LM-V350 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Topdressing is probably way to go for your needs/situation . AACT ( actively aerated compost tea) what was mentioned by someone above, is a method used to multiply beneficial bacteria and fungi. In organic soil gardening the main objective is to provide a rich and stable environment for the soil life to thrive. We aim to mimic the process that’s been going on in the most fertile soils in nature for millions of years. Plants are proven to develop symbiotic relationships with bacteria and fungi found in the soil. The microbes “mine” and breakdown organic material making it bio-available to the plant. In return the roots excrete sugars and carbohydrates that allow the microbes to thrive and multiply. In AACT your adding bacteria in your case guano, a food source like molasses and using air pump to add dissolved oxygen to the water. This creates a hospitable environment for the beneficial bacteria to multiply. Then when added to the soil the bacteria begin “working” for your plant. If your just looking for the nutrient value of the guano which is great source of P You can simply topdress and water in. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
Okay now I have 2 other questions: I never top dressed before and just so I want clarity on this, is top dressing basically sprinkling a pinch or two of the fertilizer on the surface of the soil without disturbing the soil by digging? Also, since bat guano has high Phosphorus and Potassium, would I get more bigger and thiccer (thicker) buds? Sent from my LM-V350 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Yes topdressing is just sprinkling on the soil and watering it in. P and K are 2 important factors of getting good yields but there’s a ton of other variables that directly relate to yield. No matter how much P and K you add to your soil if you’re not getting proper lighting, environment(temp/RH), using proper watering technique, growing in good soil to begin with(proper ph, correct proportions nutrients), and growing plants with good genetics, then you might not get the yields you’re looking for. It’s not as simple as just dumping bat shit on the soil and some type of magic happens and you have “thicc” buds. IMO in order to get the kind of end product your looking for you need to achieve a balance of everything. Nutrients are important but without having everything else dialed in, it won’t make an ounce of difference. Also it’s very easy to burn plants with guano so I’d be careful. Less is more. When you use excessive nutrients it causes lots of problems toxicity, lockouts, poor quality etc. IMO if your looking for a magic ingredient to give you high quality product/yields you’re thought process isn’t on the right track. In Organics you wanna think balance and simplicity. Be careful of the gimmicky products that promise bud swelling or plumping or sweeter flavor, most of it is just salesmanship and waste of money IMO. There’s people on this forum growing award winning pot with just really good soil (made with high quality compost/amendments) and just plain water. Imagine that plants grown with just water lol. The things people buy and all these ridiculous products and the claims, I think people lose sight of what they’re actually doing. Remember we’re growing plants Cannabis is a “weed” (very hardy plant) not some pretentious royal princess that can only consume the finest $50 bottles of nutrients lol. The more you really start learning and researching about plants the more you’ll see how unnecessary a lot of these products are. That being said guano is great top dress and yes P&K can help to improve yields when used properly and at the right time. A boost of P and K in early flower is great choice. Just be careful read the recommendations for application rate and be cautious always use less than is suggested. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
Yes, you can also scratch the top dress into the top couple of inches of the soil to help it get in there, then a water drench.
I don't know of that method, I'd rather not risk breaking a root. Sent from my LM-V350 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Bake ur water outside than mix it. Should be at least that temp. Hell here it would be boiling! I quit using molasses! Yield killer Sent from my SM-G935T using Grasscity Forum mobile app
This may sound funny, but I'm a big fan of Scott Ostrander from Nectar! According to him it does! If u watch the vids on you tube, he teaches alot!! Sent from my SM-G935T using Grasscity Forum mobile app
I know u guys have been growing for a long time! Maybe he's wrong. But if u listen to him he is like a bio engineer Sent from my SM-G935T using Grasscity Forum mobile app
I’ll check him out. Molasses as a fertilizer has been proven by multiple studies, etc. Maybe the abuse of molasses or other sugar based products compromise the plant’s relationship with the microbiology and then in turn stops your plant from reaching its full potential.
Molasses tends to be a pretty decent source of calcium and magnesium which is helpful during flowering. I remember reading some years ago that too much molasses can disrupt some of the microbial balances. In general when dealing with organics the nutrients are useless to the plant until processed by the microherd. The point of the teas is to culture microbes not so much a liquid fert. The life in the soil is key. The organic nutrients are for the microorganisms. They will in turn make nutrients available to the plant. It shouldnt cause any damage to the roots by working/mixing the guano into the top layer of soil. Make sure not to use tap water with out some treatment to get rid of the chlorine. The chlorine will mess up your soil
Here is one that I thought he said it. This is a great vid! I know u got called in on this Scoobie!! Remember I buddies with Robbie 714 and OH lol. I'm still going to look Sent from my SM-G935T using Grasscity Forum mobile app