Bat Guano for Organic Indoor Gardening w/RooRman

[RooRman]

I have put all the information necessary in the first post, and with the feeding schedule they give you there should be no problems. If you have a specific question or something that needs clarification then don't hesitate to ask.

Now I also recommend going to get a new 5gal. bucket to make the tea and maybe a paint mixer wand to stir it with if you have nothing else new and clean (I use a piece of wood shingle). These can be acquired at any hardware store.

[RangerDanger]

I always like to use International House Of Guano on my International House Of Pancakes.
Mmmmmmm.

Back to being serious...
I asked a friend of mine who knows more about growing anything than anyone else I've ever known (in fact he helped design hydroponic gardens for NASA to use on spacecraft) if the guano actually has to be in some sort of "tea bag". He said yes for hydro systems but not so for outdoor grows.
Like I mentioned I mixed up an entire box of Fox Farms guano (something like 1-10-1) with about 4 gal. water to make a concentrate that required 1/2 cup per gal./water. I stirred it daily for a week before I used it (just to make sure), then a few minutes before I took some out I'd give it a real good stir. I'd always wait 30 seconds for most of the "sludge" to re-settle and then dip my measuring cup in to get some off the top.
When I got close to the thick stuff at the bottom I emptied the bucket contents around several tree's on the prop.
I haven't noticed any changes in the tree's but these are 3-story tall trees so any effect I think would be very very slight.

[RooRman]

Originally Posted by RangerDanger

Back to being serious...
I asked a friend of mine who knows more about growing anything than anyone else I've ever known (in fact he helped design hydroponic gardens for NASA to use on spacecraft) if the guano actually has to be in some sort of "tea bag". He said yes for hydro systems but not so for outdoor grows.
Like I mentioned I mixed up an entire box of Fox Farms guano (something like 1-10-1) with about 4 gal. water to make a concentrate that required 1/2 cup per gal./water. I stirred it daily for a week before I used it (just to make sure), then a few minutes before I took some out I'd give it a real good stir. I'd always wait 30 seconds for most of the "sludge" to re-settle and then dip my measuring cup in to get some off the top.
When I got close to the thick stuff at the bottom I emptied the bucket contents around several tree's on the prop.
I haven't noticed any changes in the tree's but these are 3-story tall trees so any effect I think would be very very slight.

As I said previously. I only omitted this information because I have never tried this method of making a concentrated tea and I only wanted to give advice that I was sure would work flawlessly.

In addition, you need to use cups of guano for this method, rather than tablespoons, so for small grows this seems impractical. Also, you should use the tea within 30 days of making it, so if you do not have enough plants to feed with all this tea you made it will go to waste.

However, if you have a large grow than I feel your method is the way to go.

[RangerDanger]

I agree 100% with your last comments. I was commenting on my last few grows which were outside. I had 24 plants that I had to hand-carry water to (lazy bitches), and in full veg they drank about 1/2 gal. water per day. So they needed 12 gal./day. I'd put the concentrate in each of 4 1-gal containers, add water AND, since I don't think that bat guano's contain all micro-nutes I'd then add a bit of Iguana Juice. Then I'd make the 3 trips per day until all the plants were fed/watered.

[RooRman]

Originally Posted by RangerDanger

I agree 100% with your last comments. I was commenting on my last few grows which were outside. I had 24 plants that I had to hand-carry water to (lazy bitches), and in full veg they drank about 1/2 gal. water per day. So they needed 12 gal./day. I'd put the concentrate in each of 4 1-gal containers, add water AND, since I don't think that bat guano's contain all micro-nutes I'd then add a bit of Iguana Juice. Then I'd make the 3 trips per day until all the plants were fed/watered.

Yes indeed. It sounds like concentrate is the way to go for a large grow or one outdoors. Good additon RD.

Does Igauna juice contain mychorrhizal? If so, this is one thing that Bat Guano does not contain that is definatly helpful.

[RooRman]

Also guys, make sure you pH test your water BEFORE you add your guano to it, otherwise the nutrients may end up being "locked out". Sometimes hot water pipes can contain calcified lime that can set the pH balance way off. If you cannot use the warm water that comes from your tap because of this then use cold water and I suggest warming it (NOT heating it, or boiling it) on the stove or in the microwave. Make sure the pH of your water is right before you add your guano for best results.

It just so happens that my water is decent right from the tap, your results may vary espescially if you have city water.

[RangerDanger]

"Does Igauna juice contain mychorrhizal?"

No.
Mychorrizae are small animals, like yeasts.
They colonize the roots and help them uptake nutrients.

[RooRman]

I thought mychorrhizal was a fungus? I have seen fetilizers containing colonies of this fungus and was wondering if Iguana Juice contained this, and I suppose not seeing as you said it doesn't.

[RangerDanger]

You're absolutely right RR, my mistake.
I had them confused with something else that lives in healthy soils, the name of which escapes me at the time.
I'll try to nail down that name.

But back to your original Q: Iguana juice (and as far as I know no liquid nute) contains no mychorrizae. Fox Farms Ocean and Forest Potting soil has them, as does one of Fox Farms Peace Of Mind powdered fertilizer products.

[CharlieBlayze]

Im interested in the Jamaican Bat Guano section.

You said you add fox farms tiger bloom at 1/2 strength with it. Why do you do this and what do you mean 1/2 strength? Half the recommended dosage?

One last thing, do you buy these different types of guano online? Where?

[RooRman]

Originally Posted by CharlieBlayze

Im interested in the Jamaican Bat Guano section.

You said you add fox farms tiger bloom at 1/2 strength with it. Why do you do this and what do you mean 1/2 strength? Half the recommended dosage?

One last thing, do you buy these different types of guano online? Where?

Tiger Bloom is at max strength at 4 tsp. per 1 gal. of water. So half strength would be 2 tsp. per 1 gal. of water. I then add 2-3 tbls. of Jamaican Bat Guano. I do this because Tiger Bloom encourages multiple budsites to form and also gives the plant more potassium, which the Jamaican Bat Guano is not very rich in.

Worm's Way - Gardening Products, Supplies, Service, Support, and Knowledge Base for all your hydroponics, indoor, outdoor and organic gardening needs, year 'round! sells the complete line of Sunleaves Bat Guano including the International House of Guano, which contains full size bags (not samples) of all the types of guanos for $29.99 USD. This is where I purchased mine.

[CharlieBlayze]

Thanks for the link, but I wanted to warn you that the tiger bloom is not completely organic, it is organic based but if you're striving for a completely organic grow then I just wanted to let you know.

I liked your guano information

[RooRman]

I was aware that Tiger Bloom is not fully organic. However, if you use it at half strength and flush well before harvest there will be no traces of it in the final product.

[xjackflashx]

so when starting a new grow is it okay to mix the mexican bat crap in with the organic medium....then put da seeds in....then come flowering re-apply some jamaican bat crap to the soil....? Cause everytime i try to use very little and I mean a miniscule (sp.) amount of something like Miracle Grow...a few days later the bottom leaves turn yellow..every time i tried to use the stuff that would happen and i would use the tiniest amount at different stages of the plants life, and I would love to find an organic way to add nutes....my plants are true straight edge and dont like anything chemically introduced to them....at least thats what ive seen.

[RooRman]

Yes jackflash, what you described could be a very effective method. Although I prefer to make a "tea" as previously described bat guano can also be used as a time release fert. The tea is easier to apply and you can see results in the short term. Bat guano mixed into the soil will take longer to break down, but as such it also feed the plant for longer. If you do what you described then you will not risk burning the plant at all, unlike when using MG.