Guano; take the plunge...

Guano has been used for centuries in South America as a plant fertilizer for it is loaded with nitrogen and phosphorus. The word, 'guano', comes from the Incas meaning 'the excrement of seabirds' but is now used to describe the excrement of seals and bats as well.

And it has become big business. In fact a war was fought over the taxation of guano at one time in South America and it is becoming more and more important with each passing year.

At current consumption levels, experts now predict the current resources of phosphorus used in commercial fertilizer to be depleted somewhere around 2036 leaving guano as one of the few phosphorus fertilizers left.

Guano is the nutrient rich excrement of seabids such as the cormorant and pelican and is also gathered from seals and bats.

The best guano is collected from caves where it has not been broken down by sunlight and usually contains other organic materials such as bits of feathers or bones as well as benefical bacteria and fungi that act as a fungicide protecting plants against disease.

Typical guano contains somewhere around 6% phosphorus, 9% nitrogen and 2% potassium (NPK rating of 9-6-2) which makes it one of the most nutrient rich fertilizers you could buy (of course NPK guano ratings can vary widely by species and diet).

Commercial guano is processed, aged and ready for instant use as a supplement in a dirt garden, conventional hydroponics and organic hydroponics growing systems and is relatively cheap and readily available. Guano is now produced in South America, Cuba and America and is fast becoming a booming business.

For organic hydroponics, a combination of compost tea, guano and seaweed extract would be all the fertilizer your garden would ever need...

I highly recommend it and suggest you give it a try.

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