Bat Guano (3-8-1) is one of nature's fertilizer marvels. Especially as a house plant food since it is odor less and has a blend of nutrients that aids in all phases of plant growth.

It is 98% water soluble and contains calcium, iron, and boron trace elements!

25 pounds treats 1000 square feet. Or apply 1/4 cup for each two feet of plant height.

How did you get ahold of that large amount of bat poo poo?

is it aged? Fresh bat guano can really burn.

Hmmm. Bat guano can vary between high N and high P, depending on the type of food the bats are eating, the mineral composition of the cave (if it came from a cave...) and the number of centuries the bat poop sat around on the rock and weathered/decomposed/was acted upon by insects. Do you know where the guano came from? I mean, other than from a bat's bottom? :-)

I did some Google searches and learned that a typical Texan bat guano specs at about 10-5-2-- high nitrogen, moderate phosphorus and low-ish potassium. As Robyn pointed out, this could be strong enough to burn if it touches plants directly and it's "fresh".

If you have the money and time, you might want to have it tested by a soil lab. Once you get the specs (the basic NPK) you'll know how it should be used in the garden.

If you know it's Texan bat poo and you just want to assume the high-moderate-low numbers, then you can use it anytime except, perhaps, in the very early and very late part of the season. I like to give my soil more K (kelp usually) in the early season, especially on annuals, to encourage nice strong energy-distribution and defence systems in the young plants. In the late season you don't want to be encouraging fruiting/flowering, not N-inspired leafy growth.

The application rate (pounds per square foot) for guano will vary according to what you are growing as well as the general health/fertility of the native soil. Without getting too technical and suggesting another soil test, you might want to try one to two pounds per 100 square feet, or 1/4 cup dry per 1 gallon sized transplant holes. Err on the low side. As well, you may want to incorporate some higher K materials (greensand, kelp) to balance things out, especially if your soil has been neglected or abused with chems.

When you use organic soil amendments such as guano, you need to give the soil time to break the material down so the nutrients are in a form that plant roots can use. This could take as little as three weeks-- longer if your soil is not biologically active. So add the stuff before you plant.

Whether to till it in is a matter of great debate. I believe in disturbing the soil as little as possible, letting rain, worms, and natural processes incorporate the material. I would just apply it as a topdressing and lightly scratch it in with a rake. However, if you are creating new garden beds, you can dig in the guano to a depth of up to a foot or so.

These highly nutritious "super foods" are good, but they're no substitute for good ol' compost. You need bulky, fluffy organic matter to improve the structure and tilth of the soil, and to add the healthy micro-organisms-- the team of gourmet caterers that keep plants well-fed.

Those are the absolute basics, I think. Others will fill in the gaps, I'm sure.

Thanks for all the replies. I helped harvest it out of a bat cave in central texas with a non-profit group this weekend. It's free-tail poop, and although it's dry and powdery, it is this years's poop, as they have this harvest annually.

I do have a compost pile that I will use some of the guano in, and I will use it sparingly in the beds. Unfortunately, I do not have the money to get it tested. I was going to give a few lbs to my mother-in-law as well, so I will direct her to this thread for some guidance.

Thanks

Where's this cave? I want some! :D I'd be very sparing if it's not composted.... but if you want, I have a very nice compost pile you can use! :D Is this a big enough hint?

Below is a link with some interesting history of the Texas bat guano caves. Of interest is that large bat houses were once built for the purpose of collecting the bat guano. Over 4,000 pounds from one harvest is not exactly is not something that one would set up in your back garden!

Martin

Here is a link that might be useful: Texas Bat Quano

Garden-Ville harvests and sells "bat guano" every year. What they have found is that what they collect from the caves is not fresh and, as a matter of fact, has been highly processed by insects that live on the floor of the caves. In effect it is composted, at least at a certain level. So instead of being pure bat poop, it is more like pure insect poop. It's like a collection of roach turds. Nice thought, huh!

I will warn you to not leave your bags of guano anywhere you want to reoccupy. I took some to a friend in California several years ago and I could NOT wait to get that stuff out of the car. He stored it in his carport overhead bin and eventually had to pressure wash the place to get the smell out. The smell is subtle at first but once you know what it is, you will always remember it. We have some multi level parking garages at some of our malls and I can tell you exactly where the bats live in them. Yes, they do smell!

I would scatter the entire quantity as heavily as you need to to get it all out of your space and down on the ground. Compost it if you must.

Hello , Im in NE OHIO zip code 44266 . I have Large Quantities of Bat Guano from my attic. Im guessing we have over 2000 visible pounds. Not to mention all the guano that has fallen down the walls. Sadly the home is hard to live in in the summer months. The Health Hazard is evident .
The Guano and Bats Stink Bad .
Regardless,
If your interested in doing a swap of plants, seeds, or what have ya. Id love to Barter with guano.
Im new to my home and the plants are sparse .Id love to fill the yard up with Herbs and edible flowers.A lovely fig tree or anything.
The Guano Is free. Im not promoting anything other than a swap .
I only ask that you pay for the shipping of the guano to you. and Visa Versa.
I ship in a 5-6 pound box.Parcel post. Tell me how many boxes you need.

Ill check back often to see if anyone wants to barter & Exchange or you can contact me via email.
Till then ,
Have Super Happy Holiday Season.
Thank you,
LB
Email:coachouse1887@yahoo.com
ebay ID: ravennabigredbarn

gotguano: you need to call your insurance agent. Your house may be a total loss. I've seen that with a cricket invasion. Once the crickets die inside the walls, the building cannot be occupied and must be demolished and rebuilt.

I know this is a very old thread, but if anyone is looking for bat guano in bulk, I have it. I mine in western Arizona and the bats get into the mine shaft. You can contact me here: https://www.facebook.com/Scavenger-Mining-941913959228736/