The natives of South America were already familiar with guano as a fertilizer 500 years ago and were busy fertilizing their fields with it. In the 19th century, the "white gold" was a coveted commodity, as this natural fertilizer contains very high levels of the essential plant nutrients phosphorus and nitrogen.

Guano is basically bird excrement

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. What is guano?
  3. Ingredients and use in the garden
  4. application
  5. Make guano liquid fertilizer yourself
  6. origin and occurrence
  7. Guano - ecologically questionable
  8. frequently asked Questions
  9. Is guano fertilizer also suitable for orchids?

    10. the essentials in brief

    • "Guano" means dung; it is excrement from seabirds used as fertilizer.
    • Guano (€121.99) contains many nutrients such as minerals, enzymes, trace elements, proteins and good bacteria.
    • Pure guano is rare; usually only a small part of guano is mixed with chemical or natural fertilizers.
    • Bats also produce good guano; which can also be collected by yourself.

    What is guano?

    The word guano comes from the Andean language, Quechua, which refers to the origin of this once highly competitive fertilizer. Translated, it means "Dung", because it is nothing else. Guano is the droppings of seabirds - mostly the legacies of penguins - which have an immensely high proportion of nitrogen and phosphorus as well as many trace elements and are therefore ideal for the natural fertilization of garden and house plants. The organic fertilizer is not for everyone, however, as it smells pungent and unpleasant.

    Ingredients and use in the garden

    Guano fertilizers provide the soil and thus the plants growing on it with a balanced mix of nutrients, as the material also contains phosphorus and nitrogen

    • many enzymes
    • minerals
    • trace elements
    • proteins
    • and beneficial bacteria.

    The specific proportion of the respective nutrients varies greatly and depends on various factors, such as the mining area and the diet of the seabirds. The subsoil and the age of the quarrying site are also important for the ingredients, because over time the bird droppings mix with the underlying calcareous rocks. After all, it is an organic product that, like all organic fertilizers, is subject to fluctuations in its composition.

    The Types of Guano Fertilizers

    Commercially, guano fertilizers are available in various forms and compositions. Pure guano is rarely sold, and manufacturers usually offer synthetic or organic NPK fertilizer with a certain proportion of guano. How high this proportion is differs from manufacturer to manufacturer and can range from a minimal percentage to 70 percent.

    Furthermore, guano fertilizers are available in different forms:

    • powder
    • granules or pellets
    • liquid fertilizer
    • fertilizer sticks

    Powdered or other solid form of guano is best applied directly to the soil and incorporated lightly. Afterward, do not forget about watering, so that the fertilizer goes deeper into the soil, and therefore closer to the roots. However, you can also dissolve these solid guano fertilizers in water and then use them as a foliar fertilizer. Simply spray the agent on the plant foliage. Because of the unpleasant smell, you should only use special fertilizer sticks (€4.48) or appropriately labeled liquid fertilizers for indoor plants.

    digression

    What is bat guano?

    Not only seabirds - and above all the penguins - diligently produce guano, other animal species are also responsible for this. Special bat guano is offered for the garden, also known as bat guano, which on average contains slightly less nitrogen but more phosphorus than the legacies of seabirds. However, this fertilizer is problematic, because to obtain it you have to visit bat roosts that are mostly difficult to access and disturb the animals to break down their droppings. Not only for this reason bat guano is very expensive: A kilogram of such a fertilizer costs between 12 and 25 EUR depending on the manufacturer.

    Fields of application and possible applications

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    However, guano is not only suitable for fertilizing garden, tub and house plants, but is also used for other purposes in the garden bed:

    • stimulation of soil organisms: Due to the enzymes and bacteria it contains, guano ensures improved soil life, so that the composition of the soil structure changes as a result of application - but only very slowly.
    • improvement of soil quality: With regular guano fertilization, both the texture and the drainage of the soil improve over time, which is due to the increased activity of soil organisms.
    • fungicide: In addition, a highly concentrated guano fertilizer can also be used as a fungicide, for example by foliar fertilization to combat or prevent fungal diseases - which often occur on many garden plants.
    • Compost Activator: Due to its ingredients, guano is also very suitable as a compost activator and as such accelerates the decomposition process in the compost heap. The result is a high-quality compost soil.

    What types of fertilizers contain guano?

    You can literally make gold out of bird droppings.

    Commercially available guano fertilizer only rarely consists of pure or highly concentrated guano. Most manufacturers use the bird droppings as part of an NPK fertilizer that also contains other ingredients of either organic or synthetic origin. The proportion of guano is not always specified, but rarely more than 30 percent of the material is included.

    medium Manufacturer area of application application form price Hints
    Flower fertilizer (€1.95) with guano Compo for indoor, balcony and other potted plants liquid fertilizer approx. EUR 4.80 / liter contains synthetic ingredients
    Flower fertilizer with guano extract stretcher for flowering plants in the garden and pots liquid fertilizer approx. 4 EUR / liter contains synthetic ingredients
    organic garden fertilizer with guano myorganic garden Garden fertilizer for vegetables, herbs and fruit trees granules approx. 5 EUR / kilogram Approved for organic horticulture
    BIO natural fertilizer with guano Compo for all garden and vegetable plants, fruit trees granules approx. 5 EUR / kilogram Approved for organic horticulture
    Flower fertilizer with seabird guano Gärtner's for flowering plants in the garden and pots liquid fertilizer approx. EUR 8.30 / liter also suitable for green indoor plants
    Plant food with guano substral for green and flowering pot and tub plants liquid fertilizer approx. 4.60 / liter also suitable for indoor plants
    Balcony and tub plant food with guano substral for green and flowering pot and tub plants liquid fertilizer approx. EUR 5.30 / liter also suitable for indoor plants
    Fertilizer sticks plus guano Compo Different varieties for green, flowering and container plants fertilizer sticks approx. 2.70 / 30 pieces long-term fertilizer
    Flower fertilizer for house & garden with guano biplantol for ornamental plants liquid fertilizer approx. EUR 9.80 / liter with homeopathic complex
    Rapid composter with guano Compo for composting granules approx. EUR 4.30 / kilogram composting aid
    Guano fertilizer for rooms, balconies and terraces crystal for potted plants liquid fertilizer approx. EUR 8.90 / liter NPK fertilizer

    tips

    Caution: Not everything that says "Guano" on it necessarily has Guano in it. Especially the cheap products contain only very small amounts or only chicken or other bird droppings. Here, however, the nutrients have a completely different composition, because it is precisely the fish-rich diet of the seabirds that ensures the uniqueness of this natural fertilizer.

    Proper use of guano in the garden

    The application of guano fertilizer depends primarily on the form in which you use this fertilizer. Work solid guano directly into the soil, ideally at a depth of about seven to ten centimetres, and then water vigorously. You can also fill the fertilizer into the planting hole when planting. Make sure that no fertilizer residues stick to the leaves, as this can cause chemical burns and thus leaf damage.

    Guano in liquid form, on the other hand, is no longer corrosive and can therefore be used both for direct pouring on the soil and for foliar fertilization. Mix the liquid fertilizer with the irrigation water according to the instructions on the package and apply both to the plants immediately.

    Guano is also available in stick form for indoor plants

    For indoor and other potted plants, on the other hand, fertilizer sticks are suitable, which you simply insert into the ground individually at the edge of the plant pot - but at a distance of about one to two centimeters from it. In the coming weeks, the stick will continuously deliver nutrients to the plant, so you no longer have to fertilize.

    Like all fertilizers, guano is best used during the growing season between March and September. With the exception of pure indoor plants, garden and balcony plants are in a dormant phase from this point on and therefore do not need any fertilizers.

    dosage

    Since the specific ingredients of the various guano fertilizers vary greatly, no specific statements can be made here. It is best to note the relevant information on the product packaging. However, some general statements regarding the dosage can be made:

    • Guano fertilizer can be dosed sparingly.
    • Expect 40 to 80 grams of guano per square meter of garden area.
    • Fertilize with this amount once in spring at the start of the season.
    • If necessary, repeat this fertilization in June, but no later than the beginning of July.

    Dilute liquid fertilizer with guano with the irrigation water, whereby you should shake the bottle vigorously before use. This is necessary so that the sediment stuck to the bottom comes off and mixes again with the remaining liquid in the bottle. Dosing is very easy with most liquid fertilizers, as you can simply measure the required amount with the bottle cap.

    It is best to fertilize weekly during the vegetation period, whereby you should adjust the amount of nutrients to the actual needs of your plants. After all, some species require more food than others, which can get by with significantly less.

    digression

    Disadvantages of Guano

    The nutrient cocktail from guano fertilizers decomposes very slowly, and the granules in particular require the active support of soil-living microorganisms. For this reason, the effect of these fertilizers can be small in hot and dry summers and on some soils. Furthermore, some types of fertilizer release unpleasant odors.

    Make guano liquid fertilizer yourself

    If you have solid guano at home, you can easily use it to make liquid fertilizer yourself

    If you have pure guano at home, you can use it to make individually dosed liquid fertilizer yourself. How much of the material you actually need per liter of water and per square meter of planting area depends largely on the specific composition of the agent and your soil. On average, you use between 40 and 80 grams of guano per square meter of soil, which also shows how little of the fertilizer you actually need compared to other organic fertilizers such as manure or compost. And this is how you make the liquid fertilizer:

    • Guano Tea: Dissolve about one to two tablespoons of guano in five liters of water, leave the mixture overnight and water your plants with it the next morning.
    • guano brew: Here you leave the guano tea for about 24 hours so that the mixture bubbles and thereby indicates fermenting activities. Pour the brew directly onto the soil beneath the plants. Not only do the plants themselves benefit, but also the organisms and beneficial animals in the soil.

    Only use these two remedies outdoors, i.e. in the garden. The self-made liquid fertilizers are not suitable for the fertilization of indoor and other potted plants as well as greenhouse plants due to their penetrating smell.

    origin and occurrence

    Not only seabirds are responsible for the huge guano deposits, primarily in South America, but also various mammals living there, such as seals, contribute with their legacies. Furthermore, the deposits also contain the egg shells as well as carcasses and bones of these birds and over time have piled up on mounds several meters high - some of these mounds are up to 30 meters and more high.

    Most occurrences are on the islands off Peru, which Alexander von Humboldt visited at the beginning of the 19th century and from there took the first samples to Europe. There are also deposits in Egypt and India. Nowadays, however, not only natural deposits are mined more and more often, but also artificial "guano islands" are created. Various tricks are used to lure seabirds onto these floating platforms, which then leave their valuable droppings there. According to scientific calculations, the approximately one billion seabirds on earth produce around 600,000 tons of nitrogen and 100,000 tons of phosphorus - per year. Only the quantities that the birds defecate on land are included here - the occurrences in the sea are not taken into account.

    The quarrying sites for bat droppings, on the other hand, are mostly in Europe.

    digression

    Influence of guano on the climate

    Did you know that the guano deposits of the Humboldt penguins living at the southern tip of South America have a major influence on the climate of the Antarctic region? In fact, the deposits are so large that the escaping ammonia rises into the atmosphere, where it contributes to cloud formation and thus to cooler temperatures.

    Guano - ecologically questionable

    The Humboldt penguins depend on guano

    As positive as all these descriptions of guano sound and as much as the manufacturers praise the material as organic, the degradation of the bird droppings is ecologically questionable. Not only that the raw material for guano fertilizer comes to us from practically the other end of the world should make us suspicious: on this journey, the transport of the agent causes large amounts of climate-damaging CO2, even though we have enough equally valuable fertilizers with us have at home.

    But the Humboldt penguins are also suffering from the depletion of their guano sites, because the animals dig their nesting holes in these hills as protection against the cold and other bad weather. However, if the guano deposits disappear, the penguin will no longer find any opportunities to nest. As a result, populations have declined sharply since mining began.

    Alternatives to guano

    Instead, you can use numerous local and no less beneficial organic fertilizers that do not pollute nature and ecosystems. In addition to the obligatory compost and manure from horses and cattle, nettle and other plant manure are also included, as well as composted chicken manure as a kind of native guano substitute. Chicken guano is also rich in nutrients and minerals and can be made at home using this scheme:

    • Collect fresh chicken manure.
    • Place this in a compost bin.
    • Water the manure vigorously.
    • Mix in litter (preferably finely chopped straw).
    • Turn the mixture thoroughly every few weeks.
    • After about six to twelve months, the chicken manure is composted.
    • It can now be used as a fertilizer in the garden.

    frequently asked Questions

    Is guano toxic? What do I do if I accidentally swallowed the fertilizer?

    Rest assured: Guano is not poisonous, but can only have a somewhat caustic effect on the mucous membranes and in the respiratory organs. If you inhaled or swallowed some of the dust, go outside and take a deep breath.It also helps to drink plenty of water and practically flush yourself. On the other hand, if something gets on your skin, wash it off with soap and water. If it comes into contact with your eyes, rinse the residue out with clear water. A doctor's visit is only necessary if you feel unwell afterwards.

    Doesn't guano fertilizer stink terribly?

    Guano fertilizer actually smells quite pungent, but this is not noticeable when used in the fresh air.

    Is guano also suitable as a long-term fertilizer?

    Guano is very well suited as a long-term fertilizer, since the nutrients are only released very slowly anyway. For example, you can put about a tablespoon of the powder per plant in the planting hole when planting, so that your plants are well cared for from the start.

    Is guano fertilizer also suitable for orchids?

    Some liquid guano fertilizers sold specifically for indoor and patio plants are also suitable for orchids. A dosage recommendation is usually given on the packaging.

    Can I also use fresh chicken manure as fertilizer?

    Unfortunately, fresh chicken manure is not suitable as a fertilizer because it is too corrosive and would practically kill the plants. There is also a risk that the use of fresh manure will transfer pathogens such as salmonella to the plants and get into your body through them. For this reason, even composted chicken manure should be introduced into the soil some time before planting the plants. The same applies to other bird droppings, such as those produced when keeping pigeons. However, you should not use duck and goose droppings, as both types often permanently excrete salmonella.

    tips

    Because guano is corrosive, you should always wear gloves when applying this fertilizer. In addition, the dust should not get into the respiratory tract or the eyes. Also, avoid dusting the above-ground parts of the plant with guano dust, as these will burn through contact. It is therefore best to always fertilize on a windless day!

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Garden design