Fertilising

AlanFletcher · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 19 Feb 2015 Posts: 12

Not sure if this is right place for this topic. Recently an elderly man told me about soaking a bag of pigeon droppings in water and then using it to water plants. Was just wondering if anyone else has heard of this and if people use it. What i really would like opinions on is whether its good or bad for the plants.
Regards
Alan Fletcher

Greengage · Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 12:58 pm Post subject:

Pidgeon Sh@@@te sorry manure is report to be excellent if you can get enough of it. It has 4.2% nitrogen, 3% phosphorus, and 1.4% potassium. It is harder to find and gather than other manures, and is best if composted thoroughly before using.But be careful..
http://www.rentokil-hygiene.co.uk/specialist-disinfection/bird-droppings-removal/diseases/index.html
Therefore make your own mind up is it worth it.

Blowin · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:35 am Post subject:

Alan - It seems as though soaking all sorts of material in water will produce useful nutritional products. There's an earlier post about nettle fertiliser (tea) and I can only assume the whole process is merely a variation on the compost theory with maybe one refinement? Whenever I've put stuff in a compost heap, it's soon seething with little red worms (brandlings) but, when I come to dig out the finished product, there's no sign of them, so I presume I've used a lot of my material to generate worms that are no longer around. At least the water principle involves no loss? I recall when I was a child we'd put the soot from the chimney into a container full of water and use that on the garden so maybe there's no end to what you can do.

AlanFletcher · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 19 Feb 2015 Posts: 12

Well Blowin and Greengage thanks for your replys. Ive been using this for the last week or so to water all my plants in polytunnel and ground. It seems to be working and so far i would advise it. If you can get your hands on a water permeable sack and bag of pigeon droppings from someone in a local pigeon club. I had left it in a black sack to degrade a bit before moving it into the sack hung in the barrel i clect rainwater in.

I am thinking of mixing a bag of pigeon and poultry manure for soaking next but want to research it a bit first but i will post a reply with my findings here.
Thanking You
Alan Fletcher

Blowin · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 7:40 am Post subject:

Yes, Alan, quite what the reason is I don't really know but poultry manure in general is said to 'burn' plants if applied when fresh. Leaving it to 'air' or, as we've discussed, putting it in water will presumably take the sting out of it?

You don't say where you are but finding a pigeon club in this part of the world might be a lengthy process.

AlanFletcher · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 19 Feb 2015 Posts: 12

Im in roscrea Tipperary blowin. My uncle knows a cupl of people who are in a pigeon club.
Alan

James Kilkelly · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 11:28 am Post subject:

Bat droppings (guano) are even more powerful if you can get your hands on them without annoying a protected species.

Sue Deacon · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 1:24 pm Post subject:

When we moved in to our old house in England my dad decided that the old 'shed' foundations at the bottom of the garden would be a good base for a veg plot. We did not know for a while that it used to be the base of a hen house.

For a good few years we had a bumper crop of EVERYTHING! Very Happy

These days I have to make do with donkey poo.

kindredspirit · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 4:50 pm Post subject:

I've been offered a shed load of pigeon poo but I haven't taken up the offer yet because a few years ago a man down the road, who kept pigeons, died from Pigeon Poo Disease. I'd need a good bit of space first as well because this guy, who offered it to me, has an awful lot of it from his flock. (He must feed them too well) I presume it would acidify earth and might be suitable to make up soil for rhododendrons.

tagwex · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:10 pm Post subject:

I have bats but their droppings are miniscule so it would take quite a few months worth to make anything usable and worthwhile. Actually, just thinking about that, they only eat insects so where is the plant nutrition in that?
@ Alan. Is that Roscrea in Tipp or Offaly? Wrong side of the boundary? Just thinking how your Cistercian College won the Leinster schools rugby last week.

AlanFletcher · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 19 Feb 2015 Posts: 12

It would take a while to collect bat droppings alriggt. Roscrea is north tipp. I cudnt tell u tagwex i dont follow rugby. I just heard sumthing about them winning something. Thought it was hurling though 😛 ha shows how much attention i pay to it all

tagwex · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:53 pm Post subject:

It was indeed rugby. The college is just over the Offaly border which makes them eligible to play in Leinster but the postal address is Roscrea, Tipperary. Hence the confusion.