New and Unread Tree-Mails
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Name: Carol Alberta, Canada (Zone 3b)  Canadian_Rose Apr 17, 2019 2:03 AM CST |
| Does anyone here use cricket frass? Frass means insect droppings. I found this: (but there is tons of info on it on the web) Frass Forward benefits plants, gardens and lawns through many amazing organic natural mechanisms. For example, chitin (fibre in the exoskeleton of insects) triggers a plant's immune response system to defend itself from pathogens and many kinds of pests. Frass is a natural bloom stimulant, thus helping to produce a higher fruit and vegetable yield, thicker lawns, and healthier plants. Frass helps to promote the formation of compost, as it is a microbial inoculant. It is an important recycler of nutrients in rainforests, and favours plant health. So any thoughts?  |
Name: Lola Tasmania        LolaTasmania Apr 17, 2019 2:08 AM CST |
| It sounds interesting but I have to admit your first sentence had me thinking, "It's hard enough picking up sheep dung with a bucket and spade. Imagine picking up cricket poop with tweezers and a thimble." |
Name: Arturo Tarak Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentin (Zone 8a)     hampartsum Apr 17, 2019 6:41 AM CST |
Lola your imagination! WoW! it sent me  ....I almost can't stop! Next thought: " oh no one other thing to research, find, understand..."....  However it might well be a venue! (hope, hope, hope  )Lol Arturo |
Name: Carol Alberta, Canada (Zone 3b) Canadian_Rose Apr 17, 2019 11:17 AM CST |
hampartsum said: That's so cute, Arturo!!  Apparently it's great to put in with newly planted roses/bare roots. Lola - Tweezers!!! Oh my!! And to think I once raised crickets (as well as king worms) for my leopard geckos (sold). I could have used their frass for free!! |
Name: Carol Alberta, Canada (Zone 3b) Canadian_Rose Apr 17, 2019 12:00 PM CST |
| I've also read that seabird poop fertilizer is really good for flowering plants. But everything organic seems to be so expensive. I have tried to make compost...in a rolling tumbler...didn't work that well. Also tried vericomposting...it was too difficult to get all the worms out of the compost...didn't enjoy doing that very much. And my husband doesn't want composting piles around the yard. hmmmm.... I could do leaf composting. Just get people's leaf bags (they're collected for composting...and people are allowed to go get the bags) and let them decompose in the bags. Any other thoughts? |
Name: Lola Tasmania LolaTasmania Apr 17, 2019 2:42 PM CST |
| Carol - Seabird poop (guano) is rich in phosphate. I don't know how you would collect it but I did quite well by parking under a telegraph pole popular with pelicans once. I also don't know what it would do to potted roses but it took the paint off my 1949 Ford Anglia Tourer (a small English open top car) and turned the leather seats into cardboard. |
Name: Porkpal Richmond, TX           porkpal Apr 17, 2019 4:21 PM CST |
| There must be a better way... Porkpal |
Name: Carol Alberta, Canada (Zone 3b) Canadian_Rose Apr 17, 2019 4:24 PM CST |
| PorkPal Oh, this is too funny!!!! Lola - I meant that I would buy some that's already been composted. Oh, I've never laughed so hard from being on the computer before!!! |
Name: Shyam San Francisco, CA (Zone 10b)  Rose_Guy1127 Apr 18, 2019 7:40 PM CST |
| FoxFarm organic fertilizer and the potting soil has a good % of bat guano in it. Worth checking it out. |
Name: Carol Alberta, Canada (Zone 3b) Canadian_Rose Apr 19, 2019 10:13 AM CST |
| I was just doing some research on bat guano...and I've decided to not buy anything with bat guano in it...because of the problems bats are having with white nose syndrome. I don't want to further disturb the bats and their environment...plus it's not healthy for the workers who get the guano out. Some places do it safely (for the bats/humans) but some don't. So I'm going to get something else. Darn. |
PNW (Zone 8b)  Aerith Apr 19, 2019 6:18 PM CST |
| Carol, Because all of my roses are potted, I've tried several different potting soil and now use E.B. Stone Edna's Best Potting Soil. It keeps soil moist yet has good ability to drain water off. The most benefit part may be its price–performance ratio, though I don't know if you can get it in Canada.  |
Name: Carol Alberta, Canada (Zone 3b) Canadian_Rose Apr 23, 2019 7:04 PM CST |
| Hmmm...I did a quick search...no luck. I did find the product...and it sounds amazing! |
PNW (Zone 8b) Aerith Apr 23, 2019 10:28 PM CST |
| Oh. Maybe you can ask your local nurseries what potting soil do they use for their plants. I was recommended by mine, and it works great. I believe you will find a good one! |
Name: Carol Alberta, Canada (Zone 3b) Canadian_Rose Apr 24, 2019 12:29 AM CST |
| I'm going to try to fix the soil I already have by adding - coffee grounds - wool pellets - crushed egg shells - insect frass...maybe - alfalfa pellets - Milorganite... maybe - fish fertilizer I tell you, I've put so much old potting soil on the grass that the grass is starting to drown.  I didn't realize that it could be refreshed.  |
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