Bat guano, blood meal and viruses (corona paranoia)
- Thread starter Grow311
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HaroldRocks
Well-Known Member
yea but even the smell from the neptune's harvest fish smells like fresh fish....i don't think it smells bad at all, i use it every run. for years, plants love it
and then yea, if you're applying any dry organic nutes, you should be wearing a dust mask because its just really bad for your lungs - but as far as diseases, most of them need a living host to stay alive....so i'd worry more about the friends you have over your house than the dry nutes your applying to your plants/soil
and then as far as using blood meal, i don't use it because it's pretty hot - i just don't see a need for that kinda heat....there's just better alternatives
and then yea, if you're applying any dry organic nutes, you should be wearing a dust mask because its just really bad for your lungs - but as far as diseases, most of them need a living host to stay alive....so i'd worry more about the friends you have over your house than the dry nutes your applying to your plants/soil
and then as far as using blood meal, i don't use it because it's pretty hot - i just don't see a need for that kinda heat....there's just better alternatives
PatientGuddanStownd
Well-Known Member
I highly recommend wearing a dust mask when mixing soil.
Dry amendments/fertilizers have a fine particulate dust, especially the guano. That kind of dust in your lungs will make you very sick.
Histoplasmosis
"Histoplasmosis is a lung disease caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. The fungus grows in soil with a lot of bird droppings or bat guano (feces). Histoplasmosis can be prevented in humans by avoiding dust and areas heavily contaminated with bird or bat droppings."
https://www.nps.gov/articles/one-health-disease-histoplasmosis.htm
I still use seabird guano in my soil and tea. It's great shit!
Seriously though, I always mask up when handling dry amendments.
Richard Drysift
Well-Known Member
True; inhaling organic particulate matter is not good. Wearing a dust mask is definitely a smart move. Simply wetting down your soil mix when amending with fertilizer/minerals also helps. You can mitigate the amount of dry airborne particles by wetting it all down before stirring it up too much. In addition to a dust mask I also recommend using a big ass hand sprayer; like the kind for pesticides but w/water only.
I’ve heard that bat and even seabird guano are sometimes questionably sourced. No idea how true that is. That and the fact that “grow” stores charge a lot more for this exotic poop made me switch over to other sources like poultry manure. I guarantee your plants won’t know the difference...
On amazon today....
$52 for 10lb bat guano
$44 for 10lb seabird guano
$20 for 10lb composted chicken manure
I’ve heard that bat and even seabird guano are sometimes questionably sourced. No idea how true that is. That and the fact that “grow” stores charge a lot more for this exotic poop made me switch over to other sources like poultry manure. I guarantee your plants won’t know the difference...
On amazon today....
$52 for 10lb bat guano
$44 for 10lb seabird guano
$20 for 10lb composted chicken manure
natureboygrower
Well-Known Member
Masks are a good idea no matter what media or amendments are being used. I have a friend in her 70's with COPD. She thinks working in her greenhouses and mixing up promix for years caused it.
PatientGuddanStownd
Well-Known Member
oof...those are high prices! i hope my local supply shop doesn't follow!
HaroldRocks
Well-Known Member
High P guano has been sitting there for years and they usually get it from abandoned caves.....ancient and mineralized
and then there's mountains that look like they have snow on it from so much bird shit - so there's your seabird guano
and then there's mountains that look like they have snow on it from so much bird shit - so there's your seabird guano
HaroldRocks
Well-Known Member
see that mountain? thats not snow on it
Rurumo
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't worry about liquid organic nutes at all, just wash your hands if you happen to get some on you. I would worry about using dry bat guano inside because of the risk of histoplasmosis, which is very real. I do like bat guano, I'm convinced it produces some of the tastiest buds, but I only use it outside. Be careful with mixing soil too-the dust from perlite and rock dusts can be dangerous if you breath it in.
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