Cannabis Chronicles

Miscellaneous Wastes / Manures

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1. Earthworm Castings – deserve an entire essay of their own . . . worms are nature’s wonder . . . because of their many contributions to soil building and soil health . . .

2. Cricket Castings – still learning – but with crickets being a common food for reptiles . . . there’s some promise here . . . probably a special niche for the herpetologists . . .

3. Aquarium Wastewater – we’re basically talking an “offshoot” of aquaponics here . . . we have some experience and it’s very promising and promise to write more as we put together a revised edition of this manual . ..

4. Zoo Manures – we’re told that Elephant poop is really “great shit”. . . and penguin poop is digested seafood goodies . . . undoubtedly rich in nutrients . . . as we learn more we’ll put it in the “next edition” . . .

Finding Manure

As we’ve stated, one of the best reasons to use manures in growing is the fact that society (as a whole) has a surplus of animal shit. The disposal or dispersal of animal wastes is a real problem for areas where large agricultural operations produce copious excesses of waste. Even Vegans who might avoid pure animal products like bone meal or blood meal, might do well to consider using manures in growing, because the use of manures is beneficial to our planet’s environment.

The best advice we can give for finding good sources of shit is to look around! We suggest you simply contact people who raise the various cows, horses, pigs or chickens that make this fertilizer. If you are lucky, they’ll probably let you take a load home for free. Stables are usually listed in the phone book, and state fairs and traveling circuses can also serve as great sources for free manure. For the hopelessly urban farmer, the local zoo may also offer free crap. As an added benefit, zoos can offer some pretty exotic shit, like crap from critters like lions and tigers and bears, (oh my!) Some folk claim that manure from predator species like these can help to deter garden pests, such as rabbits and deer.

If none of these manure sources are available, or if you just prefer your shit pre-packaged, just head off to the local nursery or home-and-garden center. Wal-Mart, Lowes, and Home Depot are all examples of large outlets which will carry packaged manure products, usually cow and steer crap. Often these are at least partially composted and come labeled as “humus and manure”. Nowadays, even many grocery stores carries manure products like humus and manure or mushroom compost. The budget conscious shopper can often wait until late in the season when stores are “closing out” such products before winter, to grab these items at increased discounts.

Garden centers or hydro shops are usually better sources for the more exotic ingredients like worm castings and the various bat and bird guanos. Ingredients for green manures can often be found in rural animal feed stores, or other similar agricultural supply center.