Home made 'Bat Mix' Recipe for garden dwellers.

[CavemanUK]

Hello everyone as the sun was out today I decided to mix up my own 'Bat Mix' for use this summer. Its totally non scientific and any advice would be appreciated, this is roughly how I have used bat guano over the years in the garden minus the perlite!. The end result seems good and im sure it will do well, although I repotted a poppy and after a good water it did not drain through as quick as i hoped (with a bed of broken pottery, stones etc at the bottom), im thinking something like coconut hair would be perfect to open up the soil a bit although ideally id like a free substitute! Any suggestions welcome!
Friends and family are doing lots of testing this summer with the guano and also Tom Hart Dyke at Lullingstone castle will be using it in the 'World Garden' for a broader study so hopefully I can refine a solid ready mix in the future. The best thing is a made this up myself this morning ( 400 litres minimum ) for a total of £35 and an hours hard labor. You could probably reduce on the costs if you shop around or choose different ingredients.
Longwinded Photo blog below, with captions.

The ingredients.

http://a613.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/27/l_9f3ced78c614790f42f6de3fe8bb5c64.jpg

3 x J Arthur Bowers 70 litre compost. £10

http://a498.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/92/l_4abebaf4434e445478d0053d6fb45129.jpg

Generous helping of mums home made compost, approx 120 litres

http://a389.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/33/l_6ebfe66a14b10ac665e236b23b43a474.jpg

Cavemans Fresh & Rock guano ready to be added.

http://a17.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/74/l_f1597f90d369b686acc48551f6b42418.jpg

Approx 3 kg of fresh Bat Guano. 20 kg £50

http://a231.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/29/l_6b4f2d94965ddf96f20959fd58ea36fe.jpg

2 - 3 kg Cavemans Rock Guano added. 20 kg £30

http://a280.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/83/l_540b2a4406853489b8f5fec253ed3cef.jpg

Old bonfire ashes.

http://a217.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/74/l_fd23d3f93d5e29b728fea822daf4c460.jpg

2 shovels of Ashes from the bonfire added to the mix

http://a486.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/80/l_f481a217e759238af302aca7e22dab9d.jpg

1 bag non toxic sand. £3.00

http://a77.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/47/l_35cf4ee4b7d60913d4b6d3ff2f2630b4.jpg

1 Kg Bone meal, found in shed.

http://a695.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/97/l_2c3df513eb60b513c33842bac729a0f6.jpg

40 litres perlite. £15 for 100 litres

http://a284.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/73/l_f934a3ef14e72c00eff39f97e7ddd42b.jpg

Turned and finished - slightly aching!.

http://a984.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/29/l_9a8391c94b09f9644c190c1b4618e9af.jpg

Spread out and drying for an hour before bagging

http://a39.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/66/l_e94c60700296fc7c269103a27d8e527e.jpg

This is the 'Bat Mix' packed back into the bags the ingredients came from, plus a full Miracle grow bag
(which will never be in my mums garden again!), bin liner and half a dustbin. Easily 400 litres.

http://a714.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/97/l_56cdee8df7d1223f6d5860e7bf129b91.jpg

My Costs:
j arther bowers 3 x 70 litre bag £10
bag of non toxic sand £3
Bone meal 1 kg £1.50
Bat guano - Fresh & Rock (based on purchase of a 20kg each)
3kg x fresh 3kg x rock £12.50
Perlite £8 (based on 100 litre bag @ £15)

Any questions or feedback much appreciated:), and I have 1 bag going spare if anyone wants to collect from Beckenham, Kent!.

[skunklover]

im thinking something like coconut hair would be perfect to open up the soil a bit although ideally id like a free substitute! Any suggestions welcome!

You know how old lad's hair is kind of thick and whispy.....you could try that. Offer your nan a free hair cut and bob's ya Marley!

Sorry, not very constructive for you, but I thought it was funny!

[CavemanUK]

You know how old lad's hair is kind of thick and whispy.....you could try that. Offer your nan a free hair cut and bob's ya Marley!

Sorry, not very constructive for you, but I thought it was funny!

How much for a bag of yours? Give my plants a sense of humour!

[skunklover]

Not got too much to spare, hairline starting to go backwards a bit these days!

Just noticed my typo too, (I meant old LADY'S hair - I was not referring to your nan as an "old lad"). I see you're a fellow Southeaster too mate!

[CavemanUK]

Not got too much to spare, hairline starting to go backwards a bit these days!

Just noticed my typo too, (I meant old LADY'S hair - I was not referring to your nan as an "old lad"). I see you're a fellow Southeaster too mate!


Lol i thought 'old lad' was her nickname ! Bromley Borough here!

[bubbs]

lol i bet you were knackerd after all that :jawdrop:

[CavemanUK]

I was mate! I needed the exercise though!.

[bubbs]

lol well.... my garden needs a look at ;D i dont mind helping you excersize :D

[CavemanUK]

lol well.... my garden needs a look at ;D i dont mind helping you excersize :D

Well how kind of you Bubbs can I count you in on my next session? We never say no to an extra pair of hands :deviltoker: :)

[bubbs]

well im good telling ppl what needs to be done, but you see im just a wee thing i dont have the strength in my tiny ickle arms ;) hehe well thats my excuse and im sticking to it ;)

[CavemanUK]

Im guessing it will be more the master slave relationship. I will think about it..Can you rake leaves? :beer:

[bubbs]

thats a bit strenuas not sure i can manage that, but i have great rolling skills ;0)

[organix]

spam??????:rolleye:

[CavemanUK]

spam??????:rolleye:

Give it up mate im sick to death off being cut off like im here desperately trying to sell my wears. I like to chat, I love gardening, Yes im enthusiastic about my product but im not a sleaze bag salesman. if you dont like my home made compost photo's then say so but as far as spam is concerned you can keep singing :guitar:

p.s is there even a link to my web site on the post?
Maybe i should change my user name to something different to confuse confused people like yourself.

[CavemanUK]

Rant over!

Feeling better:joint:

[Fruitcake]

Good to see some info on a mix! Ive been using the bat guano I got free and mixed 4 parts soil (general compost for pot plants) to one part perlite (trowel scoops) and a heaped tablespoon of guano!

Seems to be working out ok for me so far!

[organix]

** banned for 24 hrs for being so friggin obnoxious ... **

[WTL]

Organix, you need to chill the fuck out dude, thats 2 shitty comments I've seen from you today and I've not been about for a week or so. Like Caveman has said he's not posting links. so its not a problem.

[Midnight Toker]

What WTL said .... Caveman, were not all like that M8 .. dont take any notice of it, Organix is on a 24hr cooling off period ;)

[skunklover]

Loving your edited comments there MT - nice one!

[PTB]

I wonder what he said.. Organicbuds (As he was known as EDIT) was one of the most helpful people on the board....

I find it strange if hes being a bit shit...

[Midnight Toker]

Loving your edited comments there MT - nice one!

well lets not make too much of it ...

a little cooling off might make people think twice before getting abusive .. and i will edit my response to a "nicer version" at some point !.



I wonder what he said.. Organicbuds (As he was known as EDIT) was one of the most helpful people on the board....

I find it strange if hes being a bit shit...

well lets just say that he wasn't being particularly "nice" towards other members, i've had to edit 2 of his posts this morning & dont intend to make it 3 !.

[CavemanUK]

Well thanks for rushing to my defence !

[Midnight Toker]

well i see it more as a peacekeeping exercise than that M8, i dont like bad vibes ... Rules are rules no matter who you are or how long you've been a member.



Single warning Offenses!

2. Abuse of other forum members either on the forum/chat or using the pm system


But as i had to edit 2 posts in as many minutes from the same member i decided a cooling off ban was the order of the day.

Anyway nuff said on this subject i think .. everybody take one of these and have a great day !


http://www.thctalk.com/gallery/data/500/Chill-Pill.jpg
.

[Ragman]

lol, that will teach you :evil:


I'm a total twat & i've just been banned for 24 hrs for being so friggin obnoxious ...

[bubbs]

i love ur mix caveman, im coming to watch you work and roll the odd joint ;)

[CavemanUK]

i love ur mix caveman, im coming to watch you work and roll the odd joint ;)

Ok next sunny day I wil let you know. Pimms on me lol:barmy:
http://i.timeinc.net/recipes/i/recipes/su/07/08/pimms-cup-su-1646369-l.jpg

[Midnight Toker]

Fuck !!, if that's your pool in the background were all coming .. best grab a couple of dozen loungers next time yer out M8 !!

[CavemanUK]

Fuck !!, if that's your pool in the background were all coming .. best grab a couple of dozen loungers next time yer out M8 !!

Afraid not! Struggling for an allotment at the moment! Nice idea though!

[lkdj2003]

I've just manged to get in this thread now and boy im glad i did, a damn good thread CavemanUK. Have 5 stars mate. :greet:

[organix]

Sorry if I offended anyone but if you want to edit my comment then just edit it and leave it, if you got something to say to me say it. thanks.

[Midnight Toker]

Sorry if I offended anyone .

You did, and apology accepted ..


but if you want to edit my comment then just edit it and leave it,.

I did


if you got something to say to me say it. thanks.

The trouble is when someone did try to say something you got insulting ... ;)

So please dont try to make out like you were "the victim" .. But welcome back all the same.