CMatt527

Hi all finally about ready to get my various banana plants in the ground and I'm debating on what to amend the soil with for the initial planting. I've heard plenty of good arguments on several different forms of fertilizer/manure/guano amendments to get bananas off to a good start but wanted your alls input. I've already got sites selected and dug up and have a large supply of fresh compost from my own compost pile to mix into the existing soil but wanted to see what you all thought would be the best between steer manure, chicken manure, or bat guano to mix in. All are readily available near by and the steer and chicken manure at least are quite cheap, bat guano on the other hand is quite expensive but I've been told that's what commercial growers in the area had used when they were still in business. Thanks much!

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sunfish

You surely do not need to spend money on bat poop.Maybe that's why thw commercial growers went out of business.

CMatt527

LOL Thanks Tony! Would you suggest or have you had any experience between chicken and steer manure? Both are readily available, aged and composted so I don't have to worry about burning the plants and super super cheap!

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sunfish

I think either one would work fine ,chicken being more potent


Manure Matters: How Manures Measure Up

Abnshrek

I think chicken works good. :^)

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crazy banana

My banana plants love the chicken manure. I do have horse manure available as well, but it sure adds some unwanted weeds = more work for me.

Illia

Chicken manure has more potassium in it, so I vote chicken. Plus another nice thing is that if you own chickens, it's easier to collect

CMatt527

Unfortunately don't keep any chickens currently although that's been an interesting idea to entertain lately, as our city just started allowing up to 6 chickens be kept as domestic animals inside city limits within the last year.

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crazy banana

Chickens are great!!!
I am actually thinking of starting an experiment with a banana pup by planting it on my chicken manure pile. No big deal if it fails as one of my banana mats has so many pups but if it works it would be really interesting: just plain chicken manure, maybe some pine shavings and a little sand mixed in (just the way it comes out of the coop or run),but awesome drainage. Most of it is aged very well.