Topic: Alpaca Manure

[phoenix_co2]

Just got myself a bag of Alpaca poop from a friend of mine who breeds them, she swears by the stuff, apparently high in nitrogen and can be used straight away, anyone else used it and got any comments on the stuff??

[saddad]

Well those two are contradictory... too much nitrogen, like neat chicken poo can burn plants. Having said that I've heard good things about Alpaca poo!! Lucky you.  ;D

[phoenix_co2]

I'll let you know how it goes, maybe put up some pics of my monster spuds when they've grown :)

[Jokerman]

sorry if I'm a bit thick... what is it?  :-\

[Eristic]

It's manure from an oversized woolly jumper not like that anemic creature in your avatar.  ;D

[phoenix_co2]

hahaha very good, bit like a lama

[Baccy Man]

Alpaca manure has a C/N ratio of 9:1 & a moisture content of 73% it does not have a strong odour.

Typical breakdown of Alpaca Manure:
Organic matter 70.8%
Nitrogen 1.49%
Phosphorus .23%
Potassium 1.6%
Calcium .91%
Magnesium .45%
Sodium .12%
Total Salts 2.54%

[Bjerreby]

Looks like you lot listened to last week's Gardeners Question Time ;D

One of the GQT boffins didn't know the difference between a lama and an alpaca, the others said that alpacas in the UK probably eat the same stuff as cows, sheep and goats, so why should alpaca poo be much different to goat poo?

By the way I read that human hair is nitrogen rich. Not that I am going to use it in my garden you understand, but I have a mate with a hairdressing shop. I thought maybe if I packaged some hair in green bags I could export it from Denmark to the UK allotment movement! "Organic Nordic Plant Nutrient".  :)

[zigzig]

I suppose if the animal is native to south America then it should follow that sweet corn and potatoes could benefit from it's dung.

May be even start growing coffee and chocolate trees too.

[woppa30]

Just because they eat the same things doesn't mean their manure is the same. Cows and sheep eat grass, very different manure due to their different digestive systems...
As for the human hair, it will rot down and, if you have chooks, the smell of humans can help keep Foxes away. watch HFW place some in old tights round his chicken coops once. Anything produced by a living thing, apart from bones and teeth, will eventually rot :-)

[saddad]

Having done some Archaeology, as a student years ago.... I assure you teeth and bones will decompose, eventually... and in some soils that can be a short as 50 years...  ::)

[Old bird]

How Posh!  I only use Alpaca Manure - swear by the stuff!!!!

Sounds great!  I wish they had a few round here!  They are such lovely looking animals with those huge beautiful eyes and eyelashes - even the boys look girly!

Old Bird

 ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Having done some Archaeology, as a student years ago.... I assure you teeth and bones will decompose, eventually... and in some soils that can be a short as 50 years...  ::)

Last year they dug up Cardinal Newman to move him to a tomb in his church down the road. They found brass bits from the coffin, but the Holy Bones had altogether disappeared since he was buried in 1890. Just as well in a way; they put him where he wanted to be, in the same grave as his boyfriend (tut, tut!) and despite the hoo-ha about his possible sainthood, he's still there!