Can bat guano be substituted for vermicast? And is one type of waste better than the other?
B.M., Austin Both are excellent organic fertilizers, and both should be used if you have them. Bat guano will be more powerful in the short term, but healthy biological activity in the soil will develop from either. Incidentally, liquid fish, or fish hydrolysate, is better than fish emulsion. Use it when making compost tea. What do you think about using a cedar-oil product to control insects in the lawn and garden? And what is your program for growing tomatoes? S.W., Sherman Cedar oil works well for controlling insects. The fragrance emitted by cedar mulch also is helpful. My tomato recommendations are in the library section of my Web site. (See Resources to obtain free instructions.) Are blue spruce needles OK to compost? I’ve heard that they may be too acidic. J.R., Amarillo The leaves of all trees are great in compost. I’ve heard people say the same thing about oak leaves. If it were true, forests would be in real trouble. A product called Superthrive has been recommended to me as a
