Frass

Insect Frass is the excrement of herbivore insects (Insect Guano). In nature, plants and insects have depended on each others survival for millennia. In agriculture, barriers and pesticides deprive our plants of the benefits offered by insects. Insect Frass delivers these benefits, to the soil when pre-mixed or top-dressed, and directly to the plant when applied via foliar spray.

A natural polymer in Insect Frass called chitin (the exoskeleton of all insects) (pronounced “kite-in”) signals plants to protect themselves from an insect attack. Plants know that when insect chitin is present, predators are about to harm them, so a plants autoimmune system responds in many ways to protect it. Plants do have the ability to protect themselves, but there must be chitin present to stimulate the response.

Part of the chitin response is that a plants cardiovascular system dilates to increase translocation of nutrients and other compounds to aid in its protection. Nutrients travel more rapidly through the circulatory system to grow thicker stalks and stems. Increased turgor pressure pushes metabolites through the roots and leaves to suppress plant pathogens and diseases. Enzymes and alkaloids toxic to plant-eating insects are produced and circulated throughout the plant, so that when insects suck on plant juices, they ingest plant-produced poisons that destroy their digestive systems.

The result of this immune response is that plants become more vigorous from root zone to leaf tip, and are able to more fully express their phenotype.

Insect Frass is not an insecticide. Insect Frass causes the plant to produce its own defenses, which include insecticidal enzymes, alkaloids, and antifungal metabolites that aid in pathogen and disease resistance.

Insect Frass contains every macro- and micronutrient, with high levels of natural silicon, and very low levels of sodium and chloride. The nitrogen in Insect Frass is predominantly organic nitrogen (NH2). There is virtually no ammoniacal nitrogen (0.11%) or nitrate nitrogen (0.02%), which means Insect Frass can be used throughout the life of the plant-from starts to flowers- without concern for creating hermaphrodites.

Insect Frass contains potassium which is 100% soluble. Phosphorous is 50% soluble, with 50% waiting be chelated. Calcium-magnesium ratio is 1:4. pH is 5.9. Organic matter is 90%, carbon content is 42%, and carbon to nitrogen ratio is 11:1.

Insect Frass contains an inconceivable 6+ trillion colony-forming units per gram of every functional group of beneficial bacteria (heterotrophic, nitrifying, phosphorous solubilizers, and psuedomonads), cellulose degraders, chitin utilizers, fungal spores, amoebae, flagellates, and ciliates, as well as tens of thousands of plant-beneficial biological colonies and groups found in no other product.

Insect Frass contains the only plant-digestible form of chitin, which causes the plant to create the enzyme chitinase, a biopesticidal enzyme that breaks chitin down into nitrogen and chitosan, a biofungicide that kills powdery and downy mildew, early and late blight, and grey mold. Chitinase kills root-feeding nematodes and all plant-chewing insects. It also kills fungus gnats within 24 hours after a single top-dress application.

Applications

(For best results, use dechlorinated or R/O water in all instances)

Use Insect Frass as a soil amendment and or a foliar spray. Safe for aquaponic and hydroponic systems. Use in compost teas for vastly increased microbial diversity and fungal food. Insect Frass is not 100% soluble due to chitin content, so strain before using in sprayers. Using Insect Frass with mycorrhizae is highly recommended.

TRANSPLANTING – Add Frass and mycorrhizae to transplant site to accelerate root development

SOIL PRE-MIX – Add 1/2 cup per cubic foot (7 gallons) or 2.25 pounds per cubic yard of soil/media blend prior to planting (0.4% by volume)

TOP DRESS – Sprinkle over root zone and water in thoroughly

ROOT DRENCH – Add 1 Tsp to 1 Tbsp Insect Frass per gallon of water

FOLIAR FEED – Add 1 Tsp to 1 Tbsp per gallon of water, shake and let sit for 30-120 minutes, then apply. Its not 100% soluble, so strain before applying

COMPOST TEA – 1 cup Insect Frass per 50 gallons of tea – add dose at beginning of brew, and the other dose within the last hour of brew

HYDROPONICS – Top dress directly to any grow media (rockwool, coco, hydroton)

• Add 1 cup per 50 gallons of water (strain for drip systems)
• For best results, steep Insect Frass water for 24 hours before use
• Add directly to reservoir for ebb & flow or flood to drain systems

KILL ROOT-FEEDING NEMATODES, FUNGUS GNATS – Top dress over entire root zone and water in thoroughly

Nutrition

• Contains all macro- and micronutrients
• Extremely low heavy metals content
• Can be used as an organic nutrient base
• We recommend using as an additive to any existing program for its biological and chitin/chitosan benefits
• Organic nitrogen increases overall nutrient uptake and production of plant secondary metabolites (terpenoids, flavinoids, alkaloids, amino acids and enzymes)
• Very low sodium and chloride content
• Contains silicon & strontium
• 90% organic matter
• 42% carbon
• pH = 5.9
• C:N ratio = 11 : 1

Biology

• Tremendous diversity of bacteria, fungi and protozoa-high counts in every beneficial functional group available
• 6.6+ trillion total colony forming units per gram (cfu/gm)
• 100 billion fungi (cfu/gm)
• Microbes in the root zone immobilize added nutrients within their bodies, prevents nutrients leaching to waste
• Nitrifying bacteria convert ammoniacal nitrogen to nitrate nitrogen, for easier uptake and prevented atmospheric loss
• Microbes constantly exchange enzymatic nutrients for plant exudates, which relieves plant stress
• Microbes hold 5 times their weight in water, vastly improving moisture retention
• Fluorescent pseudomonads stimulate indole acetic acid production
• Protozoa feed on bacteria and release nutrients trapped within

Chitin & Chitosan

• Micronutrient chelator
• Fungal food, superior to fish hydrolysate
• Accelerates mycorrhizal growth
• Induces plants to produce secondary metabolites (terpenes, flavinoids, alkaloids, amino acids)
• Insect chitin far more available and bioactive to plants than calcified crustacean chitin
• Chitosan prevents powdery mildew, downy mildew, botrytis, early and late blight, and fungal diseases
• Kills root-feeding nematodes without harming beneficial nematodes
• Kills fungal pathogens in the rhizosphere that cause root rot and fusarium
• Kills fungus gnats and larvae for up to 30 days with a single top-dress application
• Whats in the package
• 100% pure Insect Frass