Llama Beans are the Best

Credit and Thanks to Robin Benton and her 4H students who assembled this informational paper.

From “High Desert Organic Gardening”

Llama manure is lower in organic matter content than manures of most other barnyard livestock (like cows, horses and sheep)--but it still has plenty to improve soil texture and water-holding capacity. This lower organic content allows llama manure to be spread directly onto plants without fear of 'burning' them. It is the decomposition of organic matter which produces the heat that can damage plant roots.

Compared to the other barnyard animals, the nitrogen and potassium content of llama droppings is comparatively high--an indication of good fertilizer value. (Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the major plant nutrients; they are the familiar N-P-K on fertilizer bags.) Phosphorus is relatively low--but it is low in most other livestock manure as well. Calcium and magnesium content is about average. Salinity is not too high but it is high enough that one should not apply llama poop directly onto seedlings or improperly mix it into the soil. Overall, llama manure is a great organic fertilizer. Of course, organic fertilizers are usually lower in nutrient content than synthetic fertilizers-so more needs to be applied to get the same amount of nutrients. For example, llama manure would be about 1.5-0.2-1.1 versus the 20-10-5 of synthetic fertilizer. Apply about 13 times as much llama manure to get the same amount of nitrogen.

Ref: Season 2001_HO_AMC References–  University of Idaho, Holm Research Center, Moscow, ID 83844 Sunset Western Garden Book – Sunset Publishing Corporation, Menlo Park, CA – 40th Anniversary Edition A Guide to Raising Llamas, Gale Birutta: Storey Publishing

How to use and store llama beans

Llama beans can be used directly in your garden without danger of burning plants. If the beans aren't kept moist they will harden and form a white crust taking longer to break down. A favorite way to store them is to moisten them (damp not dripping, like you do compost) and keep them well covered. During the first couple of days check and remoisten if needed (it will depend on how dry they are when you start this process). In something over a month the beans will break down and look like moist rich peat moss, ready to amend your garden. This allows you to have yours ready to go instead of having to wait during spring or fall planting preparation, when increased demand causes supply to be lower. Another option is to till the beans into your soil in the fall and they’ll be broken down into the soil with winter rains and snow, read for spring!