How to Make Homemade Fish Fertilizer (A Cheap Garden Hack)

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Today I share how to make fish fertilizer at home. Fish emulsion, or "fish fertilizer," is an organic plant fertilizer made from fish. Though it smells terrible at first, the smell settles down over time and it becomes a marvelous homemade fertilizer that costs very little. Just grab some fish or fish guts, and/or crabs, clams, or other dead sea animals, throw them in a trash can of water, add some molasses, then stir and cover for a few months. Solid gold! Since I had a bunch of nasty crabs, I threw them in - but you can do this with just fish and it works great.
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[@maryasdoss9234]

This is a perfect job to do when you’ve lost your sense of smell from covid 😃

[@preachersdayoff]

I was just burying fish scraps in the garden but I never thought of doing this. Thank you so much!

[@TheHappyPianoTeacher]

Came for the tutorial. Stayed for the comments. 10/10 haha. Will have to try this though. I'm all for free fertilizer.

[@zevsawyer7457]

Dunno if you guys gives a damn but if you are stoned like me atm then you can stream all the latest movies and series on instaflixxer. Been streaming with my girlfriend for the last few months xD

[@tommyben755]

@Zev Sawyer Definitely, I have been using instaflixxer for months myself =)

[@davidthegood]

Thank you for watching. Composting doesn't have to be a pain! Learn how to compost the easy way in my book Compost Everything: amzn.to/3zy4rYB Get my free composting booklet: www.thesurvivalgardener.com/simple-composting/ "Compost Your Enemies" T-shirts: www.aardvarktees.com/collections/vendors?q=The%20Survival%20Gardener

[@jillclark1744]

I will try this. I always plant my tomatoes on top of sardines and it works great. I had never heard of adding molasses to your homemade liquid fertilizer/compost. Have two 33 gallon trash cans brewing right now of weeds and vegetable scraps, smells awful but I am praying it works because my soil is dirt, hardpan dirt. First year I have planted here and part of it I am planting with a cover crop but I have to plant part for food. Love your videos and I am incorporating as many of your ideas as I can. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@mindydiaz9015]

I just went to my local co-op, I live in a VERY small town. Molases is 350 a ton...TON! I got 100 lbs of Molases for 20 bucks. It's called liquid feed farmers ig don't ask for small doses they thought I was crazy. But when I told them I was making fertilizer everyone wanted to know how. Apparently my local co op was getting fertilizer for 400 bucks a ton last year. This year it's 1400, everyone needs to just start making their own.

[@bbruce995]

This is the reason... KZbin SUSPICIOUS OBSERVERS AND THE 12 000 year cycle

[@jamestomlin5525]

You can go a step further and cut out the molasses all together. Put your fish waste into a five gallon bucket with a handful of leaf mold, fill with water and seal it off for some months and there you go

[@areeskinwar7274]

Where are you from? And would you sell me ?

[@ronevergrow8319]

​@@jamestomlin5525 not to many people know about leaf mold(1/4 and add water) , I make liquid bone meal with it, I put a little fulvic acid in it also (sometimes fish meal, carb meal blood meal, any meal, alfalfa seaweed soy-bean-meal/L-aminos etc etc, something I add sea water fresh from the source) .......

[@mindy779]

When we went fishing when I was a kid out on Tera Verdi (when there was just sand dunes 😉) My dad would not clean the fish until we got home. Then he would go out to the garden and dig in all the leftovers. His gardens were always healthy and happy. 👍 I hope you have your land soon. Looking forward to seeing the videos on it. 😃

[@davidthegood]

That is a great story, Melinda - thank you.

[@julialaw6471]

In Florida we use fish 🐟 and seaweed! Just bury them and the roses 🌹 and vegetables love it 😎 Never thought about adding molasses and putting in a bucket 🤔

[@CharlesBingham1]

My family couldn't possibly think I'm even more crazier than I currently am. I'm gonna have to give homemade fish fertilizer a try. ;) I just saw you had a new book, 'The Easy Way to Start a Home-Based Plant Nursery and Make Thousands in Your Spare Time'. I gotta check it out. I had a plant nursery for a while but I was marginally successful (it payed for it's self). I'd be happy to learn some tips.

[@davidthegood]

Yes - it's doing well on pre-order: amzn.to/2Le2MyK Thank you. Making the fish fertilizer is fun. It's like making evil soup.

[@darlenefleuriston5413]

@@davidthegood those are land crabs we eat them alot here in the bahamas; but before we do we keep them in a cage for atleast a week and feed them watermelon cabbage and other leafy or high water content plants it completely changes the taste and allows time for that 'black stuff inside' to be passed and replaced with more flavor inside.

[@daniell8843]

You were really on a roll in this video, David! I've never laughed so hard at your jokes :D

[@jasonfranko8143]

👏🏼

[@lambycorn5253]

you have a really stupid sense of humor then

[@lambycorn5253]

sorry that was uncalled for you laugh hard buddy

[@Blaculo]

Crustacean water aerobics, my favorite. Loving the FPJ and so are the plants.

[@thesawofsarcasm115]

Epic outro dude.

[@tomcollier4089]

my face hurts I laughed so much...more confessions of an organic farmer. great tip!

[@singhispraise365]

Growing up in Alaska I was very proud of my gutting and filleting skills!

[@jeil5676]

If I ever meet a woman who can gut fish I will marry her.

[@trevorallen2274]

Yesterday we had a great catch of freshwater fish. After filieting them, we had half a 5 gal bucket full of "waste ". I threw in a cup of molasses, filled it with water and snapped the lid on. Per my wife, I had to set it out in the woods lol. I'm now wondering if that tight lid might be a problem. Don't know how many psi a 5 gal bucket can hold and I'm glad I can see it from a safe distance. If it blows up when checking on it, I wonder if vomit is good for the soil. I'll let ya know

[@CustomGardenSolutions]

I'm going to have to try this. That's an awesome point about fish providing minerals to your plants. You should catch up to the guy with crabs on the road and tell him you have some soup for him 😎😎😎

[@allanturpin2023]

I believe there are some fish emulsion brands to avoid. Some research before purchase always a good idea. Not too many people speak vulture Big D. You are a true renaissance man.

[@FlyingBalcony]

I lost it when the cooked crabs started floating like rubber duckies.

[@davidthegood]

hehe

[@Sandra-rg8th]

Perfect video to wake up to before work. I'm going fishing this week. 🤪

[@jimgreenwood5360]

Got 3 fish frames, heads and guts from fisherman filleting their catch at the the local boat ramp. In a 20 liter screw top barrel added the fish, saw dust, sugar, and a handful of compost. Then filled with bore water. Will stir and add a bit if sugar once a week. Interested to see if the bones dissolve. Thanks to you again.

[@LB-vl3qn]

You're back! I've missed you. So glad to hear you talk about fish emulsion, since it's about the only fertilizer I ever use. Everything loves it, but it is kind of expensive. Thanks to you, I'll be making it soon. it should be plenty ready by the time Spring rolls around and it's time to start planting. Can't wait to read your new book! ~ Lisa

[@davidthegood]

Thank you, Lisa.

[@suehinson1629]

Smart man! Sharing the knowledge and knowledge is power! I give you thanks! Hope you guys are doing great, I miss seeing you regularly on the channel, but enjoy the times I do! Thanks again and God bless!

[@davidthegood]

We are very well. Been too busy to film lately.

[@markkristynichols845]

Just found your channel today and so excited to binge watch your videos! Not sure how I haven't seen before but happy you were the first result in my search for fish emulsion!-KRISTY

[@davidthegood]

Thank you, Kristy. Welcome.

[@GardenerEarthGuy]

I wait before heavy rain to apply anaerobic liquids, it helps mask the order.

[@NoNORADon911]

Wouldn't the rain wash it away?

[@amyjohnson7834]

Always informative and extremely enjoyable! Way to go Davy G👍🏻

[@candidaknowles570]

Hi David, in the Bahamas those crabs are a staple. We cook a mean pot of crab n rice with either steamed or fried fish. We even have a festival dedicated to those crabs. You don't know what you're missing.

[@davidthegood]

I would love to try them cooked well. These were awful. Black goo!

[@denizwilson887]

Great video quality Loving the new videos

[@beeneverywhereman]

I can somehow sense my wife getting angry at me for just thinking about this fish tea. She is not as open minded about smelly stuff lol.

[@richardhawkins2248]

You can do it in a fifty five gallon drum with a removable lid and then clamp it down and attach a line to one of the bungs with a fitting and then vent it through a mess of biochar. When it starts to stink again change the carbon and toss the carbon on the bottom of the compost heap.

[@schlaznger8049]

3...2....1...Duck the swing!!!

[@BoneyRasputin]

Simping ain’t easy but I guess YOU gotta do it.

[@russellkasprzyk4934]

I did the sun tea with weeds…haven’t made any friends lol

[@inigomontoya8943]

@@richardhawkins2248 lol bung

[@1N2themystic]

As a cook/amateur chef, I find those small crab make great seafood stock. After making stock, then I'll ad the spent shells in here with some local carp. If you have a pond, carp/goldfish multiply very quickly and grow as fast as you feed them.

[@evansullivanrichgels5531]

What ever happened to the crab shells. I doubt the shells fully decomposed in the water. Did you just throw them into one of your piles?

[@chrisdittmer5502]

Your making hydroslate...which is the cold processed version of fish emulsion. Hydroslate is better than emulsion. Great and basic video. Thx for sharing.

[@davidthegood]

You bet. Hydroslate SOUNDS cooler than "emulsion," too.

[@pamellaatayi9690]

This is hilarious! Thanks for the fun way you deliver this information on something that is really gross :-)

[@bethbalbon5340]

Thank you very much. This May be 2 years ago but I learned so much and excited for my vegetable plants and fruit trees.

[@eyegu777]

Lol you are hilarious. Great videos. I enjoy them so much! Thank you!

[@Power-of-three]

You are good! No pun intended. I am here now to learn more!!!!

[@timjohansen4089]

Korean natural farming uses seawater for some of the things they make. Do you think seawater could work with your fish fertilizer?

[@davidthegood]

Sure.

[@bigh650]

Merry Christmas and have a great New Year

[@davidthegood]

Merry Christmas!

[@Wardred101videos]

You had some bonus maggots in the bucket. Lucky you.

[@brendamatthews4435]

I just made a 55g drum of fish fertiliser this morning. Good to know it will last forever!

[@kimnenninger7226]

Great video.

[@erikjohnson9223]

In sewage treatment, anaerobic cycles are used for denitrification (converting nitrates and nitrites into gaseous, rather inert, N2). Except for leafy vegetables, this might be good since excessive nitrogen tends to inhibit flowering/fruiting, but it is a form of nutrient removal.

[@davidthegood]

Interesting. There is a lot of off-gassing in aerobic piles if you turn them - I wonder what the comparative finished nitrogen levels are in both methods?

[@erikjohnson9223]

@@davidthegood , Aerobic metabolism is essentially an enzymatic variant of combustion: organic matter + oxygen --> CO2 and water (N tends to be shunted to urea, uric acid, or ammonia {ammonia is the simple cleavage product if you rip the amino group off an amino acid} [all are useful for plants] by animals though I am not sure what microbes and fungi do; I think sulfur is often conserved [for amino acids etc] but some ends up in thiols/mercaptans which are a big reason farts stink, and some may well be fully oxidized to sulfates). The majority of off-gassing in an aerobic pile will be carbon dioxide & water vapor, though methanogens will probably take up residence in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions and make methane. In wastewater treatment, aerobic tanks are used to consume organic matter [ to reduce bulk and the "oxygen demand" of the effluent] and sometimes to heat up the sludge so that the pathogen load is reduced. Anaerobic conditions are used to denitrify, and "anoxic" (which in their jargon is anaerobic that is so sluggish and prolonged that the nitrates have also been consumed) tanks are considered favorable for precipitating phosphates though I forget why. Effluent that has lost its organic nutrient load, and also its nitrogen and phosphorus, is safer to return to the environment (from a eutrophication standpoint). (Given how rare P is among NPK, I sometimes wonder about using wastewater to mass produce duckweed as livestock fodder rather than simply trying to either off-gas or precipitate nutrients, but that's me.). Anyway, under anaerobic conditions, some faculative anaerobes/aerobes will continue to eke by at reduced growth rates by using glycolysis (splitting carbohydrates into either lactic acid like our muscles do when at oxygen deficit, or into alcohols like yeast does), but most obligate anaerobic heterotrophs get their energy by scrounging for alternative oxidizers to oxygen and using those to "burn" the organic materials around them. Denitrifying bacteria use nitrates (& sometimes nitrites and other oxidized nitrogen forms) as the oxidizers / electron acceptors. Since they get more energy from free N2 than reducing the nitrogen all the way to ammonia, they do that. However they might not be able to do much with fixed nitrogen in its biologically ubiquitous reduced organic forms (amine groups in amino acids...) except to leave the amino acids as they are and use the energy from "burning" other organic compounds with nitrate to "rearrange the Legos" (repolymerize the amino acids into protein forms useful to themselves). Sulfate reducing bacteria (& archaea) use sulfate (& similar) as the oxidizer, unfortunately producing the highly toxic water analogue, H2S (CS2 doesn't seem to be a common product, though it is analogous to CO2; maybe the sulfate is too rare?) as the reduced sulfur.. This is one of the greatest stenches and health hazards of anaerobic tanks. It is also a mildly corrosive acid, but metal sulfides are almost always insoluble so these anaerobes and their noxious product probably do stabilize (prevent leaching losses) many metal cation trace nutrients. Some sulfate reducers are coincidentally responsible for methyl mercury, so try to keep heavy metals out of anaerobic tanks (though I don't know if aerobic ones are really any better!). I think anaerobic loses nitrogen, but preserves organic "bulk" ( though the water used to create the anaerobic conditions will mask this and by the time organic nitrogen has been converted into nitrates is is likely to be leached away anyway). Potassium is almost invariably soluble but at least it won't leach out of a ~sealed anaerobic tank (unlike an aerobic pile), so anaerobic treatment postpones the leaching until the fertilizer is used. "Anoxic" anaerobic conditions will probably make phosphate less available to plants but more stable (compare soluble K2Hphosphate to insoluble bone char or fossilized-shark-teeth-I-mean-"phosphate-rock"); middling anaerobic might be equivalent to aerobic on this nutrient. Sea based wastes might be most valuable as sources of micronutrients. I will hazard a big fat "it depends" on those, but suspect anaerobic may be beneficial by 1. minimizing leaching during the fermentation/production process & 2. creating an insoluble metal sulfide black sludge that plants (or more likely, their symbiotic mycorrhizae) could slowly access as a trace mineral reserve. Most of all, critters are going to raid most aerobic compost piles to steal the seafood. They might still fertilize your garden with fermented-as-poop sea wastes, but you lose control that way. A closed tank keeps the fish emulsion available where you want it for the garden rather than in some random raccoon.

[@allanturpin2023]

Erik Johnson - any comment that ends with "raccoon" is cool by me. Joke. I'm a little rusty on the topic, but thank you for that information. From your two comments, I believe you're telling us that such an anaerobic mixture may not be a good source of nitrogen? Big D's containers aren't really air tight, so could that be a factor?

[@dert25]

"And your nieghbors may not like this" lmao

[@23mrwigglesby]

Bro I am 20seconds on and I love what I am seeing

[@Danfoodforest]

Thank you sir .. Awesome video .. will be trying this asap .. Thanks again .. I’m zone 9A

[@littlenugs9942]

And ty for the video. Love the idea of waste not want not!

[@vinnettepope8255]

Very interesting video

[@luzgiraldo2468]

Among those minerals in fish, there is also heavy metals such as lead, mercury and so on. They tend to be sequestered in the bones. Should I worry about this? Do the plants take up the heavy metals? Great video. I like simple techiques for gardening.

[@davidthegood]

Yes, heavy metals will stick around. The big carnivorous fish are usually much higher in the bad stuff, I have heard, so maybe avoid shark emulsion.

[@sueyoung2115]

Ever hear of Paul Stamets? He is a widely known mycologist (mushroom expert). He has done research work regarding the break down of oil spills and radio active pollution using certain types of mushroom. Heavy metals also can be sequestered with fungi! In fact, this occurrs in nature, without human interaction. Let the bones compost. Mother will take care of the rest.

[@davidthegood]

Yes. I have two of his books.

[@NorthernThaiGardenGuy]

My fertilizer hero! Right on bro!

[@BradGryphonn]

Fish Emulsion. mmmmm, my favourite!

[@Crazy_Garden_Lady]

Bought today 1kg Sardines and will try the fush tea out. I have bad soil. It's a clay pit with more stones than sand. I start to prepare my potato bed tomorrow. I bought compost because I don't have my own right now. Bought it from the local farmer store here. Hopefully it's ok. Wish me luck!

[@stuffplaces8424]

Omg was that u rapn? Too cool man!!! 😜

[@davidthegood]

Yep.

[@reginacarroll8149]

Thank you!

[@marcbrehaut9510]

Maybe you can reduce the smell by using a screen filled with coffee grounds just below the lid; coffee shops often give used grounds away for free, grounds are a wonderful odour absorber.

[@stephaniematheson4133]

🤣🤣😂 hilarious and good info!

[@michelesanchez6828]

I have and old can of sardines that i was going to throw out, now I'm using for my berries-) Thank you 😁

[@Chris_Richard]

I’d be concerned about the salt content in sardines that is used for preservation process.

[@Angel-td9yk]

"All meat is a good fertilizer for plants" *_Vegans and vegetarians have left the chat_*

[@An-yh2bl]

Plants actually farm us and when we die they absorb us 😂

[@granta3044]

And the bacteria using our bodies to get and digest food will eat us from the insides. The three times as many "non us" cells will cause our bodies to disappear along with the other microbes in the atmosphere and ground. The circle of life at its finest.

[@annabeejones5147]

A. H. 🧐😜interesting take on this!!!

[@vanessamccoy7890]

The entire planet is made up of things that have died and been consumed over and over. The plants we eat have been dry by the ‘dead’ on so many levels. Unavoidable Circle of Life.

[@808Kalaoa420]

We get fish meat and bone,ground and dried, from fisheries on neighboring islands. Add a little sul-po-mag, biochar, molasses, etc. Great stuff. .. USDA approved. Aloha

[@davidthegood]

Nice!

[@hawkspiritweaver6664]

HA HA HA... how to make an old guy laugh early in the morning...

[@sheliadean9548]

Thank you for sharing this information with us

[@janinepotts2583]

Lol you are awesome....so funny but thanks for video I learned a lot and now I want to try this for my indoor plants

[@davidthegood]

Excellent! Thank you, Janine.

[@carlyrich8241]

I love everything that's happening here. Subscribing RIGHT now. Ooh and you mentioned comfrey......oh man I have been wanting to use my comfrey for some noble pursuit like this.

[@ml.5377]

Question... Where I live. We have dried "espadines" from the lagoons at 4000masl. These tiny fish are super nutritious, I feed them to the dogs and chickens. Could I use that? Tbey are in season and cheap.

[@mindydiaz9015]

That vulture story 😂😂😂😂

[@stephennewman3480]

Hi I made a batch I drill some small holes on the lid but flies are layer maggots on have cover with plastic on top any tips on what I done

[@jimgreenwood5360]

It is bubbling and frothing and looks like it is going to leap out of the barrel. As bubbles rise it moves. I have created life!

[@muhammadismailcareertips3158]

good video

[@amberlynn6200]

I apologize for what ever feed back my cat gave you! I was watching and the 'brat' decided that I had watched enough.

[@denisebrewer4437]

Whenever I want to cheat on my diet, I'm watching this video

[@vinnettepope8255]

Lol 😆🤣😂😹😆🤣😂

[@jenniferjennifer8930]

The free composting book isn't showing, how can I get it please? Really like the video, I prefer the diy route for anything. There's so much more to learn and do. Thanks for sharing.

[@YasChosenChild_70]

I like your Style the best brother! Thank you 👍🙏❤️

[@caderbavahsiddicl6414]

Thank for this very educative and useful video brother...

[@lookintoit42069]

My Grandma was looking pretty sickly I don't think she's got much time left, think this process will work for her? Also what Veges will grow the best with Grandma emulsion?

[@davidthegood]

Nice. You win the creepy idea award for the week.

[@Dominucastro47]

Love the video man.

[@connie4762]

Thanks. I made some now I I am confident. I am using it today.

[@jordanstamps5475]

How does it change with fresh water first like perch bass and catfish

[@davidlatif7829]

I saw one recipe that included sawdust. Would their be any advantage to adding sawdust.

[@barnburner2475]

Great info and tutorial. Thank you.

[@andrewwolf2186]

"I know there is a seafood place around here" :)

[@tinawalker5335]

So I’ve had a big bag of fish guts for almost 6 months and didn’t know how to use them so thanks and I hope I don’t pass out when I open it

[@davidthegood]

Good luck, Tina!

[@justinwaddy4285]

Freestyle was nice fam

[@davidreitz5525]

Can I take a shortcut and just run the fish through a blender, with water, and then pour around plants? I’ve started doing this my kitchen scraps (egg shells, banana peals, coffee grounds, etc). It would be faster than letting a bucket sit for a few months. And I have a pile of fish a couple times a month.

[@cobaltblue8363]

Some people simply add a can of sardines on the bottom of the dugged out hole before they plant their crop.

[@davidthegood]

That will work, but it gets expensive.

[@RikuIshmaru]

What if you did this in, for ease of thinking, a five gallon bucket - but you put an airlock on it like you would for making your own beer and such? Would that yield a better product?

[@ronevergrow8319]

I make this fertilizer with my cannabis water leaves and stems it works well it's high in nitrogen I use it to feed my crops again

[@khalidjaii2]

Now I know what to do with my next Catch 😋

[@maxinehenderson7803]

Do you then pour it straight onto your vegetables after that month or two

[@debiaviles4207]

Hi From the blue ridge mts in Virginia I can’t even put birdseed out without black bears being all up in my stuff ... for sure thay would be here in a few minutes LOL... I could call at Tea for bears lol

[@bettylane6982]

Looks like land crabs to me! Good to see you, miss my daily DTG video.

[@davidthegood]

You got it.

[@subtropicalsteph]

I’m in Florida where we do a lot of fishing and scalloping (producing lots of squishy guts), so I will be trying this! I also keep bees, so I was wondering if I can use honey instead of molasses…? One less thing to buy.

[@JennySimon206]

Are crabs high in nitrogen? There are tons of dead crabs that wash up on the beach along with huge kelp I put thru the wood chipper. I don't have fish guts. I am sure I could find some at a restaurant... is kelp enough nitrogen? Oyster shells is another thing I have an endless supply of. Oh some people say to leave the lid cracked. The seaweed and water I put in a rubbermaid black tupperware with the yellow lid yesterday. It's a tight fitting lid. Should I crack it? How does it effect the bacteria? I am after a biochar charge recipe using what I have around me. Pacific Northwest coast.

[@wintermatherne2524]

Hi David. What about seafood scraps that have been boiled with cayenne pepper? Can they be used for fish emulsion? I'd hate to just throw them out.

[@davidthegood]

I would use it

[@wintermatherne2524]

@@davidthegood T.Y.

[@sero6020]

have a strange question does it have to be fish and crabs or can it be dead rats or dead squirrels or something

[@Invictum594]

at the end of video it sounded like you were saying we can just leave the solids in there in perpetuity? that's cool. wasn't looking forward to putting that in the garbage lol

[@davidthegood]

Yes - or you can just dump them around a plant or tree to rot down.

[@MrIgottap]

Any tips for keeping the local bear from swiping my fish tea barrel?

[@nizon8800]

can we just bury the fish leftover in the soil of potted plants? What happen to the crab shells? Did they breakdown?

[@rodneyjackson622]

Great video

[@bethmoore-love4223]

I live beside an irrigation ditch, which I pick up trash around pretty regularly. Someone caught a couple of catfish and put them in plastic bags and just left them there! So guess what I did? I think you already know...

[@mildredwilkins5781]

I sooooooo enjoyed you.

[@ourselfreliantlife]

Thanks for the tips, David. Yes, anaerobic decomposition isn't bad, just a little stinky.😆

[@casestyer1166]

According to a microbiologist, its very bad.

[@rory6089]

Anaerobic decay is harder on the environment than aerobic. When organic material breaks down in the presence of oxygen, the primary by-products are water, heat and carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2, of course, is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.

[@Beecozz7]

Always good!!! TY

[@nathanaelkitchen813]

Good rap!