Is Fish Fertilizer Good For Plants? Is Fish Emulsion A Complete Fertilizer? Soil Scientist Explains

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thanks for watching! I’ll post the article link for this tomorrow I just want to clean some stuff up in it. I’m in a wedding this weekend and I’m headed over too rehearsal! Have an awesome weekend!!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@unitycatalog]

Would using fish emulsion on citrus be a problem Viz a Viz mercury?

[@GardeningInCanada]

I don’t believe so no. It’s really hard to say because every fish and will should be different

[@unitycatalog]

@@GardeningInCanada Great, thanks much. We just saw your video and freaked out, because I gave it to all my citrus and mint. CHEERS 😁

[@GardeningInCanada]

Haha no don’t worry about it

[@thereissomecoolstuff]

If you could deliver on a large scale. Could fish imulsion work on wheat and corn style crops. Thank you

[@justinpillay8719]

Burry sardines guys. I grow all my fruit trees in containers. I buried a fish in one of the orange trees. The tree grew dark green and massive with large fruit. I went and bought a a whole box of sardines and buried in all containers. It's amazing it contains around 60 nuttients

[@frankytrevor7]

where you bought them? Thanks

[@Pruittville]

Really appreciated the soil science aspect here! My understanding is that technically emulsion goes through a heating process which further denatures proteins and a filtering to remove larger particles which would feed soil life. That’s in contrast to cold processed hydrolysate which is more like what you described. A couple tips if you ever choose to try it again would be 1) to try adding lactobacillus cultures to aid in the “fermentation” and 2) an airtight lid with a brewers airlock to keep the smell down. The airlock allows pressure release without letting flies lay eggs. Thanks for the info!!

[@GardeningInCanada]

I will try both of the above. Because that was a horrendous experience

[@3basketliving]

@@GardeningInCanada ....I would like to reinforce 'Cliffs' suggestion in using the Labs.... You will be AMAZED in the oder eating capabilities of those beneficial bacteria! Not in just this process but throughout your home and life. ;) Cheers!

[@philortiz7519]

Labs are fantastic for hydrolysate. Fantastic for soil and plants.

[@capsicumco]

Did not even see this comment. Nice one 👍🏻

[@stuartkuwalilameck4472]

@@GardeningInCanada 0

[@rulerofthelight]

I made my own fish emulsion this(and in previous years). It didn't smell bad at all. Fish bits, potatoes, banana peels in a bucket of water sitting open in the sun for 2 months. Definitely gave a boost to my plants.

[@GardeningInCanada]

maybe i have a weak stomach haha

[@rulerofthelight]

As a follow up thanks to your inspiration to do it again. I currently have a bucket of 3 day old salmon guts sitting in the yard and it starting to be noticeable from farm away. My goal is to build an emulsion that doesn't stink simalar to the last batch. As a side note the first batch, didn't have any aeration(except the occasional stir or dip of a cup for extracting) and was sitting in 2/3. sunlight. Allow had a few tense moments where I thought I should have died(or got incredibly sick) becuase I watered with it then did something dumb like eating a sandwich without washing my hands. I'll keep you posted on how it goes unless I end up dead from some nasty bacterial poisoning.

[@BangtaiL_WitcH]

@@rulerofthelight Guess that sandwich break was a bad choice then, RIP greenthumbguy 😞

[@rulerofthelight]

@@BangtaiL_WitcH I survived... I think what happened was the diversity my micro flora was increased to super human levels. Call me "Compost man" becuase there's nothing I can't consume in the proper aerobic environment.

[@kurtcurtis2730]

I have found my tribe

[@michaelmarchione3408]

Sorry for being long winded, but I just can't resist. My grand-father used to bury the fish offal and bones under his rose bushes. He said that the roses would get blood and bone nutrients over a long period of time. I did that when we planted tomatoes in our sandy soil many years ago. I buried it deep enough to keep the decay smell at bay so that unwanted critters wouldn't bother it. Those tomato roots would extend themselves way down deep. They would produce huge plants just loaded with fruit. More than usual. They were hybrid plants. That was all that was available at the time. One of my brother-in-laws didn't think it would make a difference. After we cleaned our catch at his house, he replanted 6 of his tomato plants. LOL! They grew 4 times the size of the rest of the plants. He would normally plant his whole front yard in tomatoes. He had the type of soil we all wanted here.They were loaded with fruit. Hahahaha...I won that bet and I made sure the topic came up every Spring lol. Have you ever tried doing that? Great informative video Ashley. That was a good topic. Thanks for the info! Take care!

[@GardeningInCanada]

I have seen people do this!

[@wildedibles819]

:) works great! Dont throw it in the trash its gold burried in the garden:)

[@spincitycycling]

The Natives have done it dmfor who knows how long!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ It works!

[@RovingPunster]

Historical note: From what ive read, the indigenous amerinds taught the early settlers who arrived here (in Eastern USA) how to fertilize food by burying small fish underneath at planting time ... esp in areas like where I live (long island is a 15kyr old terminal outwash morraine, so we tend to have just a few feet of decent soil atop a DEEP deposit of sand).

[@bengineering1.0]

Is fish emulsion the same as burying a fish?

[@JaelSupstar]

Thanks for the content. I started my fish emulsion a month ago, you’re not lying when you say… it’s not for the faint of heart. It reeks so bad but I’m told that in a few months the smell will change and get better, I’m keeping my fingers cross that this is true 😏

[@GardeningInCanada]

That is awesome!

[@yes350yes]

All good addition in my opinion. I use or add fish emulsion, liquid seaweed, but even more important in my mind is worm castings. I develop the latter myself and luckily make enough to share with bro and sis each planting season. I did a test on you tube yrs ago with my castings to see the difference. In 2 separate salvia flower pots. Used the same exact soil in both pots. In one pot I added only worm castings both watered equally. At the end of 2 months the difference was more than noticable. One plant was not only larger but the leaves themselves also a good larger . I wish could find the experiment , but it is what it is.

[@GardeningInCanada]

That is awesome

[@ellisjk1409]

That ian't enough testing to tell you anything. I grow two plants side by side every year and one is almost always bigger than the other. But you could be right accidentially. lol.

[@carlandrews5810]

Would like to see one of fish and seaweed emulsion vs hydrolyzed fish and seaweed. Some of the biggest pumpkins ever grown were grown with hydrolyzed fish and seaweed fertilizers.

[@Cookies-i2f]

I simmered fish caracas for a few hours stained and froze it, and used as required.

[@wojomojo]

You are incredibly knowledgable and it's great to have so much details. Having said that, I think the video can benefit from a more definitive, simpler conclusion for each segment that folks can easily absorb.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Glad it was helpful!

[@pauljones6353]

I make my own fish fertiliser and make lactobacillis (excuse the spelling) for the smell it works cheers from Nth Queensland Australia

[@gordonmcnaney1280]

I learn so much from you. You always show all sides of a subject. 😊

[@GardeningInCanada]

I appreciate that!

[@bobbymeyerti9300]

I only water my lawn and plants with pond water💐💐💐 it makes a big difference🥰🥰🥰

[@travelingva]

Thank you so much for posting this I have a koi pond and have been wondering if anyone knew if it would be healthy or not

[@f9qo]

As an avid vegetable gardener here in Japan, I much appreciate your video. Research always seems to be ongoing with regard to growing good vegetables. I have been using both fish emulsion and seaweed extract as a foliar spray this year. I'd be very interested in your thoughts on using fish emulsion as a foliar spray, and also as opposed to using it as a soil drench. Though I use it, I'm still not sold on the idea of fertilizer foliar sprays. Thank you.

[@GardeningInCanada]

definitely agree! always evolving and changing over time. for foliar you can just make sure to add a surfactant

[@BigWesLawns]

Cloudy day, or at night just before sunrise, but never in direct sun.

[@magicshopmumma2042]

I’m gardening in Australia but finding all your information useful to my needs

[@GardeningInCanada]

i am glad it is helpful! be sure too share :)

[@Jonathan-wo6kf]

Regarding hyper-accumulators, do you think I need to worry about mercury accumulation in amaranth specifically if I make my own fish emulsion with small forage fish I catch that are quite low in mercury to begin with? I would assume that the amount of mercury present in the fish being used to make the emulsion matters.

[@dong9514]

What do you think of burying the small fish when planting? At lower level than the plant so there might be some time release when the plant roots hit it?

[@canyoncrow11]

It works excellent the the yard is greener than ever in March .

[@GardeningInCanada]

Nice!

[@lessmigrantsmorewalls8392]

Hey Ashley, Were you talking about the Alaska Fish fertilizer when you mentioned the 5-1-1 which is an emulsion product? I like the Fish Fertilizer Rubicon Fish Fertilizer which is also Ecocert certified and is sold at Canadian Tire and I was digging pretty deep into the product and found out that this product is indeed an hydrolysate fish fertilize and not an emulsion. It would make sense for enzymatically digested fish being more beneficial to the plants considering there is amino acids in the hydrolysate since its basically pure liquid fish fertilizer as compared to an emulsion where the fat and oil is burned off and the protein removed leaving a depleted product? What are your opinions on this? Love your videos!

[@mitseraffej5812]

I do lots of ocean fishing and the scraps go into a drum that has a stained outlet that feeds into the garden irrigation tanks. Gets a little smelly but seems to work and don’t use any bought fertiliser. Every so often the fish drum solids are dug into a fellow area of the garden.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Nice!

[@soldanovht]

I heard that the people who make the fish fertilizer used to be employes at a sewer plant. they went to see if they could get their old jobs back. In other words they said it made the sewer smell like a flower shop compared to that stuff.

[@barbaramix1683]

I have not made my own fish emulsion. I do buy fish emulsion to fertilize my plants and trees. I just wanted to learn more about it.

[@philortiz7519]

2 parts brown sugar 2 parts fish. Equal amounts by weight. The finer you grind your fish the faster it breaks down. Use labs ( lactobacillus) in your mixture. Mix well and cover with a tight lid. Burp it stir it mix it daily for 10 to 15 days. After 3 to 4 weeks it's good to go. Strain off juice and add brown sugar to solids that's leftover. Jadam will tell you fermentation is same as putrification. It's true. I use both. Use putrification in winter twice on prepping beds. Fermentation, hydrolysate, in spring grow cycle. Both are excellent.

[@GardeningInCanada]

great suggestion

[@ellisjk1409]

Why 2 parts of each instead of one? Or why not 3 parts each? I don't understand.

[@philortiz7519]

Equal parts each. I do 2 lbs fish 2 lbs brown sugar. I guess you could add more brown sugar. But equal parts works for the fermentation you need to make it.

[@paulhauchon2265]

KNF works so well !!!!

[@katrinagarland5219]

Glad I found your channel. You are SUPER smart and I learned a lot. Thanks!

[@wildheart5086]

I put banana skins in a five gallon bucket with lid. It sits outside. Very dark, smelly thing. But I will be diluting it in water to add to my garden as plants begin setting flowers and fruits.

[@GardeningInCanada]

nice

[@aknaj89]

Ashley, your videos are aleays so informative and the amount of facts etc . Brings happines to my brain:D

[@GardeningInCanada]

Ahaha awe ❤️❤️

[@kolebronson24]

I made my fish hydrolisate few years ago out of about two 3-4 pound fish. That's well within the monthly guidelines on fish consumption in my area. So that safe monthly amount is stretched out over 2-3 years of fertilization. I'm not ganna worry to much about it. More molasis or brown sugar will help with that smell. Once its ready to use, it should have a swampy or muddy smell to it, definitly shouldn't be pungent.

[@NolimitErik1466]

I do not detest anything that you are saying about fish emulsion, but i know for a fact that i am an avid fisherman and i take may fish heads, guts and carcasses and put them in my compost pile it is gone in 2 to 3 weeks, but what I do not realize is the difference between fish emulsion and fish hydrolyze can you please elaborate on this and the values of using the two. I really appreciate your views. I really would like to follow your work and channel. Thank you for your time and consideration.

[@shelleenoberender5843]

good vidio, i would like to see how your fish tank is set up and thanks

[@GardeningInCanada]

Oh those are pond fish so they are back outside. They don’t stay in there long one a months or two

[@littlenugs9942]

fantastic results using the knf method of fermentation for FAA aka: fish amino acids. 1-1 organic brown sugar to fish, 1 cup leaf mold soil, or imo 3-4. place in a warm area with a tight seal for 1yr. can skim off of it after 3months. no odor at all! good luck

[@francismeowgannou5322]

I collected some seaweed from the beach and left it in a tote. The rain got in the tote and after a few weeks I had liquid seaweed fertilizer! The plants seem to like it and I don't eat the veggies for at least 3 days after using it. I might go fishing for some herring, shiners and ice fish for smelt to make my own fish emulsion! I figure if you use fish that are lower on the food chain, the smaller the risk of mercury build up would be. I might try to add some rice and juices from fermented foods we make at home to lacto ferment the fish in a sealed bucket.

[@lindam9018]

Good ideas, especially the free seaweed! Can I ask what the difference would be if you did not wait 3 days before consuming your produce? Is it taste, or waiting for the plants to utilize the fertilizer?

[@francismeowgannou5322]

@@lindam9018 I'm just worried that the anaerobic bacteria on the leaves of salad crops. Since I don't aerate the seaweed bin. I don't actually know this is true but I figured if they get watered on the leaves and stay at an aerobic environment the anaerobic bacteria will eventually die off. I've never gotten sick off of eating the leaves yet so it works for me.

[@lindam9018]

@@francismeowgannou5322 Is that then something that can't be removed by washing your produce?

[@francismeowgannou5322]

@@lindam9018 not sure. You could probably get most of it off. Last thing I'd want to do is make someone or myself sick from my hard work. I'm just sticking to the safer side. The liquid seaweed kinda smells bad too. I wouldn't want to eat it until things aired out a bit.

[@lindam9018]

@@francismeowgannou5322 Always better to err on the side of caution! Thank you.

[@AtomicSpaceman]

I'm so glad I saw this. I just discovered this stuff and mercury was not on my radar!

[@GardeningInCanada]

❤❤❤

[@capsicumco]

Thanks very much for the in depth explanation. I'm enjoying your videos. Have you used Fish hydrolysate before? Fish emulsion is more heat based extracted fertiliser and hydrolysate is cold, microbe and bacteria broken down fertiliser and has higher macro and micro nutrients ratio. I look forward to watching more. Thanks for the great content.

[@GardeningInCanada]

I havent no! I should give it a shot

[@capsicumco]

@@GardeningInCanada will be worth it I reckon

[@KoolAide187]

I actually watched a guy make a LAB (Lactobacillus) bacteria and add a good amount onto his fish emulsion then instead of aerating. He drilled a hole for a tube to exhaust into water which cuts down on a lot of the smell and allows it to degas while sealed. The Lactobacillus bacteria is known for being the one you smell on decomposing corpses from what I understand but it also is what gets rid of the smell once it's done. After 2 months his fish was basically all liquid. It was kinda neat. Maybe an idea for next year.

[@nic.h]

Sounds like the Garden like a Viking Fish Hydrosylate video

[@unknown-ql1fk]

Less messy method, just bury the fish pieces about 12-16 inches deep and plant directly over them. I direct bury kitchen waste, including bones and small lean meat scraps in the garden and never have issue. Been doing so for 15yrs in upstate NY

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thanks for sharing

[@ganbinocanfly]

I haven't finished watching the video but there is a very large distinction between fish emulsion and fish hydrolysate. Fish emulsion is broken down first with enzymes but after that is cooked. The cooking raises the levels of nitrogen and basically removes all of the oils to be sold as fish oil. Hydrolysate is broken down with enzymes and everything is left in tact. Hydrolysate has an n-p-k of around 2-3-0, and it has nothing to do with water as most use something like LAB to breakdown the fish, combined with a sugar source like blackstrap molasses. You did not make fish emulsion, you in fact didn't even ferment it. Fermentation only happens in anaerobic environments. If you would have used LAB and no water, it would have fermented in about 2-3 weeks, and would at worst smell like weak fish oil. Culturing LAB via rice wash and milk, and adding it to the mixture will ensure that LAB takes over and is the only real organism in the ferment. You never make any sort of thing like this in an "aerobic" environment.

[@GardeningInCanada]

interesting good to know!

[@fshoji1527]

i made a ghetto fert, using blended sardines/fish bones from leftover dinner, combined with blended aloe meat (cut most of the green leaves off) with diluted rain water. just used it today so i have to wait to see how the plants react. how do you rate this process? im planning on putting them into ice cube trays and freezing it for better storage and less smell during storage. im planning on putting a lot more water so the liquid doesnt smell as much, for indoor plant watering, might add a natural oil like rosemary for the smell if it becomes a factor.

[@tedblackburn8679]

Hi , i'm growing tomatoes in pro-mix and i keep getting end blossom rot. I bought fish emulsion to fix it and it did for a while but now it's back. I set the ph of my water at 5.8 but still get it? Maybe i'm not using enough at half strength? Or my ph pen is broken? I use a chicken shit fertilizer and the fish plus a seaweed fertilizer , still it rots? I'm about to spray them with tums to see if that works? It's driving me crazy!!! My peppers seem fine? Help.

[@GardeningInCanada]

have you tried using lime?

[@tedblackburn8679]

​@@GardeningInCanada no , but i plan on using it next year. I used 1 tums antacid with some milk and a little peroxide mixed with water at 2 parts milk for 3 parts water in a 1L container. I also added a tablespoon of baking soda {because i have a little "powdery mildew" too} , for 2 days now , with a sprayer. It got rid of both problems like a miracle. The plants look healthy again. All the flowers (the ones not dead) have turned a bright yellow again so i'm pretty sure its working. The mildew is also completely gone. It's my first time growing anything that's not "psychoactive" in containers. Next year , if i'm still on this earth , it will be completely different. I think it was happening because the plants suck so much water , the pots dry out sometimes and it locks the calcium in the dry soil. So i'm going to try to water a little more often. They drink like 20 gallons a day already , i guess they need more. My balcony is a literal jungle. The neighbors look jealous. Thanks. I enjoy watching your channel.☺ Have a nice day.

[@ienekevanhouten4559]

Great video. You, dear lady, are replacing the great Charles Dowding as my go to garden channel. I love the science approach. I have avoided fish emulsion based on Great Lakes fish for that very reason!

[@kadripress1]

I'm making FAA (fish amino acid) and it smells like fish oil, no foul smells. I do not aerate. I made mine with equal parts demerara sugar and fish parts.

[@GardeningInCanada]

based off what folks are saying im thinking the aeration may have been the issue

[@RogerArm231]

Thanks!

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thank you!

[@wildedibles819]

I have been burrying it But i have started boiling the fish awfuls to mix with chickens grain Then giving it to them on the ground to clean up They love it! This is on deep bedding we plan on composting and adding to the gardens But what if i took some of that boiled water and fed the plants with that? I could add molasses too thats always a good one and it beefs up the sulfur too ;)

[@GardeningInCanada]

thats a great idea!

[@wildedibles819]

@@GardeningInCanada cool my brassicas could use a boost Ive been giving them coffee but they just need a little extra ya know

[@AlvinMcManus]

Fascinating! Truly nerd worthy, but with real-world application. (Best listened to at 1.75 speed.)

[@jayfung4290]

Ash, Can you look into using aquarium water to water plants, is it beneficial, does it contain microbe and any forms of fungi etc. How does it compare to micronutrients in compost tea's and to compost itself. Thanks

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yes! Use it! It works wonderfully

[@junidhaniff6360]

Amazing infos...out of the box question can I mix vinegar with LAB for foliar spray

[@GardeningInCanada]

sure why not. but your likely to harm the colonies

[@junidhaniff6360]

@@GardeningInCanada thanks

[@daynamichelle4657]

Thank you! The part about plants accumulating the mercury is really important info. I know that fish aquarium water is not fish emulsion, but would that be safe to use aquarium water in a garden bed or vegetables grown in containers? Is there a chance of salmonella etc?

[@GardeningInCanada]

Glad it was helpful!

[@krisyallowega5487]

Thumbs up to your fish emulsion test. I never had the chance to enjoy fishing, I think I can count on one hand the number of times I was left out of the event. Oh, the perils of being the youngest in the family. I love the pics you shared with us, there is something about being in the calm of fishing. I have had an argument with my City Councilor over the years on remediation. In parts of the City there are still ditches with Bulrushes and each Fall the City chops them all down then uses it as "biofuel." Yes, yes as an alternative fuel it is great, BUT, being that we are in one of the largest watersheds on the globe, I believe we should be careful in what we process. Point being, these plants are "designed" to filter toxins and store them in their ligneous fibers. Then if composted properly, these toxins are bound even more getting them further away from being consumed. BUT, I am lay in my education and just go by what I have researched on my own.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thats really interesting! good on you

[@chesterhobbs7244]

As always, a most informative, enjoyable, and insightful video.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@dong9514]

Could anyone comment on adding fish when planting? Kind of like the native method of burying a fish when planting corn.

[@GardeningInCanada]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3WbiqaVgZeFbcU didn’t do much for me. Other then entice my dogs to dig 😂

[@dong9514]

thank you for reply

[@dong9514]

@@GardeningInCanada I just watched a video using fish heads and he planted right on top the fish. I dug down six inches below the plant so the roots couldn't acess it until later when it's flowering. I'm just using sardines so I never had animal problems. I guess what I wanted to know was if this was a good way to get a time released fertilzer in fruit stage. Anyway thank you for the reply.

[@michaelc2509]

Would you comment on lawn/hayfield fish emulsion application. We have a clay/loam soil with 20 cadence.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Oh interesting! Are you using it as your main fertilizer?

[@michaelc2509]

@@GardeningInCanada Trying it out. The amount is the trick. Will see.

[@GauravPKrishnayere]

Amazing information! 🙏 Some guy injected some 50ml injections into my coconut palms claiming that the tree will give more coconuts. I am very concerned if the tree has sucked in poison. If yes then what do I do with the coconuts. Let's say I discard them, how many months I should avoid using the coconuts? Some people told me 3 months the plant can hold the toxicity. Can you advise ? There are infloreosence which are developing, should I discard the coconuts which will come from those as well ? Thanks a lot for your help

[@GardeningInCanada]

That’s sounds crazy. I don’t even know what the purpose of that would be

[@ThahnG413]

What did he inject?

[@ThahnG413]

I did some research he either injected micronutrients into the tree to help it produce more or he injected potassium phosphite which is used to rid palm trees of disease.

[@dennisseeker36]

ok no answer so doing a bit or reading-- as my focus is to make my own fertilizer for use on garden as well as farm size crop fields ( corn- to be to fed livestock ) as as fish fertilizer seems a good way to make a low cost fertilizer here we go. some random thoughts on the mercury thing. one a small fish has less mercury in it. as i have been considering either small fish farm or aquaponics. ( we get water from a neighbors well i am not sure yet if any mercury in the water.) reverse osmosis removes most mercury from water. small fast growing fish could have small amount of mercury then if raised in aquaponics with clean or R.O. water in theory. an added bonus would be that it would be easier and faster to process small whole fish into fertilizer ( have blender will blend) speeding the whole process up a bit one question i have - the processing method i see some use phosphoric acid , does that have any bad effect on the final produce and use in garden ? i see some use pineapple how about that? also some have said use only one type of fish due to increase chance of disease?? is there anything to that ? thanks so much for the video and bringing up the mercury question-- something i never thought of and other video makers do not talk about. even those showing their method of making fish fertilizer, i think many do not know or consider this question

[@lauram.511]

Thank you so much for this info about the drawback of mercury in fish emulsion!

[@AmzBackyardOrchardandVineyard]

Greetings from Arizona growing zone 9b! Thanks for the information and great tips!

[@GardeningInCanada]

hello! ❤

[@marct7905]

One guy said get leaf mold from the biggest tree in the forest and add that to your fish emulsion, and use a one way valve in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid that has an o ring.

[@garthwunsch]

It stunk so bad because you added sugar and that’s a no no in making fish hydrolysate or fish fertilizer. Also adding air negates the fermenting process and the creation of beneficial anaerobes. You need a sealed barrel with a fermenting air lock on it. You can also add about 4 L forest floor litter ( the dark fungal/mycelial rich layer) to a 45 gallon drum of fish And water to help mitigate the odors. KZbin Garden Like a Viking has excellent videos on this process.

[@fantasyrosa]

I’ve used whole fish in my half wine barrels when planting young citrus trees and it does wonders for them. To me it’s a good fertilizer, but the mercury issue is there.

[@GardeningInCanada]

That’s really cool I like how it works for citrus!

[@keansalzer8364]

Don't see the link you teased in your opening of the fish emulsion you use. Would have liked to hear a couple of alternatives to fish emulsion if the mercury presents a real problem.

[@GardeningInCanada]

sorry about that sleeping on the job! geni.us/5BADQoz I really like these muskie products

[@cornholius]

I like fish emulsion, but really hate dealing with it. If I get any on my hands, that smell stays with me for days. I still like using it in my regiment for heavy feeders, but not exclusively. It's also good in foliar applications, but for the love of all that is holy- don't use a fogger. Another great fish fertilizer is fish hydrolysate(aka fish protein). It's one of the best organic options for high levels of water soluble nitrogen. My favorite foliar product in conjunction with potassium(kelp), Mg, and humic acid.

[@janericvelure6883]

i belive formic acid is used on fishfarms, when dead fish is grinded up and stored, for colecting, using to littel may make it "boil\cock over" the stuff gets hot and a break down prosses is starting,i gess. but enuf formic acid makes it into a grey mass when grinded(not rely smelly either)and its stabil for other use, like creams used for skin aplayens....ore omega 3 in different products. in norway we used formic acid when storing grass, we put a lair of grass in the silo, and sprayd the lair with thined out formic acid, and then compress the lairs so its littel ore no oksygen(i think..) newer became a expert:)

[@rickandhews2690]

If making your own and you want to negate the mercury problem just use small fish low on the food chain they have far less present in there bodies. The large predatory fish get build ups of it from eating large amounts of smaller fish. That is why tuna is so high in mercury, they are huge, old predatory fish.

[@pungencyandhungry3442]

Awesome! Thanks! I wonder if the fish scales are included, does it breakdown enough that calcium from scales are available to the plants?

[@GardeningInCanada]

i did leave them on!

[@pungencyandhungry3442]

@@GardeningInCanada great. But are the calcium in the scales get to be absorbed by the plants?

[@GardeningInCanada]

I mean eventually they will but I wouldn’t know how much or at what point. There is no study to confirm or deny that point

[@pungencyandhungry3442]

@@GardeningInCanada thanks

[@GardeningInCanada]

No problem ❤️

[@EssayonsFG]

Really great information and clarified some issues for us.

[@harrykersey5151]

I want to use it to provide some of the manure nitrogen aspect to help diversify and heat up my compost as barnyard manures are not always available where I'm at .

[@benprum265]

Thank you for all your videos.

[@GardeningInCanada]

My pleasure!

[@dinindualwis2217]

hi i'm a grower of cinnamon in Sri Lanka. I'm thankful if you could tell me if fish emulsion is suitable for cinnamon cultivation as a soil scientist. When we use fertilizer the proportions are 2:1:1 Urea, rock phosphate, Muriate of potash. Also from time to time we use Dolomite to balance the PH and even though Dolomite is rich in calcium and magnesium i'm not sure it's useful to the plant. Estate is 32m above sea level, soil is clayish and avg rain fall of the area is 4000mm and avg temp is 23.3C all year (tropics no winter). Thanks in advance

[@GardeningInCanada]

that is awesome!

[@damienomeara2612]

I simply add fresh fish heads, whole fish with fillets removed. Basically fish waste from the co-op. In 20L bucket with a sealing lid. 10kg of fish to 10kg brown sugar mixed together. Add 2kg brown sugar on top of the 20kg mixture. Pat it down this turns into a crust. Basically this is the equivalent of fish jam. No nasty smells and no further processing. Lasts like jam on the shelf. Use after 1 month or keep it indefinitely.

[@dreamlovermimi9458]

Is it true that mixing water with vitamin C tablets gets rid of hard water ( softens water) and is healthier for plants? Or mixing water and citrus juice?

[@GardeningInCanada]

That i actually have no idea!

[@dreamlovermimi9458]

@@GardeningInCanada check out this video ! kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2PJn3eZh550o80

[@michaelnorris1445]

I've only been able to find one lawn fertilizer with N-P-K-S-Fe on the package. I really hope they find a way to bring an organic option to the market.

[@GardeningInCanada]

I totally agree

[@penelopenature1862]

Besides fish what are good fall cover crops to plant for sandy loam soils in zone 4 USDA in a pine forest area? Trying to build soil without bringing in soil/compost from off-site sources. Thanks!

[@danielchapman6032]

I've wanted to make fish emulsion. But mostly I just throw my left over catfish bits into my compost pile. Cover it with grass clipping and only smells for a few days. I hear it is a good source of N

[@GardeningInCanada]

Nice! that sounds alot nicer

[@gs6810]

I saw a video where they made fish emulsion in a week by throwing pineapple chunks in the liquid with the fish and sugar. Pineapple contains an enzyme that breaks down proteins. Also if you need sugar and phosphoric acid why not just throw coca-cola in the mix? Gives you both. Here is the recipe I propose: Take the fish, coca cola, and pineapple and throw it in a blender so you have a fish slurry. Let it break down for a week in a bucket with an airtight lid. That's it. Done. I will be using American Shad for it. They are plentiful here this time of year. I once accidentally made fish emulsions by catching 20 lbs of anchovies and leaving them in a cooler filled with ice. I forgot about the cooler behind the garage. When I opened it up a year later and realized what I had done. I then poured the fish emulsions all over my garden and everything I grew that year was vibrant, hearty, and healthy!

[@GardeningInCanada]

Oh interesting! That’s so cool

[@Rocketman0407]

Spice up the fish emulsion with kelp for added pottasium good?

[@angelikaszabo1962]

In Australia, Self Sufficient Me, puts the fish in his raised bed and lets it decompose naturally. He buries it about 2 feet deep. If our raised beds are deep enough like his, would it be safe? I have seen him even put a dead chicken carcass in his raised bed too. I do believe they have similar weather as we do, just at opposite times of the year. What is your take on this?

[@philortiz7519]

Bury fish and it fertilizer just like g is. It works fine. I catch button shad by the bucket and put them in compost pile. Put them in mulched shredded leaves piles. I trench and put them in and cover. Fish is good in whole or as hydrolysate or emulsion. LABS make them better.. Compost tea with labs and fish are great. All of the former mixed into biochar is superb. Best part is u make all this at home except the.. But you can just bury the raw fish under your plants to great effect.

[@JanetUrsel]

Now you've made me curious. Would it be a good idea to add a little garden sulfur to potting soil as an amendment?

[@GardeningInCanada]

Yea absolutely! Especially is its elemental Sulphur it will help with powdery mildew

[@JanetUrsel]

@@GardeningInCanada Thank you!

[@charlotteblom1743]

Hi. Thanks for the info! I just got my first container of this. Thanks for talking about the mercury aspect. Would your homemade not also contain it? And do you not use it on your vegetables then, specifically the ones you named? What would recommend instead?

[@GardeningInCanada]

It would yes, but it’s going to be so low and as long as yours applying properly you will be fine.

[@t9358]

@@GardeningInCanada Is the mercury in both fresh water and salt water fish?

[@ellisjk1409]

@@t9358 yes but unless your entire diet is fish it's not a problem. Too much of anything is usually bad and just about everything causes cancer these days so what can you do? Don't worry about it, that's what.

[@nothingspecial8575]

Can i know, how fish emulsion increase the soil pH? can you help me explain it?

[@edwardponder66]

Giving it a crack at the moment as gifted dead salmon f boutique (resh water farm) when taking away veg oil from their resteraunt for converting to fuel. I have made organic teas previously successfully so far Salmon is been boken down with sugar and leaf litter plus lacto baccillius I am saving up for a barrel of mollasses but very surprised that the smell is not to bad at all ps the chickens are thrilled with this new arrangement as they get first dibs !

[@dreamlovermimi9458]

I have clay soil , mixing it with sand and Coco Peat, what is a good general PH to keep that soil? For best nutrient and plant growth?

[@GardeningInCanada]

6.5 if you are going for specifics

[@ThahnG413]

I have clay soil as well, I have found adding anything to soften the texture of the soil can be beneficial as it makes it harder for the soil to compact, the main thing you should add to your soil yearly is some form of organic matter for ideal results

[@renatosantana9308]

Can you make a video on seweed extract?

[@GardeningInCanada]

yea!

[@lilblackduc7312]

Wow! This video was a surprise. Pretty in-depth concerning how involved soil is. Thank you... 🇺🇸 😎👍☕

[@isabelleblain9657]

How does fish emulsion compare to phytoplancton fertilizer? Do they have comparable proprieties?

[@GardeningInCanada]

That's a good question and they do have some differences. most notable in nutrient concentrations. phytoplankton is very low in N-P-K

[@dennisseeker36]

thanks for posting this. wow sounds like you know your stuff. it sounds like you apply the mix to the soil.? so can you tell us about using it as a foliar fertilizer ? i am trying to grow a bit of field corn and looking for ways to cut fertilizer expense. also details about making it could i add yukult for bacteria to help boost the ferment ?

[@GardeningInCanada]

so if you want to do foliar you would need a surfactant. i did a video on this so i will attach that kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5Woi52PnMyWgs0&lc=Ugw_Bxw7zJ2lTF_2S354AaABAg

[@scottchila7284]

Is fish emulsion good for shrubs like boxwoods and hollys ?

[@WarGardensForVictory]

Great video and congrats on all the growth of the channel. Why do you think the fish em is toxic? I am making some right now and I put it in a closed container and burp the jar now and then. So far everything seems good, it smells but so does the stuff I buy from the store. If I was to add phos acid, how much would you recommend?

[@GardeningInCanada]

I believe its.a cup per five gallons. But you can’t really over do it

[@BvttFvcker3000]

we use leaf mold to break it down and an airlock

[@isabelleblain9657]

A topic suggestion for a future video - uses for rock phosphate. I found a large container of it my my shed and have no idea how to use it, or even if I should keep it.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Good suggestion

[@salmanfaruqui6071]

You are amazing, thanks for this video.

[@GardeningInCanada]

You are so welcome!

[@nigelmccomb8106]

I found it works really well on brassica

[@rhino1393]

I use agro thrive with great results . It uses a proseses that pre digests it above my head they have videos one is a 3-3-2 and one is a 3-3-5 with enhanced k

[@lindam9018]

This was a fun and interesting video, even though I have no intention ever to make that myself and am not too excited about buying any, either. My completely off-topic question is, can anyone tell me why we saw Ashley switch between image and mirror-image several times during the video? Are we watching video and then video of the video, or what is happening here, LOL.

[@GardeningInCanada]

haha just trying new stuff with editing to help retention

[@isitsustainable]

Stupid question: can you replace fish fertilizer with Vietnamese fish sauce (the one for food)? Just curious!

[@GardeningInCanada]

I wouldn't because the salt is potentially really high in the fish sauce.

[@isitsustainable]

@@GardeningInCanada thank you for replying! i just discovered your channel and i love it so much, binge watching everything :-)

[@ghaithandmom]

So helpful my friend ,like 2

[@GardeningInCanada]

woohoo

[@hasenafarms6448]

Your comments regarding FE “increasing” ph I find interesting. I watered a heavy dose into one of my beds and it actually lowered the ph by almost half a point. So I started reading analysis of FE and Alaska FE is actually very acidic. But you’re saying it should raise ph?

[@GardeningInCanada]

it maybe what your base line is at vs. the average baseline. it comes down too the parent material of the area and unfortunately the worlds soil (parent material wise) can change in an instant.

[@KevinSmith-dq9tz]

Definately lowers ph. What is she talking about ?

[@roontunes]

Disappointed to hear you chicken out so easily on homemade fish emulsion 😊 I've been cultivating a big bucket of 'soup' for the last three years. Seaweed and fish scraps, nothing else and my roses and flowers are thriving and floriferous. Admittedly it is rank when I take the lid off, which is not a sealed lid, just a big floor tile, but then we have cattle over the garden fence and a tide on the shore a few fields away🤗. I'd be interested in your views on using seaweed this way. Thanks for postin and I do like to hear the science behind the practice as well

[@freshpro007]

Do my own as well but I use knf way of doing it.. no smell

[@GardeningInCanada]

i get sick trying even process the meat so its mostly me thats the issue

[@jesuschrist1501]

like the video, hoped for something similar like this existed a few years back as i was wondering how soil works as a layman. now that i'm kind of skilled somewhat its still nice to see a refresh and points to solidify some of the practical underlining of my gardens at work. however i'd like to say don't worry that much about mercury, it is definitely a worry as that name is pretty much a scare when it comes to health, but the consumption of fish and sushi is on the rise and the mercury and fish news is ~2007 news, its kind of old news. i wouldn't try to scare monger myself away from utilizing fish as a form of fertilizers any time soon. keep up the good vids!

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thanks so much!

[@milkweed7678]

Interesting!! How quick is the availability of the NPK compared to other organic fertilizers? Also is the 0-10-10 fish emulsion ok and how about it's availability? If you mix 5-1-1 with 0-10-10 you get a nice NPK analysis of 5-11-11. It sounds good but is it? Thank you!!!!

[@GardeningInCanada]

unfortunately fertilizers are not that simple. i wish it was! But its hard to say how much is avaliable

[@milkweed7678]

@@GardeningInCanada I guess the bottom line is synthetic fertilizer is more available early on especially nitrogen. Seems to me if I want good sweet corn I have to use urea until, if and when, the organic fert is built up enough.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Honestly a proper conventional to organic system switch should be gradual. So doing it your way is a good idea

[@PrairieNursery]

Mixing the two at 50-50 it would come out to be 2.5-5.5-5.5. That's if you had a 0-10-10 fertilizer available.

[@peony7967]

Loved this video.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Glad you enjoyed it! be sure to share with everyone you love :)

[@RovingPunster]

On the subject of mercury, not all fish are created equal. Short lived smaller fish, or fish that eat algae, all generally tend to have low to negligable mercury content. The real issue are fish species that eat other fish (i.e. predators), because the trace mercury in the prey they consume concentrates over time in their tissues, esp in the liver. The larger and older the predator, and higher up on the food chain it dwells, the higher the mercury toxicity of their flesh tends to be. For example, you should NEVER eat the liver of sharks, whales, polar bears, etc. BOTTOM LINE: in a fish emusion, the mercury content is largely determined by the types of fish that went into it. Small bait fish tend to be fine, but larger trash fish and/or factory ship trimmings are increasingly problematic. Cheers. 😊

[@mrittenb]

what are some alternatives to fish emulsion?

[@GardeningInCanada]

absolute equivalent there are none. But similar would be manure