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

Fishing Emulsion is considered an organic fertilizer. It’s made popular by toting results in both foliage display, flowers and overall yields. Text Gardening Canada article takes a look at Fisher motion to figure out the pros and the cons of using it. We will be looking at how to make fish emulsion and also the fine line it walks when determining if it’s organic or not.
What is fish emulsion?
The first step in analyzing anything is understanding exactly what it is. Fish emulsion is The same as fish fertilizer. Any form of fish fertilizer that is liquid can be categorized under this term. The concentration of N-P-K may vary but that is due to the processing not the fertilizer name.
Is Fish Emulsion A Full Fertilizer?
Fish fertilizer is considered a full fertilizer when it comes to the basic nutrients N-P-K. In some cases the product can have some additives that increase the micronutrient concentration. However, when it comes to the basics, fish emulsion is able to cover the full spectrum.
#fishemulsion #fishfertilizer
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PLEASE SUBSCRIBE if you are wanting to know more on gardening in Canada & gardening in Colder Climates in general. My methods apply to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 1 - Zone 6. As a soil scientist I always try to incorporate science into my videos. Soil science can be over complicated so allow me to guide you.
Leave a comment and let me know where your are gardening. And let me know what videos you would like to see in the future!
Ashley is an agronomist who has had a passion for plants since she was a small child. In the long summers as a child, she would garden alongside her grandmother and it was then that she realized her love for greenery. With years of great studying, Ashley had begun her post-secondary education at the University of Saskatchewan.
At first, her second love, animals, was the career path she chose but while doing her undergrad she realized that her education would take her elsewhere. And with that, four years later she graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a bachelor’s degree in science and a major in Soil Science.
Some of Ashley’s interests are KZbin, in which she posts informative videos about plants and gardening. The focus of Ashley’s KZbin channel is to bring science to gardening in a way that is informative but also helpful to others learning to garden. She also talks about the importance of having your own garden and the joys of gardening indoors.
Intro 0:00
Full Fish Emulsion Scope 1:30
Is Fish Emulsion & Fish Fertilizer The Same Thing? 1:53
What Nutrients Are In Fish Emulsion? 2:21
Is Fish Fertilizer Fully Organic? 3:30
How Does Fish Emulsion Effect Soil Electric Conductivity? 4:30
What Does Fish Emulsion Do To The Soil Structure? 6:10
Does Fish Emulsion Change The Soil Ph? 7:34
Does Fish Emulsion Help Soil Microbes? 9:00
Is Mercury In Fish Emulsion Taken Up By Plants? 10:20
Plants The Hyper Accumulate Mercury 11:45
How I Made Fish Emulsion 13:30
#gardeningincanada #canadiangardener #soilscience

[@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!

[@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

[@katrinagarland5219]

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

[@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

[@lilblackduc7312]

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

[@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

[@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).

[@benbrown8588]

Is fish emulsion the same as burying a fish?

[@EssayonsFG]

Really great information and clarified some issues for us.

[@chesterhobbs7244]

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

[@GardeningInCanada]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@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 :)

[@aknaj89]

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

[@GardeningInCanada]

Ahaha awe ❤️❤️

[@AmzBackyardOrchardandVineyard]

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

[@GardeningInCanada]

hello! ❤

[@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!

[@benprum265]

Thank you for all your videos.

[@GardeningInCanada]

My pleasure!

[@peony7967]

Loved this video.

[@GardeningInCanada]

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

[@salmanfaruqui6071]

You are amazing, thanks for this video.

[@GardeningInCanada]

You are so welcome!

[@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.

[@AlvinMcManus]

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

[@libbylepage2323]

Thank you so much! This is so informative 😊

[@GardeningInCanada]

Anytime!

[@ghaithandmom]

So helpful my friend ,like 2

[@GardeningInCanada]

woohoo

[@PraxisPrepper]

Thx for this!

[@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.

[@shanlaf]

Many thanks for sharing ,like 11 and full watched

[@GardeningInCanada]

glad you enjoyed!

[@LizMartinez-ir5zz]

Very interesting thank you ☺️

[@GardeningInCanada]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@pauljones6353]

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

[@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.

[@-.Whiteness-.Witch-.]

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

[@rulerofthelight]

@@-.Whiteness-.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

[@miriambartley6622]

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

[@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

[@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

[@RogerArm231]

Thanks!

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thank you!

[@canyoncrow11]

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

[@GardeningInCanada]

Nice!

[@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!

[@77Dayanne]

Gracias!!! Love u videos

[@GardeningInCanada]

Thank you!

[@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!

[@corithefrugalflower]

Hey Ashley, spending this 🌞 Wednesday puttering in my yard while blowing thru yr content. 🤗👌👍 So I've never tried fish emulsion for 2 reasons: the other options were either cheaper or on sale and second, because other YT'rs mentioned how stinky it is so I opted to steer clear of it. 🤷‍♀️ But I wonder, could it have helped with the blossom end rot situation? (mentioned in a previous comment on a newer video I believe) 😉 i do worry about the mercury too, so much so that I stopped buying any seafood from the Pacific, period! 😌

[@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.

[@chuckkottke]

I love your candor and in-depth knowledge! Thanks for the tips on mercury, I'll use some other organic fertilizer on the tomatoes and pepper from now on, and it's good to know that fish emulsion is high in sulfur, as our glacial outwash soil is deficient in sulfur plus other trace minerals (but in excess of potassium and phosphorus because of years of applying 10-10-10 from the feed mill.). The place in Bonduel where I normally get my fish emulsion from now offers some type of hydrolyzed alfalfa meal, what are your thoughts on this as a fertilizer? 🌱

[@BigWesLawns]

Alfalfa meal has Tricontinol, a naturally occurring root growth hormone. Its great for root development in lawns with Kentucky Bluegrass and its a nice input for many things. A little expensive but, give it a go! Try to work the Alfalfa into the soil if you can.

[@AtomicSpaceman]

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

[@GardeningInCanada]

❤❤❤

[@zgoat4127]

Hey ashley awesome video , also just a thought how about KNF or Bokashi with the fish emulsion? Maybe it would be easier because you dont have to open it until its done I havnt done it but Ive been learning lately a little bit its super interesting stuff and I was just pondering it as I was laughing my but off when you were telling your experience. You think your up for trying it a different way? LMAO I appreciate you

[@GardeningInCanada]

I have looked into that method! and i may give that a shot. Im also the person that gags when i process any meat so its moreso me.

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@lauram.511]

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

[@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

[@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!

[@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

[@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!

[@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

[@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

[@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. 😊

[@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

[@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.

[@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 !!!!

[@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.

[@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!

[@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:)

[@nigelmccomb8106]

I found it works really well on brassica

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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 .

[@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.

[@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

[@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

[@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

[@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

[@Rocketman0407]

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

[@kurtcurtis2730]

Omg you made Your own! That’s the most Science nerdy thing I’ve heard in a long time! I started dying with laughter when you said you regretted not having a top on it L O L you are too much! I’m dying with laughter because it’s exactly the kind of thing I would try too!!! I would even probably be making it in my kitchen to keep a good eye on it! I tried raising worms in my kitchen because it was warm. I decided I needed to purée their food. Needless to say I no longer have a blender

[@kurtcurtis2730]

Please don’t be insulted I called you a science nerd. It’s intended as the highest praise

[@kurtcurtis2730]

I watched this twice - it wasn’t lack of a cover but lack of O2 you said. My bad

[@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 !

[@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

[@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.

[@misslissa783]

Hi! Just wanted to say that although I live in Florida, I love your content! This video was right on time, as I recently started using fish emulsion for my philodendrons and other houseplants. 🙂

[@GardeningInCanada]

Im glad you are enjoying!

[@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

[@sherrykumar2883]

I really enjoy these educational videos. Do you use mycorrhizae, trichoderma or beneficial bacteria for your garden or house plants? If so, would love to see a video on it 😊

[@GardeningInCanada]

I do! and absolutely ill put that onto the list. i do have a myco video

[@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!

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@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

[@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?

[@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.

[@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!

[@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!

[@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 ❤️

[@kariannecrysler640]

My dad would fish salmon in the fall and till all the bit’s into the garden before winter. Then he would toss any bit’s from ice fishing on the snow & till it in the spring. Now the bear population is up so not sure if this would be advisable lol. Any thoughts on adding goldfish food flakes to soil/medium as a slower released fertilizer?

[@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

[@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!

[@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.

[@jennifervondeylen7362]

I just bury fish remains after we filet. No smell and my garden loves it.

[@GardeningInCanada]

Nice!

[@renatosantana9308]

Can you make a video on seweed extract?

[@GardeningInCanada]

yea!

[@scottchila7284]

Is fish emulsion good for shrubs like boxwoods and hollys ?

[@crissishiva]

When you use indian fertilizer images in your video its bit funny for me😋 Superb video mam🙏🌿 Love from india ,Great wishes❤

[@porksandwich5693]

Ever heard of the Bass-o-matic? Look it up.

[@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!

[@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 ?

[@BvttFvcker3000]

we use leaf mold to break it down and an airlock

[@nothingspecial8575]

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

[@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.

[@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