Small facts about Fish Fertilizer

Takeaway: Fish Fertilizer is a practical and straightforward way to grow most plants, including vegetables, fruits, house plants and herbs. Can be used as a primary fertilizer or a secondary " add-on" to your normal soil program.

How is Hydrolyzed Fish Fertilizer made?

Honestly, it's quite simple. It's a mixture of various fish parts and water fermented into a liquid with lactobacilli bacteria, similarly to making sauerkraut, kimchi, or yogurt. During the fermentation period, nutrients from the bones, meaty portion, skin etc., are turned into a biologically available form of plant nutrients and provide a rich source of food for soil microorganisms. 

What do you mean by "providing a rich source of food for soil microorganism? "

Simply put, the fish fertilizer provides nutrients to beneficial soil microorganisms such as rhizobia, mycorrhizal fungi, actinomycetes, and diazotrophic bacteria.  As a good source of energy, these organisms consume the natural fish fertilizer and proliferate. Conversely, anything that eats produces waste; but this waste from these organisms is not toxic but dedicated plant nutrients. (a process called mineralization, among several others). Releasing the "digested" fish nutrients to the plant's roots for absorption, that plants then provide sugar to the organism for energy— a symbiotic trade-off. In the end, you have larger beneficial colonies providing nutrients to your plants, but even more, these organisms release plant growth hormones and are antagonists (fight off) to plant pests, parasites, or diseases (biocontrol agents).

Asides from feeding the soil, how does Fish Fertilizer provide nutrients straight to the plant roots?

Potting/garden "soil" comes in so many different forms, and fertilizers may act very differently depending on the soil's organics matter. In soilless media such as coco and peat-base mixes or in poor soils, beneficial microorganism counts are much smaller than in quality composted organics potting/gardening mixes. Note: There are other advantages of soilless mediums but to be discussed in future articles. Because of a the reduced organisms in your soil mix that are capable of transferring nutrients, you must use fertilizers that are more directly available to the plant roots. Tip: Add a little regular topsoil to your coco or peat mix and take advantage of the beneficial microorganisms!

As mentioned above, hydrolyzed fish fertilizer is produced by simple fermentation processes where the organic matter (fish parts) mixed with water and Lactobacilli microbes breakdown and release the "locked" nutrients contained in the fish. As the fish liquifies from the lactobacilli action, essential plant nutrients and new beneficial microorganisms (ex. bacillus subtilis) are produced, which again accelerate recycling and degradation of the organic matter. At the end of this fermentation process, phytohormones (tells the plant how to grow) such as auxin and cytokinin, organic acids (used for photosynthesis), plus macro and micronutrients are all present in the liquid organic fertilizers, which can all directly feed the plants.

Where does the smell go?

The microorganisms in your growing media quickly consumes the fish fertilizer and extinguishes the smell, typically within 24 hours.

Tips and Tricks with Bushboy Organics Fish Fertilizer:

The Bushboy organics fish has a great combination of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium 3-2-5. You will get everything you need for entire grows. If your soil is in bad shape, a smaller continuous dose is advisable to allow a more thorough fertilizer breakdown as the beneficial microbes proliferate. To spice it up, add fresh high organic potting/topsoil to your planters or garden. This combination of Bushboy Fish Fertilizer and a little new soil is all you need. Do not spend hundreds on replacing all your soil!

 Blog Question and Comments:

" How many tablesppons per Gallon?"-  2 Tablespoons per gallon for younger vegetables ( 3-6 weeks) or flowers (any stage).  4 tablespoons for more mature (7-12 weeks) or larger, heavier-feeding vegetables ( ex. Tomatoes)