# Burying fish



## Sherrynboo (Mar 19, 2005)

We decided to try an experiment this evening. We had gone fishing last night and had some left over fish carcasses so we picked out our puniest tomato plant and a puny corn plant and buried the fish next to it. I am anxious to see A) if it helps B) if it kills the plant or C) outdoes the other plants. I have heard in the past that is how the native americans planted but I think they started with seeds not already established plants. We'll see what happens!

Sherry in GA


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## NicoleandBrian (Feb 1, 2006)

What a good experiment. I had forgotten that the Native Americans used that! Now you have me wondering again...Keep us posted on how it goes!


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

My money is on the plant with the fish taking off like a rocket!

I've buried fish before, and had wonderful results.

Will you keep up posted on your progress?

Thanks,
Pony!


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## swamp man (Dec 25, 2005)

I did this once,and some kind of critter dug up all the fish,also up-rooting the plants.


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## Sherrynboo (Mar 19, 2005)

I'll post the results when I see how it turns out! My garden already looks radioactive from all the composted goat and chicken manure. 

Sherry in GA


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## wilderness1989 (Feb 23, 2006)

I've done the fish deal for years. Before I plant tomatoes and peppers I take a bucket, a fishing pole, and go catch a mess of Blue Gills. Dig my hole about 6" deeper than the roots of the plants, put fish in the hole, add dirt, and plant the plants. Works great!!!!! :cowboy:


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## uncle Will in In. (May 11, 2002)

Sorry but this makes me smile. When old Squanto was showing the pilgrims how to raise veggies, I'll bet he started with seeds, cause they never mentioned his greenhouse.
We don't bury fish, but we have automatic cat poop deposits everywhere we loosen up the ground to put in a row. Yesterday my wife had just put in a row of onion sets. She looked back down the row and there was old Tom all humped up making his deposit. She hollered at him with no effect so I told her to hit him in the butt with a rock. I thought I was kidding, but she picked up a little rock about the size of a walnut and fired it at him. Hit him right where he sat about to pinch a little loaf. He dug up about half the onions in the far end of the row as he laid a patch of fresh organic fertilizer all over them at full speed. Surprised me and old Tom both. Neither of us thought she'd do that. I couldn't stop laughing, and Tom came over and rubbed on my leg for pity I think.


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

I have buried fish under rose bushes and had very good results. I'd always wanted to try it, but since my fish source is my koi pond, I hadn't wanted to try hard enough to sacrifice one of them.  But I got a rose bush and about that time one of them went belly up, and I got my chance.


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## Guest (May 8, 2006)

The ***** and possums love it when I bury fish. 

One of the few things I actually compost in a barrel.

.....Alan.


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## Tamar (Feb 23, 2005)

Hi all,

This thread reminded me of something.
I had a girlfriend who was told that fish food is an awesome fertilizer. She had some great deals on fishfood and sprinkled it over half her garden. We were all amazed at how huge everything grew. Going to try it myself this year if I can get some good deals on fishfood!


Blessings, and joyful gardening,
Tamar


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## jersey girl (Nov 21, 2005)

We buy a 55 gallon drum of liquid ground fish every spring. We fertilize with it all year. It not only helps stuff grow, but we have found that it helps keep the critters away also.


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## Ann Mary (Nov 29, 2004)

For those who are NOT squeamish---you can make your own fish fertilizer.
My sis makes this for her 100 rose bushes and for the new ones she plants. 
My dad goes steelhead salmon fishing and brings home som lunkers-7-17# fish. My sis just couldn't stand to see all those guts and stuff go to waste--so she cut up the pieces and put them in a 5 gal. bucket, put water in it-don't fill it up 'cause you don't want it to expand and pop off the top! and a bit of molasses,and yeast and put on a TIGHT lid and set the bucket in the sun. She says that in just a few weeks she has 5 gallons of fish fertilizer.(It is horribly disgusting----but free) When I use it I have to put out a few mothballs to keep the dogs from digging it all back up!


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## woodspirit (Aug 3, 2005)

Ever hear of the Bass-o-matic? A Dan Akroyd invention. Any blender will do.


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## Tabitha (Apr 10, 2006)

dear jersey girl, where do you get the stuff? we ordered some fish emulsion that was advertised in a magazine. I guess it is better than nothing,. it was kind of expensive. 
(my garden is new and still quite raw).


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## Tabitha (Apr 10, 2006)

dear woodspirit, please do tell us, I have not heard and have no idea .


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## Farmer Willy (Aug 7, 2005)

Tabitha said:


> dear woodspirit, please do tell us, I have not heard and have no idea .


Imagine a nice fish milkshake....


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## Ann Mary (Nov 29, 2004)

woodspirit said:


> Ever hear of the Bass-o-matic? A Dan Akroyd invention. Any blender will do.



Um...don't really do this unless they are small fish...my sis tried it with a steelhead salmon (large bones) in her vita mix......thankfully it was still under warranty!


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## Red Devil TN (Feb 8, 2006)

Roses LOVE fish heads and guts. L-O-V-E LOVE the stuff. Been doing that for over twenty years. Never tried it on anything else though.


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## kenji (Jan 15, 2006)

A.T. Hagan said:


> The ***** and possums love it when I bury fish.
> 
> One of the few things I actually compost in a barrel.
> 
> .....Alan.


so i would think too...

i left a fish from the freezer in a pastic bag to thaw beside a raised bed with young garden plants in the bed. And a varmit got it overnight left the plastic bag under the rock i put over it. there with a hole in the bag. the varmit left the young seedlings alone. now if i had tawed this and burried it in the bed i would have lost my plants...

aloha
kenji


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## midkiffsjoy (Sep 29, 2005)

this is SUCH a great thread!!!! I had been WONDERING what would happen and now I know a range of possibilities!!!! Thats just so cool !!!! (I'm gonna have to try it now!)


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## Wildoutdoorsmen (Mar 26, 2006)

I use an old meat grinder and push the fish right in it. I comes out like hamburger and I place it out to dry in the sun. When ever you till or cultivate, just cut it under. It goes a long way, so you can spread it out of your garden. A few tablespoons per plant is all that is needed.


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## jnap31 (Sep 16, 2005)

Ann Mary said:


> For those who are NOT squeamish---you can make your own fish fertilizer.
> My sis makes this for her 100 rose bushes and for the new ones she plants.
> My dad goes steelhead salmon fishing and brings home som lunkers-7-17# fish. My sis just couldn't stand to see all those guts and stuff go to waste--so she cut up the pieces and put them in a 5 gal. bucket, put water in it-don't fill it up 'cause you don't want it to expand and pop off the top! and a bit of molasses,and yeast and put on a TIGHT lid and set the bucket in the sun. She says that in just a few weeks she has 5 gallons of fish fertilizer.(It is horribly disgusting----but free) When I use it I have to put out a few mothballs to keep the dogs from digging it all back up!


This is a great idea I need to do it in a 55 gallon drum and set it up so it is blowing to the people who always burn their plastic trash I have to breathe. I think it would stink us out though to. My wife would not stand for it. I have used fish meal a lot in the past it is high in nitrogen so best for plants like corn or leafy greens that are heavy N feeders dont use it on tomatoes you will get lots of leaves and stem and few fruit.


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

Red Devil TN said:


> Roses LOVE fish heads and guts. L-O-V-E LOVE the stuff. Been doing that for over twenty years. Never tried it on anything else though.


ok, i cannot help myself...FISH HEADS, FISH HEADS, ROLLY POLLY FISH HEADS! FISH HEADS, FISH HEADS, EAT THEM UP YUM!


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

MELOC said:


> ok, i cannot help myself...FISH HEADS, FISH HEADS, ROLLY POLLY FISH HEADS! FISH HEADS, FISH HEADS, EAT THEM UP YUM!



Oh, NO!! Now that will be stuck in my head for the rest of the evening!!!

"... Roly poly fish heads are never seen drinking capuccino in Italian restaurants with Oriental women... Yeah."


Pony!


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## MoonShine (Mar 17, 2003)

I think my cats would dig around if I used any type of fish in the garden. They would dig around more than they already do,that is..
I did try burying an egg under tomato plants. I read about that in a book I bought. I tried it on six or so plants and I could see a difference. I don't doubt the fish would work wonders.


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## flutemandolin (Aug 13, 2003)

Oh this thread has me laughing...Uncle Will with your tomcat, and the Bass-O-Matic, and fish heads...  

I suppose all this would depend on how your garden is fenced; if there is a sturdy fence maybe dug several inches into the ground, I don't think adding fish products would be a problem if you don't mind the smell. 

I work for the state fisheries department, and this reminds me that I have access to all the dead fish I want sometimes, although on a hot summer day bringing them home in the car is not an option...


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## Hovey Hollow (Apr 25, 2005)

All this makes me think that true Vegans are screwed if they are trying to avoid animal products. Most anyone that gardens organically is going to use animal dung, fish emulsions, bone meal, blood meal, etc. 
Makes me glad I don't have to try to deal with those kinds of restrictions.


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## rocket (Sep 9, 2005)

Well, speaking of "varmints" going after the fish...

I was using fish fertilizer over the weekend in my garden. I went inside for a couple of minutes and came back out to find that my dog had used his teeth to twist the top off of the fertilizer bottle and he was trying to lick out the contents! Eeeew! Definitely the worst dog breath EVER!


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

rocket said:


> Well, speaking of "varmints" going after the fish...
> 
> I was using fish fertilizer over the weekend in my garden. I went inside for a couple of minutes and came back out to find that my dog had used his teeth to twist the top off of the fertilizer bottle and he was trying to lick out the contents! Eeeew! Definitely the worst dog breath EVER!



Ewwwwwwwwwww! I'll bet he still has a lingering foulness.

My fuzzy dog decided it would be a good idea to do the same thing with a bottle of concentrated fish emulsion. Sneaked into the shed last fall and cracked open the bottle. He smells better now, but the shed still reeks of it.

Pony!


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