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Fish Fertilizer
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 3:23 pm
by Setec Astronomy
It seems to me a lot of people have mentioned using "fish emulsion" as fertilizer when growing tomato seedlings, I started looking at Neptune's Harvest, anyone else use this? They have a few different flavors, fish fertilizer, fish/seaweed blend, and Tomato/Veg...any recommendations? Or another brand?
Neptune's Harvest also talks about using it as a foliar spray, which led me to start this thread:
foliar-feeding-t3141.html
Re: Fish Fertilizer
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 4:29 pm
by bower
I don't use fish emulsion for tomato seedlings but I know people who do. The advice for small seedlings is to double dilute the liquid fert to start out with.
I've used Muskie to feed peppers and tomatoes in containers, which I think is similar to NH. Smells like fish, free running liquid. The best tip I know of for the smelly fish liquid is to mix in a little blackstrap molasses. It adds Potassium and micronutrients, but also completely neutralizes the strong fish smell. I think this is good stuff, and would buy again.
More recently I bought one called "Alaska" and that is really different. It does not smell like fish and it is really thick - too thick to be easy to mix. I wouldn't recommend it for that reason. The big jug is about impossible to neatly pour a tablespoon from. Then my mixing jugs, it sticks to the bottom even after filling with water and you have to shake hard to get it mixed in. Maybe fine for the great outdoors with a big bucket and and a stick - and rubber boots.
Re: Fish Fertilizer
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 8:05 pm
by AKgardener
It’s funny you mentioned that because I spend alot time on you tube the other night watching videos on using fish heads and sardines do I literally went out and got a can of sardines todsy to put into one of my tomato plants
was curious
Re: Fish Fertilizer
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 8:24 pm
by Growing Coastal
Bower wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 4:29 pm
I don't use fish emulsion for tomato seedlings but I know people who do. The advice for small seedlings is to double dilute the liquid fert to start out with.
I've used Muskie to feed peppers and tomatoes in containers, which I think is similar to NH. Smells like fish, free running liquid. The best tip I know of for the smelly fish liquid is to mix in a little blackstrap molasses. It adds Potassium and micronutrients, but also completely neutralizes the strong fish smell. I think this is good stuff, and would buy again.
More recently I bought one called "Alaska" and that is really different. It does not smell like fish and it is really thick - too thick to be easy to mix. I wouldn't recommend it for that reason. The big jug is about impossible to neatly pour a tablespoon from. Then my mixing jugs, it sticks to the bottom even after filling with water and you have to shake hard to get it mixed in. Maybe fine for the great outdoors with a big bucket and and a stick - and rubber boots.
I've used the Alaska brand with none of the issues you describe. Something fishy about the one you got! Stale dated maybe? Friend and I have used it for years, no problems such as you describe. It does settle in the jug and must be shaken before use.
They also have a 0 10 10 version, Morbloom. I usually mix up a 5 gal bucket of fish ferts and never had a problem with not dissolving or anything.
The 'dry' Promix fert was awful to use! Never again! I boiled water and mixed it with a mixer and still had residue left at the bottom of the bucket.
I have used the liquid promix diluted for tomato seedling successfully.
Re: Fish Fertilizer
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 8:13 am
by Kurt
We have been using this product for years now.Plus for me it is a Florida based company.
Re: Fish Fertilizer
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 8:14 am
by Kurt
Re: Fish Fertilizer
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 9:10 am
by karstopography
@Kurt I use their liquid kelp. Good stuff and super stinky. Smells like when we get a big pile of sargassum seaweed rotting at the local beach. I have fertilome fish emulsion. That’s the brand they sell at our feedstore. I ordered the GS kelp online.
Re: Fish Fertilizer
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:50 pm
by karstopography
https://www.chron.com/life/health/artic ... 337840.php
A link to foliar feeding of tomatoes and reasons for it.
Re: Fish Fertilizer
Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2022 5:32 pm
by westside bengal
I like Neptunes Harvest Fish Fetilizer and Seaweed Extract for my seedlings. I like to use it as a foliar spray outside after transplanting into garden. Funny thing I can have rabbits all over the back yard but they never go into the garden. I guess they "don't want to sleep with the fishes"......
Re: Fish Fertilizer
Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 6:43 am
by Setec Astronomy
Ok, so rabbits don't like the smell, what about deer?
I bought some of the Neptune's Harvest Tomato and Veg that I'm going to use on the seedlings, and whatever's left when they are outside, then switch to the Fish and Seaweed. Probably alternate with TTF. Not sure if I'm going to try the foliar spray.
Re: Fish Fertilizer
Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 8:11 am
by CrazyAboutOrchids
I use Neptune's Fish-Seaweed blend on my plants but only outside, on occasion, after they are in the ground.
Once my seedlings have true leaves, I start feeding them with a very dilute mix of Urban Farms Vegetable fertilizer. Once I see fruit set, I switch to Urban Farms Tomato. I give them a dose of Neptune's as a foliar spray maybe once a month.
Re: Fish Fertilizer
Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 12:53 pm
by zeuspaul
@Setec Astronomy I was reading reviews for feather meal on Amazon and noted this
5.0 out of 5 stars DEER REPELLANT
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2018
Verified Purchase
I stopped at a little roadside nursery in Ohio last spring, and they were selling feather meal as a deer deterrent. They said Hocking Hills State Park used it for this very reason. I bought some, and it made me a believer. I have 5 acres, and what I had didn't go very far, so I ordered this brand. Great quality, great results, fast shipment. So another spring has arrived and I am ordering again. Would recommend it as fertilizer and repellent.
Re: Fish Fertilizer
Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2022 12:09 am
by Setec Astronomy
Ha...feather meal...IIRC that's an ingredient in Tomato-tone, which is what I have been using in past seasons...I wonder if that had any effect.
Re: Fish Fertilizer
Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2022 3:03 pm
by MissS
My farm supply store will try to get in anything that I ask for. This years nitrogen source is going to be... feather meal! If it's cost effective I will even be using it on my lawn. Darn deer.