Plant Food Experiment...Now I Stink!!

[rebbetzin]

Goodness! I got this great idea a few weeks ago. Now I am wondering if it was such a good idea after all.

I trade fresh eggs for raw fish scraps with a friend of ours that is a Sushi Chef, he and his wife have a small restaurant here and serve the best sushi in town. Anyhow, I normally "plant" a few pieces of fish at the base of my shrubs, citrus, fruit trees, etc.

Well, I got this idea of making a fish emulsion to put on all the plants in the garden.

so... I put the fish in my Vitamix, made a slurry of sorts out of the fish. Then, I added the fish slurry to my Manure Tea bag. I have a big Igloo drink dispenser that I use to make Manure tea. I hang an old pillowcase half filled with steer manure in the container. It works great.

This morning, I decided the fish and steer manure had "steeped" long enough. I took a bit and diluted it, put in on the garden. Bucket by bucket full. It was quite a bit of work to do the entire front and back yards!!

Now all I can smell is "fish" it is mostly on my hands, even after taking a shower. And the entire yard is very fishy smelling.

I know my husband will have something to say when he comes home tonight. He just called to inform me we are having guests for dinner!

Why oh why did I pick today to do this experiment!!

 

[Melissakins]

Lemon juice

Something my husband swears by after a day of fishing in the gulf is taking a STAINLESS steel (not silver) spoon and rubbing it all over his hands. Seems to work. I've not tried it but it seems to work for him. I just keep washing my hands LOL

 

[trilyn]

Quote:
This works!! I also do this when I've been cutting up garlic and onions-takes the smell right away!!

 

[rebbetzin]

Quote:
This works!! I also do this when I've been cutting up garlic and onions-takes the smell right away!!

I know stainless steel takes off garlic and onion... It was great when I had my old kitchen faucet, I just rubbed my hands of that after cutting onions or garlic. Now I have one of those "white" faucets.

I will try that. The stuff smells much like a cross between a fishery, and a barn with a dead body in it.

 

[mom'sfolly]

Once you get the smell off your hands, you'll have to figure out how to keep every stray cat, raccoon and possem out of your yard.

 

[Davaroo]

I'd suggest you just feed the fish scraps to the chickens, and forego the fish emulsion experiments. Not really worth the effort.

If you are inclined to fiddle around with noxious concoctions for plants, try steeping your chickens manure in water.
This binds the nitrate in the droppings, so it doesn't get away into the air.

I call it 'Gallus Gold' and it works right smart as a liquid fertilizer.

 

[rebbetzin]

Quote:
Hmmmm, I do put the chicken droppings and the straw bedding in my compost pile. It makes very nice compost. I never thought of using the droppings in my "Manure Tea."

I think I will try that. I know you can make a tea out of compost too. But, I haven't ever tried that.

After this, I may just feed the fish to the chickens. They would like it to be sure!

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Hmmmm, I do put the chicken droppings and the straw bedding in my compost pile. It makes very nice compost. I never thought of using the droppings in my "Manure Tea."

I think I will try that. I know you can make a tea out of compost too. But, I haven't ever tried that.

After this, I may just feed the fish to the chickens. They would like it to be sure!

Indeed they would. Ive tried manure tea for years and it works, but it has a "shelf life" you must be mindful of.

Another idea you may wish to try is peeing on your compost pile. As the urine breaks down, the various acids "nitrify" and add that precious element to the mix. But you gotta let it break down first.

If you've never indulged in our sister site, *The Easy Garden,* I strongly recommend it.