Is Fish Oil a Good Fertilizer for Tomato Plants?

Try a traditional, time-honored supplement like fish emulsion to grow tasty tomatoes.

Fish oil fertilizer, also called fish emulsion, has been used for centuries to promote vegetable growth. Many native Americans placed fish remains in the trenches used to plant maize.

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Fish emulsion works by delivering needed nutrients that encourage vine and fruit growth. It is an excellent source of nitrogen, and a good source of phosphorus. According to a study published by Pervaiz A. Abbasi, Diane A. Cuppels and George Lazarovits in the "Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology," fish emulsion increases yield and thwarts disease.

Mixing

Commercial brands of fish emulsion are available in concentrated form. Mix with distilled or rainwater: 1 tbsp. of emulsion per gallon of water.

Root Delivery

When you first transfer tomato plants to the garden, add diluted fish emulsion to the first watering at the roots to strengthen the plant.

Foliar Delivery

Spray diluted fish oil fertilizer on tomato plant leaves to help the plant absorb the nitrogen quickly. Spraying the blossoms also may increase fruit yield.

Experiment

Test how fish emulsion works by spraying half your tomato plants with the fertilizer, while leaving half untreated. Compare the number and size of the fruits, as well as health of the plants.

References

• Mother Earth News.com: Foliar Feeding
• FishFertil.com: "Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology;" Effect of Foliar Applications of Neem Oil and Fish Emulsion on Bacterial Spot and Yield of Tomatoes and Peppers; Pervaiz A. Abbasi, Diane A. Cuppels and George Lazarovits; Vol. 25, 2003