How to Make Fish Emulsion

Fish fertilizer is one of the best fertilizers available.

Fish fertilizers, called emulsions, are one of the best fertilizers available. These types of fertilizers provide many trace nutrients and minerals to the soil in which it is used. Due to the rapid decomposition of fish, these emulsions are also extremely fast and easy to make at home. With a few ingredients and a minimal investment of your time, you can have your own home made fish emulsion in about a week.

Things You'll Need

• 5-gallon bucket
• 8 oz. fresh or canned fish
• Plant material
• 2 tbsp. Epsom salt

Instructions

1. Fill a 5-gallon bucket half-full with plant material such as leaves, straw or sawdust. This material will help to cut down on the inevitable odor caused by the decomposition of the fish and bacterial growth. This will also provide more area for beneficial bacteria to spread, increasing the potency of your fish emulsion.

2. Add fresh or canned fish to the plant material. Fresh fish can be anything such as leftover dinner, whole fish, fillets or minced. The smaller the pieces of fish, the faster it will decompose. This fish is what will provide the essential nutrients to your emulsion. Fish naturally contains a high concentration of oils, which means the fish will decompose much faster than most organic material. The oils from the fish will also help harbor beneficial fungus and mold.

   The amount of fish you add will determine the potency of your fish emulsion. You can generally start the decomposition process with about 8 oz. of fish. Depending on how potent you wish the emulsion to be, and how much area you wish to cover, you may add as much fish as you want at any point in the process. Adding more fish than plant material will not do any harm whatsoever to your fish emulsion. You cannot overdose your emulsion no matter how much fish you add.

3. 

   Add Epsom salt for a boost in magnesium and sulfur.

   Add 2 tbsp. of Epsom salt. This will add extra magnesium and sulfur, which is found in store-bought fish fertilizers.

4. Close the bucket and set it in a place where it will not be disturbed. The area you place your emulsion to decompose should receive direct sunlight most of the day. The smell of decomposing fish will be very pungent, so this emulsion should also be kept as far away from your house as possible.

5. Stir the emulsion once every day to allow oxygen to circulate the entire mixture. The types of bacteria that will serve to break down the plant and fish material are aerobic, which means they require oxygen to survive. This step should be repeated daily for at least one but preferably two weeks.

6. Mix your finished emulsion into a compost pile. This emulsion will greatly boost the already nutrient-rich compost pile with trace nutrients and minerals. If you do not wish to add the emulsion to a compost pile, you may also add the mixture directly to the soil you wish to fertilize. This fertilizer can be used to promote the growth of individual plants as well by placing a small amount of the emulsion around the base of the plant you wish to fertilize.

   Any additional emulsion you have left over that hasn't been added to a compost pile or used can be left in the 5-gallon bucket in its original spot.

References

• Garden Web: How Do You Make Homemade Fish/Seaweed Emulsion