You don’t even have to be a plant expert to know that fish fertilizers reign supreme over those of chemical origins. Sourced from byproducts of the fishing industry, they are a rich source of nutrients to promote plant growth and raise little risks of soil acidification even when used in excess.
One issue that comes along with the application of this natural plant nourishment is its deathly odor. It can’t be helped. You’ll be casting raw fish and waiting for them to absorb into the ground.
Difficult to bear is only the beginning. The last thing you want to happen is for the nearby critters to realize that they can make a full-course party out of what your plants consume. This brings up some questions to address.
Will fish fertilizer attract animals? Is there any way for a smell-free application? How exactly does it help your plants thrive? You will find a reliable answer in the sections coming up at gardening101.net!
Types Of Fish Fertilizer and Their Benefits
Fish fertilizers include the byproduct from fish processing – organs, bones, fins, or scales, either grounded into a specific ground powder or sold as a liquid emulsion.
Prized for increasing soil fertility, they carry potassium (for enzyme activation), chlorophyll (for photosynthesizing), phosphorus (for nutrient conversion), and an abundance of minerals up the plants’ roots without the side effects of chemical alternatives.
These organic fertilizers come in two common types, each with its own boon package.
- Solid (Fish meal) – Basically, tiny bits of the fish leftovers collected post-production. It grows your soil with microbes and gives your plants the ideal developing conditions. Considering its long decomposing period, fish flesh has more to offer as a slow-release fertilizer.
- Liquid (Fish hydrolysate and emulsion): Still the fish scraps, but having been treated to form a liquid that retains all the nutritious properties.
The chemical content is low in this case. Only a few preservatives and risk-free enhancing factors enter the extraction. This translates to them being one of the safest products for your plants.
A major pro of liquid fertilizer is the quick dissolution into the ground. In short, it’s extremely useful when your plants need immediate nutrient supplements.
Fish hydrolysate and emulsion might go by two separated names and result from two separated extraction processes, but rest assured that they are the same for most parts.
Users of both have confirmed that they provide goodness in equal amounts. Their contribution to the plants’ growth doesn’t have an edge over each other.
Will Fish Fertilizer Attract Animals?
If you intend to give fish fertilizer a shot, but your neighborhood has had a bad rap for the high rate of critters breaking into homes, think it through before making any purchase.
This manure, regardless of what type you apply, is sourced directly from dead animals. The smell from that is nothing but an invitation to many wildlife species.
Rats
The most persistent to deal with! They’ll gnaw on all they deem a fine meal, even have no problem treading the path of cannibalism upon discovering the bodies of their own kinds.
It’s worth having second thoughts about leaving fish fertilizers in your garden if your house has a history of infestations. They’re sensitive to the scent of blood, no matter how mild it is, and will certainly be attracted by the fish bits in this organic fertilizer.
Flies and Insects
Like rodents, these are notorious for lingering around dead beings. They find the smell attractive for reasons unknown.
There is very little likelihood of them consuming the flesh, which is good news as they won’t spill the fish organ and the less-than-pleasant smell all over your garden. Due to this reason, their buzzing around all the outdoor plants can be quite a nuisance.
Snakes
Snakes aren’t something to be on alert about when your house isn’t surrounded by bushes or dense tree lines. In case where you live matches the description, this is no cue to drop the idea of fish fertilizer either.
A large part of the snake family shows no interest in these scaly creatures, and a small free feast in your yard won’t be able to change that.
What they will actually come for are the rats. When you notice some scurrying across the plants, it’s time to set up a proper defense against snakes for your living place.
Other Larger Animals
The smell of dead fish in your backyard might not seem charming at all to humans, but it’s another story for the critters. Particularly the carnivores to whom fish plays a role in their diets.
Cats, dogs, raccoons, foxes, and even bears are some prime examples. Don’t think that your garden is safe when your neighborhood is free of them right from the beginning.
Their sense is far sharper than us, allowing quick detection of the scent of blood across a vast distance. Installing an electric fence gives you at least a layer of protection from the large-sized ones. Keep in mind to look up the laws in your area to make sure doing so is legal.
How To Use Fish Fertilizer Properly?
There is no need to drop the idea of switching to fish fertilizer for fear of having unwanted wildlife inside your garden.
Apart from keeping your green plants well-nourished over an extended period, the wait between each application is long enough to avoid them sneaking in. It usually takes three weeks to a month until your plants demand another layer of nutrients.
In case you can’t tell how much fertilizer should enter the plants’ roots, here is a tip. Mix 1 gallon of water with three tablespoons of concentrated fish emulsion fertilizer, and add more if necessary starting from that.
For solid fish-based products, go with what you often do to work powder manure into the garden soil. The effectiveness will show soon.
In case you want to stop the smell of dead animals from lingering, try watering the liquid into the soil well. Being deep under the plants like this, it leaking out and attracting the local animals should be less of a concern.
The next step is to strew organic mulch on top of it all. Its properties speed up the decomposition of the nutrients in the fertilizers, getting the fishy smell away in the shortest time.
Conclusion
So, will fish fertilizer attract animals? The answer should be clear enough to you by now, and so are the relevant solutions.
This natural fish product contains organic components to build and improve the soil’s structure, creating an essential environment for your plants to plunge their roots into in the process.
The problem of wildlife species invading your space is rather inconsequential compared to that. Choosing not to incorporate it into your plant caring system to escape this situation isn’t wise at all.