Fish Heads- worth it?

ARgardener · April 29, 2017

Gardening in virign soil this year so I plan on spicing things up in my tomatoes' holes to help them out.
I've seen some mention of putting a fish head under the planting hole. I've also seen where putting rabbit manure into the hole is good, too.

Is this an either-or deal? Should I be putting either rabbit poo or fish heads; not both?
I've got a source for both, so both is possible, but what is the best route to go?

dmforcier · April 29, 2017

Fish head is supposed to be good, but bury deep or someone will dig it up - along with your plant - and eat it.

With a fish head, I would just use rabbit pellets for top dressing.

pmcgrady · April 29, 2017

If I have access to small crappie/bluegill or fish guts, I use them...
I can see a big improvement in peppers, and somewhat in tomatoes.

upcountrygirl · April 30, 2017

AR..dm.. is right. Most especially if you have raccoons in your area and also coyotes as weird as that sounds. I have tried the fish heads. The raccoons dug up the plants the first night. A friend who didn't have a raccoon problem did the same. When the fish heads started decomposing the coyotes came digging. He caught them on the game camera.

You can use rabbit poo straight on any garden crop... as far as I know and I know I still have LOTS to learn it's the only manure that doesn't require composting.

oakley · April 30, 2017

I had critters dig up a simple scoop of TomatoTone last year. Just lost a few plants.
Had back-ups.
Prepping a bed a year ahead works. I would not do it in freshly planted seedlings if
night critters are around.
During fishing season a few years ago i dug a 20 ft trench and added fish bodies just
after filleting. Covered with fresh kelp, then covered over. Re-peat over the season
a couple feet at a time. I covered it in September and planned to use that bed the next
season but ended up just planting sunflowers lacking the time.

That front set of beds had potatoes for years, probably since the house was built around
the 1880's. Fish and kelp was always the side dressing. Free.
The previous owner of our home was a commercial fisherman.

I have a good hand meat grinder at that home and should use it for smaller Caplin.
Just getting a bit in your compost pile deep is good. Let that pile go at least a year.
If it is free, use it. Cod are enormous, the size of a cary-on luggage most are. So i
trenched deep. That Summer i think our tally was just over 200.

ARgardener · April 30, 2017

We don't have the critters you guys mentioned. We don't live too far out and our fenced yard has coonhounds and German shepherds on patrol

brownrexx · April 30, 2017

Skunks would dig up the fish heads in my garden.

oakley · April 30, 2017

I would go for it...just not every seedling. All about insurance and testing, taking chances....

ARgardener · April 30, 2017

Like I said, we really aren't in a critter zone. Also, would burying a foot down not be enough to keep away critters in the first place? I also imagine the fencing tomato cages would act as some kind of barrier too.

dmforcier · April 30, 2017

Do you know why people are buried "6 feet under"? It's because at least 6' of dirt is required to hide the smell from opportunistic beasties.

Might as well try it. The worst that could happen is you discover critters you didn't even know about.

Hey, I got an idea. Dig your holes and prepare, including the fish guts, but don't plant in them yet. Leave a few days to see what happens.

ARgardener · April 30, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmforcier

Do you know why people are buried "6 feet under"? It's because at least 6' of dirt is required to hide the smell from opportunistic beasties.

Might as well try it. The worst that could happen is you discover critters you didn't even know about.

Hey, I got an idea. Dig your holes and prepare, including the fish guts, but don't plant in them yet. Leave a few days to see what happens.

Good idea with the letting them sit a night or two.

LOL- The six foot under saying is from the Plague times... They were paranoid about the dead spreading disease. In some states, the coffin only has to be 18" below the surface

Nematode · May 1, 2017

Organic gardener friend took me in his field, there is a 3' stretch in one row where the taters are lush and taller than the surrounds. One salmon rack has improved that spot for years. Its not all about the first year with fish racks.

greenthumbomaha · May 1, 2017

Native American garden tradition :

Bury a fish head, say a prayer, harvest!

- Lisa

SteveP · May 1, 2017

I have some 30 gal containers and I buried some crappie carcasses and guts about 1/2 way down about 5 weeks before planting this year. I planted 2 tomato plants in each containers and they are exploding with growth. During the 5 weeks, nothing got in to the planters and messed with the fish. We have a 6' privacy fence around our backyard so that would have kept the coyotes at bay. Which I have seen a few running around.

ARgardener · May 2, 2017

Alright I'm off to hunt fish parts tomorrow! Fingers crossed I can get some

Would fish be suitable to place under any non-root crop ?? Peppers? Cucumber? Eggplant? Squash?

I say no to putting it under beans.

April 29, 2017	#1
ARgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: steamy southern Arkansas Posts: 155	Fish Heads- worth it? Gardening in virign soil this year so I plan on spicing things up in my tomatoes' holes to help them out. I've seen some mention of putting a fish head under the planting hole. I've also seen where putting rabbit manure into the hole is good, too. Is this an either-or deal? Should I be putting either rabbit poo or fish heads; not both? I've got a source for both, so both is possible, but what is the best route to go?

April 29, 2017	#2
dmforcier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,825	Fish head is supposed to be good, but bury deep or someone will dig it up - along with your plant - and eat it. With a fish head, I would just use rabbit pellets for top dressing. __________________ Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers

April 30, 2017	#10
dmforcier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,825	Do you know why people are buried "6 feet under"? It's because at least 6' of dirt is required to hide the smell from opportunistic beasties. Might as well try it. The worst that could happen is you discover critters you didn't even know about. Hey, I got an idea. Dig your holes and prepare, including the fish guts, but don't plant in them yet. Leave a few days to see what happens. __________________ Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers

April 29, 2017	#3
pmcgrady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 1,836	If I have access to small crappie/bluegill or fish guts, I use them... I can see a big improvement in peppers, and somewhat in tomatoes.

April 30, 2017	#4
upcountrygirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: south carolina Posts: 562	AR..dm.. is right. Most especially if you have raccoons in your area and also coyotes as weird as that sounds. I have tried the fish heads. The raccoons dug up the plants the first night. A friend who didn't have a raccoon problem did the same. When the fish heads started decomposing the coyotes came digging. He caught them on the game camera. You can use rabbit poo straight on any garden crop... as far as I know and I know I still have LOTS to learn it's the only manure that doesn't require composting.

April 30, 2017	#5
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	I had critters dig up a simple scoop of TomatoTone last year. Just lost a few plants. Had back-ups. Prepping a bed a year ahead works. I would not do it in freshly planted seedlings if night critters are around. During fishing season a few years ago i dug a 20 ft trench and added fish bodies just after filleting. Covered with fresh kelp, then covered over. Re-peat over the season a couple feet at a time. I covered it in September and planned to use that bed the next season but ended up just planting sunflowers lacking the time. That front set of beds had potatoes for years, probably since the house was built around the 1880's. Fish and kelp was always the side dressing. Free. The previous owner of our home was a commercial fisherman. I have a good hand meat grinder at that home and should use it for smaller Caplin. Just getting a bit in your compost pile deep is good. Let that pile go at least a year. If it is free, use it. Cod are enormous, the size of a cary-on luggage most are. So i trenched deep. That Summer i think our tally was just over 200.

April 30, 2017	#7
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	Skunks would dig up the fish heads in my garden.

May 1, 2017	#12
Nematode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: massachusetts Posts: 1,710	Organic gardener friend took me in his field, there is a 3' stretch in one row where the taters are lush and taller than the surrounds. One salmon rack has improved that spot for years. Its not all about the first year with fish racks.

May 1, 2017	#13
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	Native American garden tradition : Bury a fish head, say a prayer, harvest! - Lisa

May 1, 2017	#14
SteveP Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Joplin MO Posts: 1,398	I have some 30 gal containers and I buried some crappie carcasses and guts about 1/2 way down about 5 weeks before planting this year. I planted 2 tomato plants in each containers and they are exploding with growth. During the 5 weeks, nothing got in to the planters and messed with the fish. We have a 6' privacy fence around our backyard so that would have kept the coyotes at bay. Which I have seen a few running around.

May 2, 2017	#15
ARgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: steamy southern Arkansas Posts: 155	Alright I'm off to hunt fish parts tomorrow! Fingers crossed I can get some Would fish be suitable to place under any non-root crop ?? Peppers? Cucumber? Eggplant? Squash? I say no to putting it under beans.