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'A fish in each planting hole'
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Posted by
josko Cape cod (
My Page) on
Mon, Aug 6, 12 at 6:53
| Around here (Cape Cod) there's a lore that 'indians used to put a herring in each corn mound'. Does that practice make sense from a fertilizing and soil amendment point of view? I realize the herring is a green and would liberate some nitrogen during decomposition, but how would the benefits compare to composting that herring (along with some woodchips or similar breowns) and then putting that compost in the planting hole? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: 'A fish in each planting hole'
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| It would be my thinking that the fish being very easy to break down, would be very quick shot of nutrients and worm food.. Thus also holding some moisture as it rots.. So realistically it might be 6 or half dozen either way as far as how it helps the plants.. If you're apt to do it.. Then the fish in each hole "might" have a few benefits simply because it would break down faster than the browns, but in a compost pile it would break down quickly too.. so I don't know other than the short lived moisture that you'd gain or lose by doing it.. ( pests might be a problem with actual fish though and the fish smell) |
RE: 'A fish in each planting hole'
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| It's been observed the an active breakdown process is very beneficial to plants, perhaps more so than the final compost product. This is why lasagna gardening works so well. I remember hearing about this at a very young age, one of our school books had a picture of them putting 3 small fish in each hole. Don't know if it's true but it sounds like it would work. |
RE: 'A fish in each planting hole'
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| I always heard not to apply fertilizer when adding a new tree. You need to wait a bit to see that it is not having transplant shock. Fertilizer would make it worse. It might be different for a corn seed then a tree with roots already. |
RE: 'A fish in each planting hole'
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| g'day josko, makes sense to me, an organic growers guide is to put a banana peel under each tomato seedling planted. we just sue our kitchen scraps no abundance of fish for us or bananas for that matter. len |
Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page
RE: 'A fish in each planting hole'
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| I had one of my best tomato harvests one year when three bluegill were put at the bottom of each hole when transplanting. Most years small fish are not available. The weather plays a big part, so I can't give the fish all the credit. |
RE: 'A fish in each planting hole'
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| Large rodents buried close to my tomato & cucumber plants certainly have helped out. Noticeably darker green leaves and good harvest. |
RE: 'A fish in each planting hole'
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That "lore" is not specific to New England, because tribes all over the mid west, mid atlantic, and southern areas did the same thing. Some years ago, when alewives covered the beaches around here, we gathered up several tubs full and used them in the community garden we weere trying then. We had enough to circle and old apple tree growing in that area and for the first time in anyones memory that apple tree blossomed and produced fruit the following year.
Fish, in the soil, is as good a "fertilizer" as fish emulsion would be. |
RE: 'A fish in each planting hole'
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| If I had a way to catch some of those flying Asian carp that are taking over the Missouri River, I'd grind em up, spread it on my lawn and go on vacation for two weeks. Bwahahahahaha! |
RE: 'A fish in each planting hole'
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you believe in that old adage ,"Love thy neighbor"
don't ya tox ;) |
RE: 'A fish in each planting hole'
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| Toxcrusadr, I always think that same thing about those carp. I figure you could just stretch a net across a section of it - plenty of them would fall into it. |
RE: 'A fish in each planting hole'
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| I've been able to compost up to 400 lb of fish (together with woodchips) in one pallet bin pile without noticable odors. It makes great compost. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Composting fish
RE: 'A fish in each planting hole'
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| I do love my neighbors, truthfully. Except for that ONE lady back there...but I digress. :-o :-D You're right acausal, given the right equipment and time it would be a cinch. They say the meat is quite good if you do it right. Kinda surprised no one has started an eco-friendly fish fillet and fertilizer business. |
RE: 'A fish in each planting hole'
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| Josko, one article/booklet on bulk fish composting is at: http://aqua.wisc.edu/publications/PDFs/CompostSolution.pdf Bob |
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