AS a fisherman (or fisherwoman, as the case may be), you are used to having buckets of fish parts left over after cleaning your fish. Instead of throwing them out, try making your own fish fertilizer. Commercial fish fertilizer available in stores can cost more than $30 per gallon,  I found one that was over $200 dollars for 6 gallons! You can make your own for (almost)free. Homemade fish fertilizer has the added benefit of using fresh fish which improves the levels of enzymes and other beneficial elements. Although the process is a bit smelly, once you see how the plants in your garden react to the fish fertilizer, you will be hooked.

DIY Fish Fertilizer Step 1: Start with approximately 1 gallon of fish parts from your fish cleaning session. This can include heads, skeletons and innards. Put in bottom of 5 gallon lidded bucket. Add 1 cup sugar to help in the decomposition and enzymatic processes. Fill bucket ¾ full of water. Stir until sugar is mixed through the solution. Put lid on tight and keep bucket away from your house and your neighbors’ houses. Decomposing fish doesn’t smell the best! You can pour molasses into the bucket to control odor and contribute healthy microorganisms to your organic fish emulsion fertilizer.

DIY Fish Fertilizer Step 2: Open lid and stir daily to mix and aerate the fish fertilizer in the bucket. After about a week, you will start to see some bubbling and foaming on the top of the bucket. This shows you that decomposition has begun. Continue to stir daily.  Add shredded newspapers, dried leaves, sawdust or brown grass clippings to the bucket to feed your fish fertilizer as it decays.

DIY Fish Fertilizer Step 3: After two weeks, your solution is ready. Strain out solids from your fish fertilizer using several thicknesses of cheesecloth tied securely over the top of the bucket. You can add the fish solids to your compost pile at this point. Make sure your compost pile is secure from predators as raccoons and possums will otherwise love the buffet you set out for them.

DIY Fish Fertilizer Step 4: Keep your fish fertilizer in a jug or bucket with an air hole in it. The decomposition process will continue if there is still sugar present in the solution. Just like still-fermenting wine, you won’t want to seal it closed or the gasses may explode the container.

DIY Fish Fertilizer Step 5: When ready to use your fish fertilizer, dilute the concentrated mixture with water on a 1:4 ratio. For example, use 1 cup of fish fertilizer to 4 cups of water. You can put fertilizer into a spray bottle to give the leaves of your plants a foliar spray, or you can add to your watering can or automatic sprayer to let the fertilizer soak into the soil to condition plant roots.