Fish for food?

[chooken]

Long story short, a friend (guy I'm growing with) was talking to another friend's uncle. This guy used to grow and told of a story how with one plant, he put a dead stingray and a dead shovel nose shark under the plant. He then forgot about it and came back 5 months later to find the biggest plant he's ever grown. Had to give away a whole bunch of the harvest .etc

 

It's most likely over an exaggerated story, but we have nothing to lose, so when planting 3 seedlings yesterday, each one got half a snapper and half a flat head buried under it (and a few prawn heads).

 

I know little about what plants need, but I remember as a kid when my dad threw prawn heads all around his plants. Can anyone give me an idea of what this could do to the plants? Besides hungry animals wanting to dig it up

[UncleBully]

Hey Chooken,

 

The various fish parts, such as the bones, heads, and guts contain many beneficial nutrients. As the protein breaks down in the buried fish, vitamins, minerals, and nitrogen are released - all of that can help you attain the best growing plants. The protein helps to support root and foliage growth, as well as to promote vigorous blooms.

 

Many varieties of fish can be used - bi-catch are the more common ones. Whichever kind you choose, it is best to bury them well before planting your plants - that way the decomposing process will not be drawing nutrients from the soil at the same time the plant is trying to get the soils' nutrients.

 

Because of concern with animals digging the fish up, the ideal depth to bury them is at least 1 - 1 1/2 feet down beside or under each plant, though some gardeners have no problem with burying only 5 - 6 inches down.Sprinkling cayenne pepper around the plants will also help to discourage the animals.

 

If you enjoy fishing, freeze the parts of the fish you do not eat (scales, heads, and insides) and use those parts as fertilizer. If you wrap the fish in newspaper, the newspaper can be buried as well. The fish can be put in the ground frozen - that way they are well under the surface before thawing and releasing an odor. The fish usually breaks down within a few weeks.

 

Interestingly, there are some stories out there about other animals being used as fertilizer. People have been known to bury their pets near a prized plant or tree, and see significant growth and a greater number of blooms.

 

 

As for the prawns I suppose it helps in some way I m just unaware to what it actually does.

[Naycha]

I prepared a hole a few weeks ago for the upcoming season. At the bottom of the hole I buried a wallaby minus the skin and legs. Won't be using it until spring, but I'll let you know how it goes. I reckon it will either grow into a monster or die as soon as the roots reach the carcass.

[konflikt]

yeah mate prawn heads and other crustaceans like lobster and crab contain limestone, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium and other important minerals... so next time u have lobster mornay ask to take home the shell

[jimbojones5678]

We stick segments of sheep carcass's under out newly planted tree's - they go in wool and all, works a treat

 

Jimbo

[chooken]

Sounds like it wasn't a waste or bad then Thanks all!

Went back today and nothing had dug them up. I put up a low fence around em using fishing line and pegs which I'm hoping will stop any Echidnas and other small animals digging around em. Kangaroos will be stopped by the thick bushes around it. All seems good so far