Why Use Fish Fertilizer
Using fresh fish fertilizer to rejuvenate the soil and increase crop yields isn’t new; in fact, organic farming has rediscovered it. The earliest instance dates back to ancient Egypt when farmers used fish to provide fertility to their crops. When settlers from Europe first arrived in North America they discovered the indigenous population placing whole fish in the soil and then planted their crops over top. It was only since the middle of the 20th century that the rise of artificial fertilizers can to prominence, but as the ecological movement of the late 20th century began to take root and spread, the benefits of using this old form of soil and plant rejuvenation started to come back.
Fish fertilizers provide an excellent source of nutrition for plants and the soil. When fish fertilizers are used, the plant receives a controlled level of nitrogen, a vital element necessary for the production of chlorophyll and maintaining the health of the plant. Too much nitrogen, which can be a side effect of chemical fertilizers, can overwhelm the plant and cause it to be more vulnerable to weather fluctuations, insects and diseases. It is well known that synthetic nitrogen fertilizers ‘volatilize’ into the atmosphere, not only being lost to plant availability, but contributing to greenhouse gases. Runoff of excess synthetic fertilizers to the water table, aquifers, streams, rivers and our oceans are other negative side effects.
Another major benefit of using a fish fertilizer is improving a healthy food source that stimulates microorganisms that exist in the soil. Some forms of commonly found soil microbes also synthesize nitrogen (e.g. nitrifying bacteria). When fed ‘good food’, they increase in numbers and produce more available organic nitrogen for roots to uptake and naturally feed the plant. An active soil ecosystem will improve the vitality of the crop and increase production of new soil by a factor of six.
Today there are many different kinds of fish fertilizers produced a number of ways. At Great Pacific BioProducts we believe that the method we use to create our Pacific Natural ® fertilizer produces a superior result for our customers. To start with we only use fresh fish in our process. This is supplied year-round through our exclusive relationship with two major nearby B.C.-based fish processing companies.
Great Pacific BioProducts uses a hydrolysis process where enzymes break down the fresh fish organic material into a liquid. Fish emulsions produced by a high heat and evaporation process causes the amino acids in proteins to lose their potency and become less effective for supplying nutrients. The hydrolysis process we employ allows for a greater amount of the fish’s proteins, vitamins and nutrients to be retained and transferred to the crop and soil base. We do not remove the natural oils found in fish, which are commonly removed in the rendering of fish products resulting in fish emulsion products. Our method also makes it easier and quicker for the nutrients to be absorbed by the plant more rapidly, usually within 24-48 hours. As a side benefit the fertilizer also continues to work effectively when colder temperatures closer to the freezing mark are expected.
Even in a soil that’s already highly fertile it’s been shown that the addition of a fish fertilizer will increase crop growth and microbial activity. Great Pacific BioProducts strongly believes in the positive impact of using this natural product. We also believe that by using only fresh fish and our hydrolysis process to lock in the higher nutritional components, Pacific Natural ® is the perfect choice for your needs.
An excellent resource document on using fish fertilizers can be found by clicking on the document below:
Harris Ranch-Napa Valley - Organic Liquid Fish Manual |
