Using scraps for Growing tomatoes

9 years ago

Somebody mentioned using fish type bone meal for the tomato plants. I have a query could one use the actual fish bones that you would get from a real fish? For example the bone that comes with salmon steaks? Or what about the bones that come in the cans of the sockeye salmon?? Can you use those as well for your tomato plants?

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digdirt2

9 years ago

Agree with Linda. The bones are excellent addition to the compost pile where they will break down fairly quickly as in 3-4 months. But just buried directly in the soil they may provide some nutrient benefits the following year but not this season.

Bone meal as a supplement has already been steamed under high pressure and pulverized so its benefits are more immediate assuming there is an active soil web of bacteria to digest it.

Dave

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Comments (6)

Labradors
9 years ago
You can, but they would take a long time to break down in the soil, so bones might be better off left in the composter. Canned salmon bones, wouldn't take so long to break down as they are soft, so you could use them (if you cannot bear to eat them as a good source of calcium!) Some people bury a whole fish in the planting hole as it doesn't take all that long for the flesh to decompose.

Linda
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gorbelly
9 years ago
In addition to the good comments from Dave and Linda, remember that fish bones left around will attract vermin, and animals like skunks, racoons, and rats will also go after your tomatoes if you attract them with fish bones. So either compost or wait until you can bury them deeply enough that it won't attract critters. As said already, if you bury directly in the soil, those nutrients won't become available for a while, but if you're not in a hurry, it's not a "wrong" thing to do. Composting is more efficient, but the same caveat re: critters applies, so put it deep down in the compost pile.
Karen F
Original Author
9 years ago
Okay thanks for the heads up on it. What about clementine peels can you use them for the roses like that of orange peels?
stevie
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
you're better off trying to get/use whole fish. then mash them a bit and throw them in a bucket with water and let them sit for a month or so, you'll have some fish emulsion with a good amount of nitrogen in it.

making an organic fertilizer is very easy and not limited to just fish.
heck, i made fertilizer out of a $3 bag of rabbit food when that is all i had (primary ingredient in most rabbit good is Alfalfa grass). Alfalfa is another excellent fertilizer to use to feed plants with.

p.s. roses love Alfalfa too and it's cheap (if you buy the non fertilizer branded Alfalfa)
it's basically the same thing, recently bought a 40lb bag of horse feed for $20 which is 100% alfalfa vs paying $15 at the garden center for 5lb bag. it's even easier to spread because it's pellets vs the meal/powder.
digdirt2
9 years ago
"What about clementine peels can you use them for the roses like that of orange peels?"

A better question might be, "Why would anyone want to use orange peels for their roses?" What is it supposed to accomplish?

The Roses forum here may have the answer to your question but it sounds like one of the many weird garden myths one sees floating around on the internet.

Dave