Alternative to fish emulsion?

[JulieTA]

Can anyone recommend a good alternative green fertilizer for tomato and pepper seedlings? I've been using diluted fish emulsion, but half of my inventory is now sharing garage space with our two cats...and I fear what might happen if I use fish emulsion in there! Any recommendations, please????

Thanks so much!

Julie

[bohica]

If you are looking for an organic source of nitrogen, bloodmeal is the most organic form of nitrogen.
Soluble Kelp also contains small amounts of Nitrogen, normally in the 1-1-14 ish area, and seedlings and mature plants absolutely love kelp, they respond well to the nutrients and the fact that it contains natural growth hormones.
if you need more help feel free to email or message me.

[mjc]

Bloodmeal will have the same problems as fish emulsion...it is a critter attractant.

[bohica]

We've actually used bloodmeal as a critter deterrant, animals smell blood from another animal and tend to keep away, it could be just a coincedence, but as long as I keep a perimeter with bloodmeal, I find that the groundhogs and deer stay away.

[habitat_gardener]

Originally Posted by bohica

We've actually used bloodmeal as a critter deterrant, animals smell blood from another animal and tend to keep away, it could be just a coincedence, but as long as I keep a perimeter with bloodmeal, I find that the groundhogs and deer stay away.

It would keep me away, too. But cats aren't vegan and would probably want to investigate.

One of the local gardeners who's vegetarian and won't use products that come from killed animals recommends bat guano -- but that might attract cats as well. I know the dogs used to dig up alfalfa meal when the neighbor's gardener put it under her roses, so they made a "tea" with alfalfa and a bunch of other ingredients instead.

[mjc]

Cats, dogs, raccoons and a few others WILL be attracted by bloodmeal...rabbits and other leaf munchers will not be.

[mdvpc]

I have used bio-bizz and bio-grow and they are organic and good. Virtually no odor.

[dice]

Liquid worm castings would be a possibility. Pre-diluted,
it is kind of pricy for large numbers of seedlings, but you
could probably make your own with worm castings and a
blender. I would not worry much about exact proportions,
just mix it down until it is thin enough to be soaked up
from the bottom of seed cells or pots without clogging
them.

[JulieTA]

Thanks, everyone...I'll look and see what I can find based on your recommendations! I appreciate the help!

Julie

[mdvpc]

None of us mentioned a very diluted compost tea, but I have used that on seedlings also.

[dice]

I have used my "herb tea for plants", too: a tablespoon of kelp
meal, a tablespoon of alfalfa meal, a tablespoon of dried
comfrey leaf, a tablespoon of dried nettles, a tablespoon of
dried chickweed, all in a quart jar of hot water soaked
overnight, then strained and used to water seedlings. The only
issue is that it takes quite a few quart jars to water a lot of
seedlings. I would usually save the strained part and soak it
again, up to twice, and add that to the tea from the first soak,
then use that. Sometimes I add a teaspoon of molasses to the
final result (potassium, etc) just before using it.

Feel free to vary the ingredients. Those were just what I had on
hand (some people use only comfrey, only alfalfa, or only kelp
meal the same way). The effect is not instantaneous, because
the water soluble forms of nutrients in these plants may need
to be processed by soil microbes before they are in forms that
the plant can absorb.

I have also watered them with pureed clover from out in the
yard. (Put a handful of fresh clover in a blender, fill with water,
run the blender until the stuff is "liquified clover".) Same
caveats apply (microbes need to break it down before the plants
can use the nutrients).

[feldon30]

Cats love to eat tomato plants, so you are going to have to protect your seedlings.

[JulieTA]

feldon, I've been lucky so far...they've been all sharing space for more than a week, and the cats haven't touched anything--yet! (Crossing fingers...)

[creister]

Put some catnip and tuna fish on the opposite side of the garage from the plants, and maybe they won't go near them.

[jackdaniel]

Isn't it true that tomato plant leaves are poisonous? Wouldn't dogs/cats get sick from eating the leaves?