If you're looking for an excellent, earth-friendly natural fertilizer, one of the oldest and most effective fertilizers in the world is fish meal. If you remember your American History, you will recall that Squanto taught the Pilgrims how to plant corn using fish as a fertilizer. Without those vital nutrients that the fish supplied to their corn, who knows if any of us would even be here today!

Made from surplus fish, inedible by humans, fish meal is made by pressing the fish to remove the fish oil. It is then dried and made into a fine powder. What's left is a natural, high-protein fertilizer that can be used in your garden. Easily digested by bacteria in the soil, allows it to be quick acting, giving your plants what they need right away.

Fish meal is an organic fertilizer high in nutrients, amino acids and vitamins. (Because of its high nutritional value, it is also used in animal feed.) Full of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium, three necessary macronutrients, fish meal is especially helpful for nitrogen hungry fruits and vegetables.

Used to increase root and leaf growth and improve soil structure, fish meal is a great way to fertilize without the use of chemicals. As you already know, when you add chemicals to your soil and plants, you not only deplete your soil of its nutrients but you can also pollute nearby water sources. Plus, when you use fish meal instead of chemical fertilizers, you don't have to worry about your fruits and vegetables containing harmful chemicals when you bring them into your kitchen. (You also don't have to worry about harming your pets or grandchildren when they are out roaming about.)

Use fish meal to condition the soil in the early spring. Unlike chemical fertilizers, fish meal fertilizers release nutrients slowly in to the soil over a month or two. This ensures that your plants and soils remain free of nitrogen burn which usually happens if released too quickly in the soil.

Of course, when using fish meal, handle with care. As you can imagine, it has a strong potent smell. Therefore, instead of scattering it on top, mix it in with the soil. I know some gardeners who dig 5-10 inch holes around their plants, deposit the fish meal, and then cover with soil. If you feel up to it, try using both techniques in your garden, evaluate the results and use whatever works best for you and your plants.