I just discovered this centuries-old technique that uses fish heads in the garden, and I can't wait to try it
But, while this centuries-old hack may be familiar to some, I've only just heard of it. At first, I didn't know how I felt about the idea of burying fish heads in my yard. Would it not attract pests, or create a nasty smell? But after doing a bit of research, it makes a lot of sense. This is a gardening hack I'm going to have to try myself.
So, once you've grilled those sardines and snappers on one of the best outdoor grills and enjoyed a delicious fish supper, here's why adding fish heads to your soil is one of the easiest ways of giving your plants a boost.
Apart from being nutritious for us to eat, fish make surprisingly good fertilizer and can benefit your plants.
It's a tradition that goes back to Native American growers, who used the "Three Sisters Method" of growing plants in a symbiotic relationship.
They planted corn, pole beans, and squash together, in a manner that we would refer to as companion planting.
Fish were placed under the plants to add nutrients to the soil, and they would decompose over time, feeding the crop until harvest.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
I'm British, so while this technique may be familiar to some readers, it's new to me.
Fish fertilizer is rich in nutrients and includes nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, along with other micronutrients. It helps to improve the soil's structure, enhance water retention, and improve aeration.
It's also an eco-friendly and organic option that uses a product that would otherwise end up in your garbage bin. Plus, it's an easy way to make homemade fertilizer, without spending out.
Rather than placing fertilizer on top of your soil, the benefit of planting fish below the ground is that the nutrients released are deposited directly within the soil and the roots, where all the action happens. What's more, digging deep disguises the smell that would otherwise attract unwanted pests.
Fish fertilizer is known to work particularly well for tomato plants, with one Reddit user excitedly saying, 'Whoa — our plants are way bigger so far this year compared to last year.'
He shares a photo that shows a small tomato plant in the foreground, which didn't have a fish head planted below, unlike the larger surrounding plants.
So, if you fancy giving this fish fertilizer hack a go, you could start by burying the remaining fish from your supper underneath your tomato plants. The phosphorus alone in the fish will boost root and stalk development.
These garden gloves are made of nylon and nitrile and come in three sizes — small, medium and large. They offer excellent non-slip properties, are comfortable around the wrist, breathable and machine washable. At Tom's Guide, we recommend them as the best overall gardening glove.
Plants with a deep root system will benefit the most, and apart from tomatoes, citrus, and other fruit trees, will appreciate a fishy treat. Although one user on the Tropical Fruit Forum recommends burying the fish remains at least a foot deep, where dogs and other mammals are unlikely to dig them up.
Although, of course, if you don't fancy burying the remains of your fish supper underground, you could always use an off-the-shelf organic fish fertilizer, such as Neptune's Harvest Fish Fertilizer, $39 at Amazon.
Despite this garden tip having lots of benefits, would you be up for planting fish heads in your soil? Well, you might be surprised at the benefits that these nutritious 'leftovers' can bring to your garden.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
22 Married Folks Who Gave Up Major Things In Their Relationships, And Yearn For Their Wild, Single Days
Reddit user Dramiotic asked the married people of the community: "What do you miss about being single?" Welp, married folks went RIGHT into it, and weren't afraid to admit what they miss about "being free" and the dating world. So, here are some small but pretty huge things married people miss about being single: 1."Autonomy — plain and simple. I don't feel like I have any control over my life or true ownership of anything in my life. I feel like I have to ask permission to do anything, and none of my opinions on how something should be done or how something should look matter. If it wasn't for the kids, I'd be gone in a heartbeat. Sometimes, I even contemplate just playing along nicely until they are out on their own, and at least having my 50s and 60s to myself." —u/Wise_Nectarine_3568 2."The lack of responsibility and obligations. I literally used to pack my bags and leave to live and work in a few different countries just because I felt like experiencing the culture. Now, I feel like I have to be careful and stick with my family. I enjoy my family life, but I want to go adventuring again and explore." —u/mrinkyface 3."The rush of 'firsts' — that first date rush/nervous feeling. Holding hands for the first time, first kisses, the first time having sex with someone. You get a ton of firsts in marriage, too, that make it all worth it, but those are the ones you'll miss from being single." —u/DavidJMeowthews41 "Yesssss. This is so hard for some people to understand — it's not that I don't want to be in a relationship. It's just the feeling of firsts is the greatest. Those little adrenaline rushes you get are the best, and cannot be compared to anything else." —u/Chasing-Amy 4."Not ever having to be accountable for random stuff I do around my own house. It's not like my spouse particularly cares what I do in that sense, but I'd rather no one know I got up at 3 a.m. and was eating ice cream or whatever else." —u/sexrockandroll 5."Being able to come home from work and not speak a single word." —u/Dull-Pickle4040 "No, but for real — my husband and I go out of our way to not be in the kitchen when the other one comes home. Something about arriving home to immediate conversation feels like bombardment." —u/squeakymayotoes 6."Freedom and friends. I feel a 'requirement' to spend most (if not all) of my time at home with my wife and daughter. And it's probably the right thing to do, but I miss being able to just leave and go hang out with friends all the time. Now, I'm lucky if I hang out with a friend once a month. I think my average is once every two months, if not more — it's pretty sad. Also, if you wanna bring your wife and daughter to something, it's not the same. I would be too worried thinking about if my wife is thinking I'm not giving her enough attention, watching our kid, and if my kid is being too annoying around my friends." —u/Yakkamota 7."Being on my own time. I wouldn't trade my wife for anything, but having to share a vehicle means neither one of us is ever on our own time. Everything is a scheduling conflict and compromise. It's definitely a first-world problem, but I do miss doing whatever I wanted whenever I wanted." —u/Letter10 8."Having alone time. Like, holy hell, dude: I just want one weekend to be the disgusting, vile, wine-loving bitch that I am." —u/bennygal16 9."Deciding on what to have for dinner without a second opinion. Most of the time, it's not an issue — we have similar tastes. But occasionally we are craving different flavors." —u/SelfDerecatingTumor 10."Having a shitload of money usable for any purpose *I* want." —u/ProbablyABore 11."Now it's not all about me, so there are days when I have to do things I don't want. There are some days when I will stand my ground, but somehow it doesn't feel totally right. Before, for example, I could go out or not, and nobody cared." —u/oo-----D 12."I miss not having someone worried about me. Where I am, where I'm going, and when I'll be back. Ironically, that's why I like being married." —u/_joeBone_ 13."Knowing exactly what to expect when I put the key in the door after work. Marriage is awesome, but there are some days in my life where a period of nothing is a good thing." —u/P4S5B60 14."I miss shopping for groceries for just myself. I also miss having snacks last for more than one day — they never last anymore." —u/Chlovir 15."Not compromising about anything. It gets exhausting to compromise on your end, and then I feel guilty if he compromises on his end. Decision making is also a lot easier on your own." —u/Low_Departure_5853 16."Talking to other women. I don't even have to date them, but just open conversations where I don't have to think about if what I'm saying may come off as flirting or not. Just being myself and getting to know new women." —u/Letitbe8522 17."Spending my money however I want. My wife is amazing and never asks me for anything, not even what I'm spending my money on. But I feel really bad to spend 1/4 of my salary on a new video game or half of it on a smartwatch when I have a house and a family to take care of." —u/ImSynnx 18."Peace and quiet — I need quiet time. My wife and kids need radios, TVs, and phones on high volume at all times. They all talk loud, stomp around like a herd of rhinos, and slam doors." —u/Worried-Mulberry-968 19."Making a mistake and thinking: 'I won't do that again.' Then it's over, and I go about my day. Now, if I make a mistake, I hear about the mistake and how it affects us, and what I need to do in the future for an hour. Then periodically I'll be reminded of it for the next week." —u/pyroguy174 20."Having to share everything. Being the youngest kid growing up, I always had to share everything I had. Most of my clothes were hand-me-downs. If we got junk food, then I usually had to share it with my older sister. And we did it without much fuss, as we knew it was a treat every so often. Then I got married — he is a great guy, but has a habit of not asking if something is his or not. So any leftovers I have in the fridge, he will eat, and they have to be very clearly labeled as mine to avoid this." —u/shadow-foxe 21."Sleeping alone. I need my sleep, and my husband tosses and turns to the point where he pulls the pillows I'm sleeping on out from underneath my head. I like the blankets to be straightened out, and sometimes he moves around so much that I wake up with no blankets on. I know he is doing this stuff in his sleep and not doing it intentionally, but I'm lucky if I can get one or two nights sleeping through the night without being woken up by his restless sleeping." —u/whydoihave2dothis finally, "The lack of anxiety around making decisions. I will make weekend plans around what I want to do. I will cook what I want to eat. I will select decorations that please me. I will stay up as late as I want and take showers as long as I want. I will dance around and sing loudly and have my music on. I will have no music and absolute silence. I will starfish on the bed or burrito in the blankets. All my choices will be for *my* happiness, but right now, my choices can/do influence someone else's happiness." —u/somewhenimpossible Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity. Solve the daily Crossword
Buzz Feed
an hour ago
- Buzz Feed
21 Random Things That Didn't Exist A Few Decades Ago
Recently, Reddit user friendlylobotomist took to the popular "Ask Old People" subreddit to ask, "What is something young people don't realize didn't exist when you were younger?" The answers were pretty fun to read, so I decided to share some of the best. Enjoy! "Rolling luggage." "Bottled water." "Remote control for the TV." "Scanners at the grocery store." "Windows that you had to roll down in the we had two keys, one for the trunk and one to put in the ignition." "Cupholders in cars. You drank your coffee at home, at work, or in coffee shops. Also, people just didn't walk around with food and drink all day." "Having more than one car. When Dad drove to work, we stayed home all day." "ATMs. We used to have to plan ahead and go to the bank during business hours. If you forgot to get cash before the weekend, you were pretty much screwed until Monday. Also, VCRs. If you missed the show when it aired, you had to wait for the summer reruns." "Color TV." "Up until the mid-1990s, most grocery stores didn't accept credit or debit cards. Cash and checks only. I remember the controversy when one big chain (QFC, now a part of Kroger) announced they'd accept cards. People worried that folks would go broke running up unaffordable credit card bills by putting grocery purchases on them." "Inexpensive calculators." "The vaccines for measles, mumps, chicken pox, and rubella did not exist when I was a kid. Hence, I and most of my compatriots got all of those. Some kids got two diseases simultaneously." "Air conditioning in vehicles (otherwise known as windows). Starbucks or similar coffee places. Girls' sports in high schools." "Backpacks for school kids. We just carried our books in our arms, really!" "I remember when the house phone got the long cord on it. You could suddenly walk more than two steps away from where it was attached to the wall in the kitchen. So much freedom!" "I still remember the first time I read about this newfangled adhesive device with the weird name of Velcro." "Direct deposit. Back in the day, everyone got paid by paper check on Friday, and it needed to be cashed at a bank. Imagine all the people in line at the same time on Friday — it could very easily be an hour to get your check cashed!!!" "Disposable diapers." "Gas pumps that were able to charge more than 99 cents a gallon. Who the hell thought gasoline would ever be more than a dollar a gallon?!" "Sunscreen. Unleaded gas. HIV. The TSA. Bruce Willis with hair." And finally: "My wife teaches second grade. They absolutely didn't believe Sesame Street existed in the '70s, because 'there was no internet,' so there was no video. So then they were sure the internet was around in the '70s!" Anything I missed? Feel free to reminisce or share your own examples in the comments below! Or, if you want to write in but prefer to stay anonymous, you can check out this anonymous form. Who knows — your answer could be included in a future BuzzFeed article. Please note: some comments have been edited for length and/or clarity.
National Geographic
an hour ago
- National Geographic
Charles Lindbergh was a Nazi puppet—and his famous flight was overrated. Here's why.
Charles Lindbergh standing in front of his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, which he used on his transatlantic flight. Photograph by Bridgeman Images The aviator was so impressed by German propaganda that he grossly overestimated Hitler's airpower. I have to declare a personal stake that shapes my opinion as I write this story. It has its origins in 1940, 85 years ago this month. I was seven years old, living near London. I watched the choreography of a great battle underway, etched in vapor trails high above in the crisp blue sky of summer, the combat that became known as the Battle of Britain. I wasn't scared. I watched with the detached excitement of a child unaware of how perilous those days were for us. That understanding would come later, from my work as a journalist, spending years discovering how closely fought that famous victory was. Had that battle been lost it is doubtful that Britain, then alone as most of Western Europe fell to Hitler, could have survived, as it did, until Pearl Harbor made American intervention inevitable. As things have turned out, one of my most unsettling discoveries has been that a man long hailed as an American legend, Charles Lindbergh, worked avidly with the Germans to undermine the chances of a British victory. Much has long been known about Lindbergh's alliance with American fascists between 1939 and 1941, and particularly his speech in Des Moines, Iowa in September 1941, in which he blamed three groups—the Roosevelt administration, the British and the Jews—for pressing the nation to confront Hitler. Much less known is the role Lindbergh played in England during the 1930s as Hitler's useful idiot, spreading the idea that Nazi Germany had become an invincible air power. The first Nazi to spot and exploit Lindbergh as an effective agent of German disinformation was Hermann Goering, Hitler's deputy and head of his air force, the Luftwaffe. Goering recognized that Lindbergh's celebrity gave him oracular authority on aviation—whether justified or not. Portrait of Charles Lindbergh Photograph by The Stapleton Collection, Bridgeman Images A decade after Lindbergh's epic solo flight across the Atlantic, on October 16, 1937, the Nazis made their master move, allowing him into their secret test field at Rechlin, near the Baltic coast. Virtually all the Luftwaffe's future aircraft were revealed to him. Credulous and convinced that no other European power rivaled Germany in the air, Lindbergh thereafter became a powerful influence on the 'peace at any price' factions in Britain and France. Lindbergh had no background in military aviation, but when he spoke on the subject of anything with wings, a lot of important people listened. There were numerous reports of Lindbergh pressing his views on leading European politicians, some of whom found them unnerving and demoralizing. For example, the British military attaché in Paris, seeing how rattled the French were by Lindbergh's assessments, reported to London, '…the Fuhrer found a most convenient ambassador in Colonel Lindbergh.' Limited Time: Bonus Issue Offer Subscribe now and gift up to 4 bonus issues—starting at $34/year. Lindbergh's impact in Britain was equally effective. In a single meeting he could turn a stern patriot into an abject appeaser. In 1938 a highly influential Tory, Thomas Jones, noted in his diary that before listening to Lindbergh he had been for standing up against Hitler but: 'Since my talk with Lindbergh I've sided with those working for peace at any cost in humiliation, because of the picture of our relative unpreparedness in the air…' (How the Battle of Britain changed the war—and the world—forever) Lindbergh also had a willing ear in the American ambassador in London, Joseph Kennedy. In 1938 he told Kennedy that Germany was then able to produce 20,000 military airplanes a year and gave a dark prediction of likely British defeat in the air. (In October 1938 Goering, on behalf of Hitler, awarded Lindbergh the Service Cross of the German Eagle.) In fact, Lindbergh's numbers were absurdly inflated. They were, literally, being used by the Nazis as a force multiplier. Moreover, Lindbergh's propaganda had masked a systemic weakness in the organization of German aircraft production. It was far from being a model of Teutonic efficiency. Production was dispersed among many manufacturers competing for resources and slowed by supply chain bottlenecks. In contrast, British aircraft production was far more rigorously directed and resourced from a central command. Charles Lindbergh receiving the Service Cross of the German Eagle from Hermann Goering on behalf of Adolf Hitler Photograph by SZ Photo/Scherl, Bridgeman Images More crucially, Lindbergh had no inkling of a game-changing technical leap in the deployment of air power that the British pioneered, the world's most advanced radar-based early warning system. Incoming waves of bombers could be pinpointed and tracked before they reached the British coast. Their size, direction and altitude were precisely plotted on a map in a central operations room, enabling the Royal Air Force (R.A.F) to deploy its precious hundreds of advanced fighters and pilots sparingly in the most efficient and deadly way. Britain's 'finest hour' At the outbreak of war, in September 1939, Germany did have a clear lead in numbers: 2,893 available front-line airplanes versus 1,600 in Britain. But by July, 1940, when the Battle of Britain began, the difference had narrowed. Britain had 644 front-line fighters to 725 German (with their time over England critically limited by fuel). By the end of September, when the RAF's famous victory was achieved, they had 732 fighters available while the Luftwaffe was reduced to 438. Weeks before the battle in the air began, Britain's expeditionary army in France had been nearly wiped out, saved only by the evacuation at Dunkirk. Few foresaw that its air force, the most scientifically advanced of its forces, was actually capable of saving the day. But—a point mostly overlooked by historians—Prime Minister Winston Churchill, fighting off a last-ditch resistance by appeasers, made his confidence in the R.A.F's strengths the bulwark of his case for carrying on the war. (Searching for the remains of two early transatlantic pilots) This is testament to Churchill's remarkable openness, at the age of 65, to technical transformation: As a young man he had served in the army, and had then twice served as First Lord of the Admiralty, in 1911 and 1939, running the Royal Navy. But, as much as he loved Britain's imperial-scale navy, he understood in 1940, ahead of many others, that the island nation's last line of defense was now in the air. On June 18, 1940, in one of his greatest speeches, Churchill warned, 'The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us…if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age.' Yet, if Britain prevailed, the world would say, 'This was their finest hour.' The battle engaged remarkably low numbers of men in combat, only a few hundred on each side, almost like medieval knights, each alone in a cockpit. When it was over, Churchill made the indelible tribute to his airmen: 'Never in the history of human conflict have so many owed so much to so few.' Victory in the air ended any chance of Hitler carrying out Operation Sea Lion, his planned invasion of Britain. And it finally laid bare the pernicious extent of the disinformation spread by Lindbergh—swallowed whole by many, including Ambassador Kennedy. Even then, Kennedy, a hardened isolationist, had learned nothing. Unmoved by the victory, he said, 'The British have had it. They can't stop the Germans and the best thing for them is to learn to live with them.' (Charles Lindbergh's wife was a record-breaking aviator in her own right) It's important to note that Lindbergh's crossing of the Atlantic in 1927 was an act of superb airmanship—particularly of navigation—but it did nothing to advance the science of aviation. His airplane, the Spirit of St. Louis, was a one-off bespoke model built for only one purpose: for one man to safely cross the Atlantic. It was not in any way a precursor. The science necessary to carry passengers safely across any ocean was an American achievement, developed mainly in a wind tunnel at Caltech in California, where two companies, Boeing and Douglas, created the first twin-engine all-metal airliners. In fact, the need for a larger, twin-engine airplane to cross oceans was foretold by two British military aviators, Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown, who were the first to actually fly across the Atlantic, 1,890 miles, from Newfoundland to Ireland, in 1919, in a converted World War I bomber. They landed, unheralded, in a field and came to rest, nose down, in a bog, not like Lindbergh on a floodlit runway with the whole world listening on radio. As a result, to this day few people realize who was first. It will fall to President Donald Trump to decide how the nation will mark the centennial of Lindbergh's 1927 flight from Long Island, New York, to Paris. This will confront America with a challenging moral judgment: Can a legendary human endeavor ever be celebrated if the 'hero' turns out to have been so deeply flawed?
