Shelf life of fish emulsion?

Oh, use it quickly or it will begin to smell bad!

Seriously, I've never had a problem with it 'spoiling', although an older jug may have to have a little water added to make it less gloopy.

Dave

Once opened, the bacteria in the air, and in the bottle might start to grow and break down the fish emulsion. Maybe it might stink a bit more. Organic fertilizer doesn't go bad, if anything if it's started to rot, it means it will be absorbed by the plants even faster.

Synthetic fertilizer doesn't go bad either, but it can absorb moisture, and create clumps. Just break up the clumps, and it's good to use.

Snooze

Would refrigerating or perhaps freezing the fish emulsion bottle after I open it be okay? Again, I'm thinking of ordering some online, but I'm apprehensive if the fish emulsion will go bad quickly once I open it and would like to know this before I buy and waste my money. I only have a few plants on my balcony and even 10oz. will be a lot for me.

Thanks again!

Layne

I just leave mine in the unheated storage closet that's on the balcony. If the bottle's too full, the content can leak out when it expands as it ferments more or if it freezes.

I still using my bottle and it seems to be working - it's not killing the plants, and my lemon tree usually puts out a lot of flowers just after getting a bit of the fish emulsion.

hope that helps!

Marj

It seems to have an indefinite shelf life in the bottle. I have had a bottle for years--no problems yet.

However, once it is mixed, it should be used ASAP. I find that old mixture tends to clog the sprayer more often than fresh does.

J. Del Col

Maybe I didn't explain myself clearly, let me try to tell you this in a different way.

Compost is good for plants, the best compost is well rotted, often for a year or more. During the time that the compost is rotting, bacteria, insects, mold, fungus and all kinds of microscopic creatures are eating the plants in the compost pile, and turning it into compost.

Nobody says "oh this compost has gone bad, better toss it out, and make some more", it's the same thing with fish emulsion. If it rots in the bottle, be happy that the plants will be able to use the fertilizer faster.

Snooze