Anyone know the NPK of sardines?

[Phillybonker]

The only source I can find on the internet for the NPK of sardines claims these have an NPK of 8-7-0. So no potassium in sardines then?

 

[Roy Growin]

Hi PB - I love a weird question!
Dunno the answer, but fish mix is mostly N but that may just be the meat - the K in bones must be present in the whole fish, and where does a fish get P from? Its blood?
Like I said, buggered if I know but happy growin

 

[Phillybonker]

where does a fish get P from? Its blood?

In my country they sell fish bone meal and fish meal separately (these are not sardines though). The fish bone meal has an NPK of 4 - 12.75 - 0.03 and the fish meal has a NPK of 11 - 3.8 - 0.56. so it seems the P mostly comes from the bones I guess.

 

[Roy Growin]

In my country they sell fish bone meal and fish meal separately (these are not sardines though). The fish bone meal has an NPK of 4 - 12.75 - 0.03 and the fish meal has a NPK of 11 - 3.8 - 0.56. so it seems the P mostly comes from the bones I guess.

I use Canna Coco and never have to think about it
Hope you work it out

 

[Jvernice]

It can be calculated. Look up sardines in the USDA nutrient database. Google it. It doesn’t directly give N in the form that you want, but it can be calculated from the data. It contains 24.6% protein and most protein contains about 16% N. So sardines contain about 4% N. The phosphorus concentration is 490mg/100 grams and the K is 397mg/100grams. Remember mg are 1/1,000 of a gram. Therefore the K and P are negligible. So sardines are essentially 4-0-0

 

[Phillybonker]

It can be calculated. Look up sardines in the USDA nutrient database. Google it. It doesn’t directly give N in the form that you want, but it can be calculated from the data. It contains 24.6% protein and most protein contains about 16% N. So sardines contain about 4% N. The phosphorus concentration is 490mg/100 grams and the K is 397mg/100grams. Remember mg are 1/1,000 of a gram. Therefore the K and P are negligible. So sardines are essentially 4-0-0

The USDA nutrient database has apparently been unavailable since 2019 but I've verified those numbers you used to calculate the NPK else where.

I'm glad you did the math for me I wouldn't have been able to work that out. And very clever idea on finding the NPK percentages.

Thanks for the help

 

[Jvernice]

It can be calculated. Look up sardines in the USDA nutrient database. Google it. It doesn’t directly give N in the form that you want, but it can be calculated from the data. It contains 24.6% protein and most protein contains about 16% N. So sardines contain about 4% N. The phosphorus concentration is 490mg/100 grams and the K is 397mg/100grams. Remember mg are 1/1,000 of a gram. Therefore the K and P are negligible. So sardines are essentially 4-0-0

The USDA nutrient database has apparently been unavailable since 2019 but I've verified those numbers you used to calculate the NPK else where.

I'm glad you did the math for me I wouldn't have been able to work that out. And very clever idea on finding the NPK percentages.

Thanks for the help

Actually, the USDA database is available. It is a public database. You can download it into a database application or use the search tool on the website. Use the following link (FoodData Central). By the way, I only used the calculation for sardines, NOT THE BONES. The bones will contain phosphorus, but almost no potassium.

 

[Phillybonker]

Actually, the USDA database is available. It is a public database. You can download it into a database application or use the search tool on the website. Use the following link (FoodData Central). By the way, I only used the calculation for sardines, NOT THE BONES. The bones will contain phosphorus, but almost no potassium.

Accessed it now, I was trying to look at it on my phone and I got confused by the website layout.

Good point about the bones but it looks like you did calculate it with the bones as the P and K is the same amount you used in your calculation. Sardines with bones > FoodData Central

​

 

[cbdhemp808]

Philly, are you going to make a ferment? or compost them??

 

[Phillybonker]

Philly, are you going to make a ferment? or compost them??

I'm going to grind the sardines up in a meat grinder to break them down faster then add that direct to the ground soil four weeks before transplanting.

 

[Jvernice]

I'm going to grind the sardines up in a meat grinder to break them down faster then add that direct to the ground soil four weeks before transplanting.

I hope it’s an outdoor grow. It’s going to smell pretty bad. Lol

 

[Phillybonker]

I hope it’s an outdoor grow. It’s going to smell pretty bad. Lol

It is indeed an outdoor grow. I'll be burying it reasonably deep to avoid the rodents sniffing it out.

 

[cbdhemp808]

I'm going to grind the sardines up in a meat grinder to break them down faster then add that direct to the ground soil four weeks before transplanting.

It would probably be a good idea to throw the fish in with some living compost, to provide microbes to break it down. Also some water.

 

[Phillybonker]

It would probably be a good idea to throw the fish in with some living compost, to provide microbes to break it down. Also some water.

Yep one of my grow spots definitely needs compost, I haven't inspected the soil quality of my other new spots yet.

 

[Pat Puffer]

That sounds more like a hydrosylate than an emulsion. Potassium won't be rich but there nonetheless. 2-4-1 on Neptune's and I used to use one (forgot name) that boasted 2-3-2. It couldn't hurt for sure. Add in molasses to boost micros as well.

 

[Jaz]

I'm going to grind the sardines up in a meat grinder to break them down faster then add that direct to the ground soil four weeks before transplanting.

Why not compost them first then add that compost to the top of your soil?

By putting them raw into the hole you're going to transplant into, if it hasn't broken down, you risk the soil being too hot when you place your plants into it.

j

 

[Phillybonker]

Why not compost them first then add that compost to the top of your soil?

That would be the preferred option now that you mention it.

By putting them raw into the hole you're going to transplant into, if it hasn't broken down, you risk the soil being too hot when you place your plants into it.

j

Hopefully four weeks is long enough, I won't be transplanting directly over the top of the grounded up sardines if that's what your visualizing, more like the sardine mush will be added to the outer layers of two meter diameter holes.

 

[Phytoplankton]

I'm going to grind the sardines up in a meat grinder to break them down faster then add that direct to the ground soil four weeks before transplanting.

Just remember, if you’re planting in wild land, that will undoubtably attract critters, hopefully they don’t dig up the plant looking for food.

 

[Phillybonker]

Just remember, if you’re planting in wild land, that will undoubtably attract critters, hopefully they don’t dig up the plant looking for food.

The only pest that will be interested in the sardines where I'm at are rats but they shouldn't bother my plants too much.

 

[Jaz]

The only pest that will be interested in the sardines where I'm at are rats but they shouldn't bother my plants too much.

Rats and mice are known to ruin all sorts of crops. Even if they don't consume the fruits, they gnaw on the woody stalks to help shave down their rapidly growing teeth.
You don't want them sniffing out the sardines then hanging around expecting food to arrive, when they get bored, they'll start gnawing.

j