Maxicrop Seaweed and Lakefish Fertilizer
Answered by: Conrad Richter
Question from: Sandra Johnson
Posted on: March 27, 2002

I am a certified organic grower from Manitoba and need information on your Maxicrop seaweed and Lakefish fertilizer. I order to meet our local certification board’s approval of my inputs, I need to know the source of ingredients for these two products. Please send me this information as soon as possible.

As I have used the seaweed and am very pleased with the results I wish to continue its use. Any other information for other products that would meet organic certification would also be helpful.

Maxicrop seaweed is probably the best known and oldest established seaweed product available. It is made entirely from Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed from Norway – nothing else. Extensive research has shown that it stimulates plant growth by supplying trace minerals and natural plant hormones called kinetins. It increased root zone biomass by as much as 60% which increases yields and resistance to stress. There is no question that this product qualifies as an organic input.

Lakefish fertilizer is made with fresh water fish products that are digested into an emulsion form. In an emulsion form it can be applied as a liquid feed which makes it ideal for feeding herbs growing in containers. We understand from the manufacturer that phosphoric acid is used to digest the bone fragments in fish products. To mask the fish odour, fragrance is added, but we do not know specifically what the fragrance is. Apart from the phosphoric acid and the fragrance, we expect that nutrients are added to bring the N-P-K analysis up to 6-6-6, but we do not know what form that supplementation is. Typically, pure digested fish products analyze at something like 6-2-2, so we suspect that the potash (the third number) that would have to be added. Meanwhile the phosphoric acid digestion process probably brings the phosphate (the second number) up. Fish products are rich in nitrogen so it is unlikely that any additional nitrogen would be added.

We are requesting information about Lakefish from the manufacturer. We will update our catalogue when we have the information. But it is highly likely that Lakefish fertilizer will not qualify as an organic input, even though its base is organic.

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