There are numerous safer ways to fertilize your plants. Below is a list of some of the best fertilizer you can use.

Coffee or tea grounds. These are some of the best fertilizers that you can get, at very low cost. Most folks drink either coffee or tea, so when your done, use the grounds to fertilize your plants. An added benefit is that earthworms love these also, and spreading them in your garden will help attract them, and keep them in the garden.

Crushed eggshells. Crushed Eggshells put calcium back into the soil, which is very important for vegetables such as tomato's. When you plant your tomato's, make sure to dump a handful of crushed eggshells into the hole before planting. You can also scatter them on top of the soil, which helps feed your friendly earthworms again, and, as an added benefit, it helps get rid of snails.

Compost. Many people don't have room for a compost pile in their yard. No worries. You can take a barrel and make one, or, you can buy small compost barrels from various companies. You can also take a 5 gallon bucket, with a lid and use it for composting. When you put kitchen scraps in the bucket, make sure to put some leaves, grass clippings, etc... in it also, or you'll just have a slimy mess for several weeks. Do NOT put citrus fruit in the compost, the acid will kill your earthworms and other beneficial critters that help break down the compost.

Earthworm poop. Another excellent compost. If you have a way to raise earthworms, you can make earthworm tea, and use the earthworm poop, called castings in your garden and houseplants.

I will be adding other fertilizing options later, as I think of them.

There is a very simple solution to this problem.

Take some wood ashes, from a fire, or some crushed charcoal, dig a hole for the fish remnants, and dump at least enough wood ashes, or crushed charcoal in to fill the hole at least halfway. Dump in the fish guts, etc.... making sure that they sink into the ash and are totally covered.

Then fill the hole up with the dirt you dug up. Tamp it down, and spread more ashes or charcoal over the top of the hole and around the plants.

The ashes and charcoal neutralize the smell, and are also good fertilizers in themselves.

I use this method of fertilizing whenever I can get the ingredients. You'll be surprised at the results. Do this once in the spring and again in the fall.

During the spring and summer, you can spread the ashes around your plants every month and it will help with nitrogen, potassium, and a few other natural chemicals for your plants.

NOTE: Do NOT use ashes or charcoal from treated wood, or wood that has been coated with paint, varnish, shellac, etc... as these chemicals will harm your plants, and can harm you when you eat plants that have absorbed them.

Those peanut shells that folks throw away are another excellent fertilizing medium. Instead of throwing them in the trash, throw them in your garden, around your vegetables, around your flowers, your rose bushes, even around your trees. They will thank you for it....

Make a spray using epsom salts. Mix 1 teaspoon of epsom salts with 4 cups of warm water, stir until dissolved, then spray on plants about once a month.

This can be used on any plant, not just the ones I mentioned. Epsom salts also give onions and garlic a stronger, better flavor.

Try to spray the plants in the late afternoon, or early evening so that they can absorb the solution overnight. If you spray during the day, make sure it is early morning, so that the solution has a chance to be absorbed, and dry before it gets too hot during the day, otherwise it could scorch the leaves a bit.