My Garden

Seaweed makes plants healthier.

Last post 19-04-2008 11:23 PM by Ariadne. 53 replies.

• 02/04/2008 09:43 PM
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact I've read claims that feeding plants with seaweed extract can help them cope better against pests and disease. I know it contains some nutrients and these would help any plant deficient in them, but is there more to it than that?    Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 02/04/2008 10:58 PM

  In reply to

  bogweevil Location: Joined on: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 2,043

  Reply | Contact Some manufacturers claim that their seaweed preparations contain cytokinins, a kind of plant hormone that suppresses senescence and boosts growth.  I have not seen this proven independently so have to remain rather sceptical. It is certain that seaweed contains some nutrients but as the manufacturers often omit an analysis one has to suspect that there is not very much and that there are cheaper ways and more effective ways of feeding your plants. However, seaweed has one major advantage  - it is not a byproduct of animal husbandry or the slaughterhouse or a chemical factory and is therefore ideal for vegetarian organic gardeners who are unable to make sufficient compost.  Boggy         Beware the bat-eared bogweevil

• 02/04/2008 10:59 PM	In reply to
  Anemone Location: County Down, Northern Ireland Joined on: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 575	Reply | Contact Is seaweed good for adding to a compost heap?  I'm near the coast and would gather some if it would be good. Anemone

• 02/04/2008 11:26 PM	In reply to
  bogweevil Location: Joined on: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 2,043	Reply | Contact It most certainly is and no need to worry about the salt apparently - we thrashed this one thoroughly a while back: http://mygarden.rhs.org.uk/forums/p/15065/15065.aspx#15065   Boggy     Beware the bat-eared bogweevil

• 03/04/2008 12:06 AM

  In reply to

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743

  Reply | Contact maxi crop is a liquid seaweed that is diluted and watered onto crops ,but it really humdings badly,Anemone how will you cart the seaweed from the beach? do you have a pony and trap or a horse? or does your neighbour have a horse or pony for you to borrow? or will you have to carry it all yourself? It will probably humding for ages maybe you will have to trench it into the ground? one of the well known gardens in Cornwall uses seaweed straight from the beech but I don't use it, if you are near the coast you should be able to grow good beetroot they like salt,and if the sea weed is salty the slugs won't like it digger

• 03/04/2008 07:38 AM

  In reply to

  Anemone Location: County Down, Northern Ireland Joined on: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 575

  Reply | Contact Thanks or the link Bogweevil. digger, I'll have to do it the environmently unfriendly way of driving there, loading up a few old compost sacks, slinging them in the boot and driving home.  I don't have any access to live horsepower unfortunately.  I will try composting some but also the idea of spreading it onto the beds as a mulch in Autumn to rot down over winter.  It would keep the weeds down if nothing else. Anemone Anemone

• 03/04/2008 05:18 PM

  In reply to

  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347

  Reply | Contact I collect mine on my pushbike - so that's a million points to me!!! I put it on the compost heap. I like to think it helps it rot down more quickly, but as I only bother collecting it in the summer, the warm weather is probably what makes the most difference. I haven't noticed any bad smell, but I only get a small amount at a time and mix it in with other things. I've heard that it can be used 'fresh' and that unlike other things it doesn't impoverish the soil while it rots down.  Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 03/04/2008 06:24 PM	In reply to
  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 1,104	Reply | Contact Can it be ANY type of seaweed? I'm on the beach most days, and am now keen to explore using this 'free' added ingredient for the compost heap, plus I've noted Diggers point about the beetroot - only planted the seeds yesterday so would like to give it a go!

• 03/04/2008 06:32 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact Hi susiq lucky you being near the beach, i'll bet you find loads of interesting stuff on there. I suppose any seaweed will do, apparently beetroot love the salt, but if you want them for the showbench don't let them get any bigger than a tennis ball. Have you ever found anything interesting or valuable? I found a piece of rope once at St. Annes digger

• 03/04/2008 07:06 PM	In reply to
  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 1,104	Reply | Contact yeah - I've found a few rocks!!! Not the sort I'd wear tho'.........

• 05/04/2008 11:53 AM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact I've read a few references to seaweed - none of them mentioned a particular type, so I suppose they're all good. I hadn't thought about slugs not liking the salt. That alone is a good reasone to get some. I'm off to the beach ...    Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 07/04/2008 08:40 PM

  In reply to

  bogweevil Location: Joined on: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 2,043

  Reply | Contact Here is the analysis from oneof the few seaweed fertiliser manufacturers to publish this data - as you can see it contains very little nutrient value.  You can understand the reticence of most suppliers to publish:   Nitrogen 0.05% Phosphate (P2O5) 0.08% Potash (K2O) 0.20% Aqua regia calcium 0.56% Aqua regia magnesium 1.04% Aqua regia sodium 7.45% Aqua regia zinc 142 mg/kgDM Aqua regia copper 9.38 mg/kgDM Aqua regia iron 476 mg/kgDM Aqua regia manganese 42.13 mg/kgDM Aqua regia sulphur 21900 mg/kgDM Boron 363 mg/kgDM Boggy         Beware the bat-eared bogweevil

• 07/04/2008 08:57 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact Hmmm, see what you mean. Compared with growmore or tomato feed, it doesn't look very impressive. D'you know how Aqua regia calcium etc differs from ordinary calcium? Maybe that's what gives it it's special seaweedy goodness? Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 07/04/2008 09:42 PM	In reply to
  bogweevil Location: Joined on: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 2,043	Reply | Contact Aqua Regia is a mixture of Nitric and Sulphuric Acid  - you can tell what my favourite subject was at school - and I believe this refers to the way calcium is extracted from the seaweed sample analysed.  With luck an analytic chemist will read this and give a better answer.  Boggy   . Beware the bat-eared bogweevil

• 07/04/2008 09:47 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact So what is the difference between seaweed "meal" and "calcified" seaweed,other than one is calcified, which has more nutrients? digger