seaweed

[nemo]

i have been transforming a wet wild area of our gaden the last uncultivated area it is covered with rushes so i got a local man to turn the soil upside down with his digger which left me with clean soil to work with.i have been using seaweed for years and i think the crops i get are as a result of using seaweed.with the bare soil i made up ridges(lazy beds) and covered them in well rotted manure and this was in turn covered with a good layer of seaweed.the seaweed will prevent nuitrents and soil being washed away by rain.it also prevents weeds from growing in the new beds because a thick layer of seaweed prevents light from reaching the soil.in my brassica patch i use seaweed to mulch around the plants as the seaweed rotts it will give off boron this helps to produce good heads of cabbage kale calabrese and brocoli .
but its the rubarb patch and fruit bushes that seaweed make growing these crops very easy the rhubarb crowns are surrounded with seaweed all year round our soft fruit bushes get the same treatment.by using seaweed this prevents me from weeding and feeding both crops the seaweed does it all prevernts weeds and feds the plants.in our polly tunnel all bare soil is covered with seaweed i admit the smell can be strong at times but its a natural smell.over the years i have found making compost using seaweed and news paper is quick and easy they both rot down fast.we make liquid feed with seaweed.this year as an experiment i soaked seeds in a seaweed solition before sowing and i have found out when i pre soak seeds in seaweed solution i get a better germination rate.by now you have found out that i am passionate about seaweed.I NEVER HARVEST SEAWEED FROM ROCKS ETC,I ONLY COLLECT SEAWEED THAT GETS WASHED UP ON THE SHORE WITH OUR LITTLE TRACTOR THE STORMS USALLY SUPPLY PLENTY SEAWEED FOR OUR GARDEN. so go on and give it a go and see the many benifets for your self.you can also buy seaweed meal and seaweed dust and liquid feed from companys like fruit hill farm in bantry(www.fruithillfarm.com )

[MrsL]

I remember spending hours with my father on the shore in Scotland, gathering seaweed into plastic sacks for hsi garden; he swore by it for his potatoes.
I remember the smell..........

[nemo]

Companys which markets seaweed products smell free i don't use them as i am living within 2000 meters from the sea shore.they might be of some use to you maybe
http://www.arramara.ie/arramara/Main/Home.htm
(www.fruithillfarm.com )
regards
nemo

[MrsL]

I don't buy things like that for the garden, but will take a look anyway - I like to knwo what's about etc. I think I'm more able to put up with smells ownow, at my age than I was back then!

[Bren]

Nemo lucky you living so near the sea and all that seaweed for free,as a child we gathered seaweed for our potato patch, I love the smell of anything to do with the sea, but alas I'm living too far away from it these days.
Bren

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Bren, with global warming and the talk of rising sea levels, who knows, your childhood memories might be relived.

[Bren]

OH. not much chance of that at least not in my life time, living in Birmingham I couldn't be further from the sea, I was born and reared on top of a cliff top with the waves lashing the rocks on one side and corncrakes in the meadow on the other side of he road. I have a tape of Sea Moods which I often play and listen to.
Bren

[Mike Vogel]

The only thing that gets washed up in Bedford by storms is litter and plastic shopping bags. I envy you your location, nemo; I just have to make do with our comfrey and nettles.

[larrylove]

Forgive my ignorance,newbie!,but do you have to rinse off the salt first? I was thinking of lining my potato trench with it.

[alan refail]

Hi Larry

It certainly can't be used fresh and salty. It need to be washed (hosepipe or rain) and composted for a few weeks. The link below seems to contain all you need to know...

http://193.62.154.38/celtica/manureb.htm

[Johnboy]

Hi Alan,
I certainly agree with you about weathering seaweed prior to use but in the website you quote it says quite clearly that it used to be used fresh from the seashore! A certain amount of salt in the soil is acceptable but not a prolonged period of spreading year on year.
The trouble is where do you wash the salt off without leaving a heavy residue somewhere?
JB.

[nemo]

we get plenty rain in Ireland and you do too to wash off the salt.its not necessary to wash of the salt it can be used straight from the sea shore for out door use we leave it outside the tunnel for a few days before bringing it into the poly tunnel .i would only wash off the salt when i am making the liquid seaweed feed.others wise its a waste of water and time to wash off the salt from seaweed before using it outdoor.most shop bought liquid feeds contain a certain amount of salt.fresh seaweed is put on the potato patch fresh from the sea shore every year without problems.its all people had in years gone by to help grow there crops.most crops will thrive when seaweed is used.i know there is salt in fresh seaweed but we have been surrounding strawberry's and other soft fruit with a good layer of fresh seaweed for years without ill effect.for outdoor crops don't waste valuable water to remove salt the rain will do it naturally.if we lived in a very dry climate it would be a very different story the natural rainfall wouldn't be enough to remove some of the salt

[skinny_bum]

Hi I have just read the post and it all sound really good, I live near the sea, and work just across the road from the beach, wish it was palm beach, but alas it is just a stoney heaven!

Anyway having never used seaweed before and not knowing much about it at all, I didnt even realise that you could use the stuff straight off the beach! thought that it was something special that the shops sold Saying that I assum that I can use any seaweed that is washed up & I am not looking for a particular sort?? as would like to have a go at using it on everything but mainly my spuds, I have a massive header tank container to put my spuds in this year, so how do I use the seaweed, do I slice it up and mix it with the soil in the container, do I just line the container with it, or lay it on top, once they are all earthed up ?

When you put the seaweed on the ground, & you water, doesnt the water just run off, or does the weed soak it up and then pass the water through? I have a south facing garden, have 6 water butts and try never to use tap water, 1) its a waste and 2) I am on a water meter and dont like to spend money so if this helps on water retention, rock on. I would like to know if anyone else has used seaweed and what they use it on, what sort of tips for use they have, such as making up the tonic etc.
Skinny

[Kleftiwallah]

Nemo, thanks for the info, but that is a big block of text. Could you break it up into paragraphs? Makes the reading a lot easier.

We are off to see my Brother in Law and his family for the day as they are on holiday on the South coast. Taking my small white van and some refuse sacks and hope the sea with provide, We are in the middle of Wiltshire so it is a long drag just to discover there is no seaweed on the bit of coast you have chosen to visit! Thanks for the link to that page. Cheers, Tony.