Topic: RE: Seaweed

[David P]

hello all, I have been told that using seaweed on my plot would be good for the soil and for breaking up the clay soil.

What do i have to do to get the most out of the seaweed.....?

Dave P

[Susiebelle]

David sorry I can't help, but I am sure someone be along soon that can, however would it be worth posting this question under Basics not quite sure but it doesn't seem to sit easily under top tips.

[tim]

http://www.thisisjersey.com/code/showarticle.pl?ArticleID=000462

[beckydore]

When we were kids visiting my Gran in Falmouth, we used to fill up our buckets with seaweed for her to put on the garden. I have a feeling that you are not supposed to collect things like this off the beach anymore (alongside  bags of pebbles / driftwood etc).

[jesssands]

mum was saying today actually, that this was on the radio....
 get half a bucket of seaweed and fill the rest with water, leave for 3 weeks and pour off the liquid and water it into the garden.
As for not being able to take it from the beach, the village council here, take it in the trailer and dump it in the far corner of the park, where no one goes. Now wether they use it for garden purposes when it rots down a bit or wether its just to clear the beach for holiday season I don't know. If I see them I'll ask and post back again.

Sandra x

[beckydore]

That sounds  a bit like I was told to do with nettles.

[Barnowl]

Pretty sure you  can put it straight on to an asparagus bed - they like a bit of salt.

Otherwise here's a quote for  you:

'Seaweed is a good supply of potash (K). It might be best to leave it standing on a hard surface on a rainy day to dissolve the salt. Then, put small layers in the compost heap or bury it beneath your potatoes or tomatoes.'

[Old bird]

Hi David

I am always going on about seaweed - yes it is brilliant in many ways.  I collect bagfuls from the beach every year.  This time of year i collect fertilizer sackfuls and just put it directly on dug beds - just plonk!  Then it will dry out a bit and decompose and become much smaller with the elements!  When you are ready to use the bed you may find that the seaweed is dry and crackly  then I chop it up into smaller pieces and just turn it in (not dig - just turn!)  Also when it is dry you will find that it can be quite sharp and the slugs don't like walking over it!!

With Potatoes I plant the potatoes with a bed of seaweed in the hole (wet seaweed is ok!) and then another layer of seaweed over and then earth as usual.

This seems to help with putting the nutrients within the seaweed into the potatoes and also slugs don't like the taste of the seaweed (which I don't wash the salt off!)

I use seaweed as a mulch just thickly around the raspberries etc.  and lastly I use the seaweed in a large water butt just chuck a fertilizer sackful and water!

Sometimes it can get a little strong so just add extra water in the can and dilute it a bit.

It is one of the best activators also on the compost heap so load some in there also.

The only thing I don't do with seaweed is eat the stuff!!

It is magnificient stuff -

Good luck with it!

Old Bird

 ;D

[tonybloke]

I live quite near to the factory where they make the concentrated seaweed liquid, by a process similar to a coffee percolator. the 'grounds' are seen as a problem to get rid of, a few local gardeners collect and use tons of the stuff! I put a 2" layer on my autumn raspberry bed today.

[jesssands]

hey "oldbird" we even eat the stuff here! (Laver)
pick it off the rocks, wash endlessly, boil it up in a cup full of vinegar and simmer real low for about 4 hours. Cant beat it with a fried breakfast!

[telboy]

Laverbread - yes!
The Welsh as I understand, wrap it around bacon for breakfast, and why not?
I eat it once, but being so far from the coast, I have little chance of using seaweed for my plot or otherwise - but i wish!

[jennym]

Think telboy has hit it on the head when he makes the comment about being so far from the coast. You would need an awful lot of seaweed to improve a clay soil, and if you aren't very close to a supply then it would be a very expensive way to improve your soil.
Any organic matter dug in would help on heavy clay - mine's been improved over the years by digging in weeds, green manures, kitchen compost and plenty of horse muck.

[tilts]

During Spring tides i can't even get out of one of the gates from the allotment because the tide is so high!  I use seaweed, however, i always pull it to the shore and leave it for a while to enable all the little bugs/crabs to travel back to the sea before collecting it, I don't want to make anyone homeless!

[Rohaise]

I agree with the Old Bird.....and I just spread it about the surface ,where it dries ,crisp and crackles up ,releasing the valuable minerals .  Just be careful of old fishing line and hooks that are sometimes tangled up in it .    Let the worms work it in !    Rohaise 

[Old bird]

Hey Jessands!

You are just up the road from me!  I wouldn't know what this lava stuff looks like!

I think you are closer to open sea than we are in Minehead!  I am always a little dubious of Hinkley Point - which I think is now closed but I still don't trust the place!

Maybe I will come down your way and have a look sometime!

Old Bird

 ;D