seaweed

[BillBarnes]

i have just rented my first allotment.  I have no access to manure but an abundant supply of seaweed from the beach.  How good is is, what is it best for and how do I use it?  Or of course, is it no good at all?

[BillBarnes]

[kt.]

Seaweed has much the same elements as farmyard manure - plus other goodies such s vitamins, carbs, plant hormones. It can be used fresh and is an excellent addition to the compost heap. You can collect it from the shore or sea if you find it loose, but not if its growing on the rocks. Old seaweed that has dried behind the tideline is too salty to use.

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you can get a trailer onto the beach, wait till after a storm and hopefully you'll find masses washed up. That's the stuff to go for.

[supersprout]

When I lived in Folkestone, I bagged up seaweed for my chums' asparagus :) apparently they like the salt :o

[tim]

http://www.societe-jersiaise.org/langsec/vraic.html

[cornykev]

 :)   No donkeys on the beach Billbarnes. ?   ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[BillBarnes]

:)   No donkeys on the beach Billbarnes. ?   ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

unfortunately not but I'll be in Blackpool next week

[manicscousers]

is there any seaweed in blackpool ?  ;D

[delboy]

Tim
You have amazed me AGAIN!
please tell me you googled that article...or, better still, don't..

[tim]

Just that we used to 'grow' there before WWII & always used 'rack'.

[louise stella]

In the Channel Islands it is still widely used (stinks like hell when they spread it!!!).  Each farmer has closely protected rights to collect from certain beaches!  It is great for spuds!  But they use it on everything - it is a soil conditioner as well as a fertilizer. 

It is also widely used in Ireland - particularly on the west coast where soil is thin and poor - some soils are more seaweed than soil - especially on the outlying islands!

Think I might go and get me some - but isn't there laws about collecting from the beach - or is it fair game if it's been washed up?   

Louise

[Merry Tiller]

You can't harvest the live stuff but anything washed up on the beach is free to all, so long as it's not a private beach