seaweed feed ?

[kt.]

Instead of using fresh new compost in our flower tubs & containers each year (which is what I have been doing at an expensive cost),  I have heard that seaweed feed applied annually will help revitalise the compost to allow it to be re-used for another two or three years.  Any more information on this please? ???

[kt.]

[Georgie]

I'm sorry but that sounds like wishful thinking to me.  For healthy and productive plants I would always advocate using fresh potting compost every year.

G x

[Old bird]

I too would agree with Georgie.  Seaweed feed is brilliant but it is only a plant food it is unlikely to make soil/compost more fertile!  But I am not a scientist!

I use seaweed in its raw state on my beds and that is pretty good but I put it on every year along with normal compost and manure!

Old Bird
;D

[redimp]

Top dressing with seeweed powder should do the trick but I would think it will need repeating a couple of times during the season.  I would have thought chicken manure pellets would have a similar effect but might be a bit nitrogen high for flowering plants.

[Georgie]

I'm not a scientist either but it's something to do with the structure of multi purpose potting compost which makes it unsuitable for using for more than a year.  You will notice that the soil level in the pots drops over the course of the year as it 'wears out'. 

I grow perennials in pots and so I use a soil based potting compost (either bought or home made) as this maintains its structure much better.  All I need to do is replace the top inch of so each year, add slow release organic fertilizer in spring and give the plants the occasional foliar spray with seaweed solution.

G x