[dmg]

i have been able to collect some seaweed (both fresh and the dried stuff above hide tide), only a plastic bag full. what is the best crop to use it on and what preparation is needed for it. I have already planted my spuds and onions. I have the brassicas, peas courgettes and swetcorn still to plant.


thanks
DMG

[Trillium]

Almost any veg appreciates a dose of seaweed. You could make it into seaweed 'tea' and side dress your crops so everything gets a good boost.

[lochnesslass]

if making seaweed tea how often would you water/feed with it? once a week?

[Trillium]

Once a week would be adequate since you don't want to overfeed and cause lots of leaf growth at the expense of the veg itself. For beets, swedes and turnips, I'd feed them every 2 weeks unless you're mostly after leaves for salads.

[Esplanade]

This is a fascinating subject and one that has been mentioned quite a few times on the forum.

the legalities of collecting seaweed are well covered and as long as permission is sought and granted - there will be no problem, as long as it is for personal use. This is mentioned in the thread http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=86170.15

We too, took the precaution of contacting the authorities - the council - who were to be quite honest, a little surprised that anyone was asking.

We live on the NE (UK) coast and we do get a lot of seaweed washed up. During the course of a couple of weeks this is pulverised against the shore. It is, quite literally, possible to collect wheelbarrows of the stuff. At certain times, it piles up so high that it becomes a health risk and the council have to bring in contractors to move it a km down the beach away from the seafront.

Anyway I digress. All of our gardening is at present done in pots.. a lot of pots. We regularly collect seaweed now and use it to bulk up compost. At the start of the growing season, we collect pieces of 1-2 inches long, this is really easy to find and it only takes a few minutes to collect as much as we can carry. We lightly rinse it and remake all of our compost and add a little FBB too. The compost is beautiful throughout the whole summer and very rich, well aerated and full of worms despite being next to the sea. 

I guess that we introduce approx 15% by volume each spring. It is thoroughly mixed and there is no smell whatsoever.

We have the happiest dahlias, fuschias, etc, etc and veg (lettuce, pakchoi, etc) grows very happily in it.  We've just lifted all of our bulbs out of the pots for the summer and we have 25% more each year.. all very happy with hyacinth bulbs the size of turnips!! 

We think that it's one of the most under-rated soil conditioners. We wouldnt put it knee-deep on an allotment plot for example because it would not rot down properly for a while and be a little bit smelly, but with a little care and consideration for other people, it is a winner! definitely a great 'no-dig' component

I'd be ever so interested in hearing from other people who have used the raw stuff in this way.

[arugula]

I'd be ever so interested in hearing from other people who have used the raw stuff in this way.

With permission to gather, we make a tea out of it and have added it to the compost bins in the past. We've also considered putting it straight on the soil over winter, but as you say, it is likely to get smelly  :blink: so maybe its just as well we haven't tried that yet.

[Kirpi]

Again, with permission, I have gathered storm seaweed by the binbag and use it layered in the compost bins where it rots down cleanly and adds to the mineral value of the compost.

I used to layer (lasagne beds) seaweed straight onto the growng beds but it makes it difficult to plant anything in - you cant get enough soil around the roots - and certainly is a problem sowing direct.

I have returned to composting materials until they are brown and well broken down and then layer this on top of the beds where the worms drag it in.

[love-my-plot]

Well, I buy the packets of dried seaweed sheets from T*s*o, tear them up about 3 sheets at a time, and put them into a 2Ltr milk carton. Fill with water and leave till it stinks (smells like any other garden "tea". I then dilute, prob 1 part tea to 10 parts water and use that as a feed.
It's really boosted all my veg, especially the squash & beans. I feed once a fortnight at the moment, will up that when fruit sets for the squash.

Been using it as a foliar feed on raspberries too, and they;re also doing extra well this year. I saw it on you tube a couple of years ago and decided T*sc* was
handier than the beach 
Also does away with the "Is it legal" malarky.
I wasnt sure how effective it would be but for £2 ish, thought I might as well try it and it's as good as any other liquid feed I've tried. It stinks of fish food when you open the packet!
Edit to add pic.