[1st time veg grower]

I was given some 'organic liquid extract' on the weekend by someone at church who has had to give up their allotment due to a long-term illness. This elderly gent was telling me how wonderful the stuff is but I'm a bit confused (nothing new there ).

What's it for?  I thought from what he was saying it was a fertilizer but on the back of the bottle it seems to suggest using it in conjunction with rather than instead of other fertilizers. Then it talks about spraying plants with it?!

So what do you use it for? I hate waste and am not one to turn down a freebie, I just don't know what I'm meant to be doing with it! Was going to give some to the tomatoes today but having read the bottle now not sure if or how I should...

Advice as always gratefully received!

[whiskywill]

I believe it acts as a sort of growth stimulant and assists the plant in assimilating other minerals so does need to be used in conjuction with other fertilisers.

Calcified seaweed is used as a soil conditioner.

[Christine]

A lot of our allotment gardeners use seaweed extract (tomorite or maxicrop are other names) for things like tomatoes, courgettes and other members of the squash family. It certainly is good for these crops but it is also good for flowers in tubs and hanging baskets as well as beans of various sorts.

Does that help?

[arugula]

Well with permission obtained from the landowner to lift it, the real, fresh, solid stuff is mixed into the ground for condition and a tea can be made and used as a feed.





Edit: addition for clarity.

[1st time veg grower]

Yeah, thanks, it all helps!

So, just to clarify further, do I use it instead of 'normal' tomato or multi purpose plant food then? And is it better to spray it on or water it in?! Or does it not really matter?

There is a lot of clay around here and I have complained about the quality of the soil so its possible he had that in mind too.

[sunshineband]

If you spray it on (dilute of course) it acts as a foliar feed, and is then used quickly by the plant --- when it used, it is gone. In other words none is stored.

If you water it into the soil around the roots it takes longer to show the impact, but there is a reserve then avaialble for the plant to continue to take up over a period of time.

I hope that makes sense 

I don't use it at the same time as other feeds myself

[Johnnywesto]

The local boat club let us have the fresh-ish stuff they've scraped off the keels of their boats, etc. A few big bin liners full at a time.

I use it to drape around my spud plants once the foiliage has broken through.

Once the spuds are lifted the seaweed just gets dug in to the soil.

[mumofstig]

Some sprays are complete feeds as well as having seaweed in them eg Tomorite
Tomorite Liquid tomato fertiliser link

but others which are just seaweed, are used as growth stimulants.
maxicrop plant growth stimulant link
and you'd need to feed things like tomatoes as well.

[1st time veg grower]

If you spray it on (dilute of course) it acts as a foliar feed, and is then used quickly by the plant --- when it used, it is gone. In other words none is stored.

If you water it into the soil around the roots it takes longer to show the impact, but there is a reserve then avaialble for the plant to continue to take up over a period of time.

I hope that makes sense 

I don't use it at the same time as other feeds myself

Yes this does make sense - so say you have a plant that is looking sickly or has may be gone without being fed for a while and you want it to have a quick 'pick me up' as it were, before it could take in the feed through its roots, you could spray it so it could get the nutrients, or whatever they are, quicker.

Some sprays are complete feeds as well as having seaweed in them eg Tomorite
Tomorite Liquid tomato fertiliser link

but others which are just seaweed, are used as growth stimulants.
maxicrop plant growth stimulant link
and you'd need to feed things like tomatoes as well.

Right so I'm already using Tomorite on my tomatoes so I don't need to use the seaweed extract on them as they're already getting it. Not sure what's in the all purpose feed I've been using on the other things. The one I have been given is Vitax 'organic liquid seaweed' and interestingly has a picture of apples on the front of it!

I must have missed this before but it says on the back to spray the tomatoes with it while flowering to help fruit set...anyone know if that works? And would it work on my squash?! Might give it a go anyway!

[sunshineband]

I think you can just spray the flowers with plain water to help fruit set 

[New shoot]

I always recommend seaweed extract to customers at work as a pick me up for plants which have had a knock back, for example plants that got a jolt last winter with all the snow.  I've got a customer who has nursed an olive tree back from near death by using it as a regular foliar spray.

It works like magic at greening things up.  If someone brings a piccy of a pot bound bay tree or similar to work, my advice is repot and spray with seaweed extract.

Its not going to do any harm to use it on your toms instead of the Tomorite one week.  I wouldn't spray courgette flowers with it, but spraying the leaves can only benefit the plant 

[stompy]

I liquid feed the toms (etc) with comfrey liquid and spray the leaves once a week with Wilkinsons seaweed extract, i've used this for years now.

The leaves are always a dark green and i get almost 100% fruit set.

So, feed the roots with liquid feed and spray the leaves with seaweed extract once a week 

[1st time veg grower]

Thanks for all the advice! That's great, I think I get it a bit more now!

I liquid feed the toms (etc) with comfrey liquid and spray the leaves once a week with Wilkinsons seaweed extract, i've used this for years now.

The leaves are always a dark green and i get almost 100% fruit set.

So, feed the roots with liquid feed and spray the leaves with seaweed extract once a week 

I think this is what I will do!