[argonaut]

Often see mentioned the benefits of seaweed as powder feed, or liquid.

I live right on coast ... and have access to as much seaweed as I want ........ what should I do with it ??

# Do I just compost it

# Do I dump some in a butt of water and then use thew water as a feed ... if so how much, and how long do I leave it soak ?

# just dig it in during end of season ?

[mumofstig]

If you use the search for 'seaweed' you get lots of posts about it.

here's one of the many
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=75238.0

Please note that there is much debate about the legality of taking seaweed from the beach, so it is best to ask permission first.

[argonaut]

I will work on pricipal it's washed up above high water line and fair game .... if I ask they may say no   :-)

[mumofstig]

You have been warned, what you do is up to you, but the Forum cannot be seen to encourage such actions.

[8doubles]

I would have thought that washed up weed on an open beach will be ok to take as long as it is not for commercial gain or from a SSSI.

Be very careful collecting the weed as it may contain nasties such as discarded syringes which frequently get washed up with it.

[solway cropper]

You have been warned, what you do is up to you, but the Forum cannot be seen to encourage such actions.

I'm curious about this. Answering a question or having a debate is not the same as encouraging anything, be it legal or not.

In some areas it is an offence to remove seaweed and there is some debate about  the environmental consequences of cutting live seaweed. Good grief, Jersey Royals taste the way they do because of the seaweed that has been put on the land for generations.

I've been using seaweed for years, both as a liquid feed and as an ingredient in the compost. I'm currently experimenting with drying it thoroughly and crushing it to a powder to use direct as a base dressing. Go for it, I say.

[Ice]

If a moderator posts a warning they do it for a very good reason.  That reason is not up for debate.  If you have a problem with that take it up with the moderator by pm or contact admin as per site policy.  Or me if you like.

[stompy]

if I ask they may say no  

That they may, so that will mean that you can't collect it.
Ignorance is no excuse.

Go for it, I say

I don't think telling someone to go for it, when there is evidence from others that states most times you need pemision to do something is good advice really, do you?

And if argonaut does go for it and gets prossicuted would you pay the fine solway cropper?

[JayG]

The laws governing seashore harvesting are not dissimilar from those concerned with home-brewed pesticides in that they are not easy to understand, are unpopular, and are probably widely ignored.

I'm sure the authorities are aware of this and would rather not get involved in prosecutions unless pushed into it.

One way of doing that would be if the sleeping dog was given a big kick and started barking very loudly, and one of the ways to do that would be to openly encourage such illegal activities on public forums such as this one, so please, get smart, (and also give the mods a break on these issues.)

[bigben]

The RHS site gives some info on how to use seaweed but does echo what the mods are saying about legality.
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=301

[Goosegirl]

Above high water line does not necessarily mean that the land is not owned by someone. Where I live about half a mile from the sea, I have the farmer's permission to gather seawed above high water line as it is on their land.

[arugula]

I have similar permission here, but it does not apply in most cases.

[argonaut]

I have lived on the coast all my life, if I fish it I don't ask permission, if I collect drift wood, or whatever I don't ask .... if I chose to go boating or swimming I don't ask .... the sea &  the beaches should not belong to an individual.

I work very much on principle that we live on an island and the public should have access and use of the products of the sea ... far to many people are happy to accept that huge tracts of land are owned by someone just because his G.G.G.G.granfather raped robbed and pillaged to take the land.

I will collect a few bags of seaweed and try it out ......... I would find it an interesting case if the owner of the beach tried to take action on someone collecting seaweed for non-commercial use.

Where would you stop .... would you search kids in case they picked up a shell, or arrest anyone with sand in their shoes   


Obviously if I turned up with a tractor & trailer that would be different.



Now a tech question ... does anyone lknow if anyone type of seweed is best for the garden ?

My beaches have lots of bladder wrack  egg wrack & spiral wrack   and some sugar kelp.

[Ice]

So despite numerous warnings about the legality of your actions you continue to argue the toss.  I'm going to lock this thread until I am a little less annoyed.