[Ropster]

I have treated myself to a big bottle of maxicrop seaweed growth stimulant
in the instructions it says use as a root drench but im not altogether sure what it is on about
does it just mean water the plants with it?

[mumofstig]

Yes it just means watering the earth (round but not on the plant) but making sure you water enough to soak the roots, not just wet the surface.
You can also make a solution of it up, and dip the roots into it of any plants that you are transplanting

[sunshineband]

Yes that is what it means  

As opposed to foliar feed I presume  

[Ropster]

Great, Thanks

Has anyone used this, does it make a difference? hope so it wasn't cheep

[sunshineband]

My dad used it for years, and swore that was why his veg were so tasty 

Also used it on the roses too

[JayG]

My dad used it for years, and swore that was why his veg were so tasty 

Also used it on the roses too

So what did the roses taste like? 

[mumofstig]

No No No Jay  

I used it for my veg during the first year when the soil was very poor and think it helped.
I didn't use it after that as the soil was very much improved.
So I think it helps with difficult situations, but wouldn't normally use it, because of the expense.

[sunshineband]

Delish  

Mum used to make rose petal jam from the red ones  

[JayG]

Good answer Sunshineband (and I deserved it!)

Just thinking about the seaweed extract; we've had a few posts in the last few months about the value of seaweed as a fertilizer (and also the legality or otherwise of collecting it from the beach)

Is it possible to make your own equivalent of "Maxicrop seaweed growth stimulant" using a similar method to comfrey "tea"?

[sunshineband]

Good answer Sunshineband (and I deserved it!)

Just thinking about the seaweed extract; we've had a few posts in the last few months about the value of seaweed as a fertilizer (and also the legality or otherwise of collected it from the beach)

Is it possible to make your own equivalent of "Maxicrop seaweed growth stimulant" using a similar method to comfrey "tea"?

Yes you can., but it it smells dreadful.

Years 'n years ago I worked in a pharmacology department and seaweed nutrient extraction was my speciality. Strange but true 

[mumofstig]

It is extremely smelly!!  
The 'old boys' used to brew it in dustbins on my old allotments on the north coast of kent. They said it stopped the slugs as well, presumably through the salt content.
They never washed it or anything just threw a couple of bags full into a binfull of water...when it was smelly they used it

[JayG]

So does the pong rule it out? (comfrey tea doesn't exactly smell sweet!). Is it any good?

Not likely to be of much benefit to me (although it would add extra interest to the occasional trip to the coast!) but have family in Hastings who might be interested.

[sunshineband]

No the pong doesn't rule it out as long as you don't have it actually in a small garden.

BUT do remember that washing the salt off first using a hosepipe ideally will save a salt build up in the soil. Unless you are growing beetroot or seakale in that bit of course 

Mind you, as MoS said, in the old days no-one bothered and all seemed well

[Christine]

I've read somewhere that seaweed extract helps to provide some of the trace elements that are either missing or very depleted on some soils.

[BostonInbred]

They havent gotten to the bottom of why seaweed extract works so well, but the current thinking is that its to do with growing in sea water - theres all sorts of stuff in seawater in traces that the kelp concentrates.