Using seaweed

[rary]

What is the best way to use seaweed in the garden, if I let it dry out, till it turns black and crumbly so that it breaks up in your hands, and then scatter it over the soil, perhaps an easier way of adding it to the soil, do I lose any minerals or nutrients compared to spreading it fresh onto the garden

[BUFFS]

I use it as a bed for my pot grown tatties to sit on, 6ins of seaweed, tattie on top, 3ins of compost on top of that,shaken to settle it in, and top up as usual, it gives you the fantastic Ayrshire tattie taste that costs loads in the shops, you can really enhance the flavour of any tattie using this system, I use it on salad blue and highland burgundy that I grow in pots and it is well worth the effort...

[bario1]

Does seaweed have a season? I went to collect some a couple of months back and there was none on the beach where I'd collected loads previously?

I just throw it down fresh as a mulch for my asparagus bed, or chuck it in the compost bin.

[BUFFS]

Does seaweed have a season? I went to collect some a couple of months back and there was none on the beach where I'd collected loads previously?

I just throw it down fresh as a mulch for my asparagus bed, or chuck it in the compost bin.

I just use it fresh, unwashed, it doesn't seem to matter and it must help having all that moisture and goodness going into the soil as it breaks down...

[rary]

Does seaweed have a season? I went to collect some a couple of months back and there was none on the beach where I'd collected loads previously?

No it doesn't have a season, if the sea has been running a bit rough there is generally seaweed left on the beach but if it's a calmer flow in and out the beach is left a lot cleaner

[happyhumph]

Going after a spring tide helps as well because the seaweed gets left at the top of the beach.

[fishpond]

Use it as a mulch as it is, or compost then use
Gold dust for trace elements alone.
The sea is a huge source of natural fertilizer.
Give it a couple of years and you will see a big difference.
It will also reduce the ever present slug/snail problem.
Just beware of Great Whites

[flynch]

Is it okay to use it unwashed? Wouldn't the salt be a problem? Or is it fine?

[forgetmenot]

You can just chuck it on as it is. Last year my squash and courgettes loved it. Put down a layer approx 2 inch thick, put in the plants and covered with compost on top. Jobs a good un!

[rary]

It will also reduce the ever present slug/snail problem.
Just beware of Great Whites

I hope you don't mean slugs

[It never rains..it pours]

Making raised bed, top 6" is good now, drains well etc, after adding compost, sharp sand and manure. Have now decided to improve the next 6 inches of potting clay, so having scrapped off the top 6" wondering how much seaweed I can add to it ?
At present have added one heaped and chopped (find shears cut it in no time and lot easier to dig in chopped) wheel barrow per squaree metre. Will also be adding manure but not compost as that is in short supply

[BUFFS]

Use it as a mulch as it is, or compost then use
Gold dust for trace elements alone.
The sea is a huge source of natural fertilizer.
Give it a couple of years and you will see a big difference.
It will also reduce the ever present slug/snail problem.
Just beware of Great Whites

is that Great White Slugs????????