Seaweed!

[jackyspratty]

I have 2 binbags of seaweed that was washed up on the shore yesterday. Last year I made some seaweed tea stuff, basically washed and rinsed the seaweed and then left in a dustbin with water ffor a week, then used the mix as a feed that worked well. (still have lots bottled, will it still be ok to use this year?)

Can I after rinsing and a quick soak to remove salt etc, cut up the seaweed to use as a mulch or soil improver. I have a new quarter plot (heavy clay) and want to start mulching etc.

Many thanks.xx

[jackyspratty]

after a quick google the quick answer is ...yes! Bum wish i lived neasrer the coast!

[donnakebab]

Sounds like a good plan to me. I should think the bottled stuff will be ok but if in doubt put it in the compost bin.

[Kleftiwallah]

Glab as much seaweed as you can and dig it in. Don't worry about the salt at this time of year a quick rainwill wash it out. There are oooodles of trace elements in seaweed, perfect for all veggies. Cheers, Tony.

[arpoet]

i seem to thing that seaweed is used on the early Jersey Royals as a mulch.. or maybe it french onions i was thinking about.. this old age thingie does kind of blurr the edges slightly.
Roger

[VirginVegGrower]

International Kidney Potatoes plus seaweed equals Jersey Royals.

[vivekagardens]

Seaweed is lovely but in taking it from the beach you destroy a natural habitat (ok, it's mainly flies but still part of nature's web). As such this is not a sustainable source and so incompatible with organic growing.
Seaweed meal and seaweed extract from a sustainable source (eg Chase organics farm and harvest their own, see the organic catalogue and product SM3) is considered 'acceptable but not for regular use' - a wobbly smile in Garden Organic's guidelines. Best organic practice for fertilisers are 'homegrown comfrey or nettles and other leaves used in a planting trench or as mulch'; soil improver, 'well rotted manures and bedding from herbivorous pets and livestock...'
Sorry to put a dampner on such enthusiasm, but think about it, you wouldn't go ravaging any other habitat for plant matter for the garden...

[VirginVegGrower]

I use Chase's...it's good!
Why did the lobster blush?




Because the sea weed!

[veggiechicken]

Why did the Scotsman have trouble gardening?
Because of the Wee Seed!
With apologies to my fellow Celts or anyone with a sense of humour' cos I just made that up!!

[VirginVegGrower]

Why did the Scotsman have trouble gardening?
Because of the Wee Seed!
With apologies to my fellow Celts or anyone with a sense of humour' cos I just made that up!!

I'm going to tell AP. He will throw onions down...

[veggiechicken]

I'm going to tell AP. He will throw onions down...

Excellent, mine are nearly finished!

[SarzWix]

Depends on the beach really. Where I used to live, the little doobry that came along to clear up the litter used to pick up seaweed at the same time. So better on the allotment (where flies can still find it) than in landfill

[Ananke]

Epicure + Seaweed = Ayrshire Potatoes
(so i'm told)

[di]

I was always of the understanding that you shouldn't pull living seaweed from rocks etc, but not a problem with what's laying on the beach.

Should we also feel guilty for collecting leaves for leaf mould?

[SarzWix]

Yes Di. And if we take it to its nth extreme, you should feel guilty for even cultivating your allotment, because if you left it alone, lots more things would be able to live there...