Anyone ever used seaweed as manure?

**Aberdeenplotter** · 28-12-2010, 05:20 PM

Originally posted by Jono View Post

Hi all,

I manured quite heavily last year using cow's stuff. I'm thinking of putting seaweed in this year as I've read it is quite good, and I'm fortunate to live by the river so can gather plenty for free.

Has anyone else used seaweed before? How did you get on?

Cheers,

Jono.

Jono, you have me puzzled. Seaweed doesn't grow in rivers. It grows in the sea. I'm wondering what you intend hauling out of the river.

**arpoet** · 28-12-2010, 05:29 PM

I use a very expensive liquid fertalizer that is high in seaweed on the bowling greens down our sports club. It dont half green things up, but can burn the grass if not applied correctly and watered in within 24 hours. I would be inclined to put sea weed in tub of water and then use a dilute solution as a feed, then put the leftover seaweed on the compost heap. But being 100 miles from the coast i cant sea it happening.
Roger

**Jono** · 28-12-2010, 06:30 PM

Originally posted by Aberdeenplotter View Post

Jono, you have me puzzled. Seaweed doesn't grow in rivers. It grows in the sea. I'm wondering what you intend hauling out of the river.

I live by the River Crouch in Essex. It flows into the North Sea not far from me.

Trust me, I've pulled enough of the stuff in while fishing to know what it is!

**Dottie** · 28-12-2010, 07:46 PM

I've never used it as I'm inland, but I've read it's great to put on the asparagus bed, as they like the salt.

**Aberdeenplotter** · 28-12-2010, 08:51 PM

In that case if you're certain it's seaweed, get it on your compost heap and dig it into your plot by the ton. You won't even need to wash the salt off if it's in fresh water

**annacruachan** · 29-12-2010, 10:17 AM

Hi Jono.
I grow in fishboxes and tubs and use seaweed as a mulch as well as putting some in the compost bins. Greedy plants like squashes need manure, but for most regular vegetables I have found that seaweed is fine.
If you mulch your allotment in the autumn the worms will have taken most of it down by March or so and the rest rots gently on the surface or can be dug in.
I also use it to protect strawberries, squashes, beans and so on. The salt does not appear to be a problem, and your seaweed will be growing in much diluted sea water anyway. Our ancestors didn't seem to be concerned about piling the stuff on their runrigs - perhaps we get too uptight about this.

**Polly Fouracre** · 29-12-2010, 02:32 PM

I have used seaweed in the past and found it very good stuff. Too much in your potato plot, though, tends to make the spuds a bit watery.

**gojiberry** · 29-12-2010, 04:44 PM

Potato growers in Jersey use seaweed by the ton and they are supposed to be one of the best new potatoes. I have read somewhere that to be green you should only harvest seaweed from the tide line and not harvest growing seaweed. I know that after a good storm there is usually tons of the stuff on the tide line.

Ian

**hamster** · 29-12-2010, 06:57 PM

I got some off the beach last summer for the compost heap, the brown flat stuff (kelp?) the one that looks like lasagne. I only have a dalek composter and got 2 carrier bags full. Put it in the compost and within 6 weeks it had completely broken down when i turned the heap in autumn. I also use the dried seaweed from maxicrop.

I havent used any compost yet from the beach, but this years potatoes with maxicrop were really fab. I have seen a program on tv and the old boys said that seaweed was their secret for good crops.

**Nicos** · 29-12-2010, 07:04 PM

I've used unwashed seaweed on my asparagus beds.
Tis a good weed suppressant as ground cover and asparagus copes with salt. Rotted down a treat!

Is your river tidal then Jono???

**Jono** · 29-12-2010, 10:37 PM

Hi Nicos,

Yes, it is. Its essentially an estuary, but is called a river. I actually live on a peninsula, and I have the Blackwater estuary a few miles north of me. There is tons of the stuff in both.

My mum used a little bit last year in her garden, and she was over the moon with the results in the area she'd put it.

Thanks for all your responses.

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