I live near the sea and was wondering about the benefits of seaweed as a
compost in the very poor soil of my garden. If I wash it well to reduce the
salt content, will it be OK to use straight on and in the soil?

Vicky

Seaweed is one of the finest additions available. There is no need to wash
it or even to use as compost. Simply dig it directly into the ground. We
used to be able to purchase it [subsidised] in large quantities and crops
were excellent.
Best Wishes.
"Vicky" wrote in message
...
I live near the sea and was wondering about the benefits of seaweed as a
compost in the very poor soil of my garden. If I wash it well to reduce
the
salt content, will it be OK to use straight on and in the soil?

Vicky

The message
from "Vicky" contains these words:

I live near the sea and was wondering about the benefits of seaweed as a
compost in the very poor soil of my garden. If I wash it well to reduce the
salt content, will it be OK to use straight on and in the soil?

Yes, but it is much better composted with other matter, and the results
are quicker.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

I agree I had a friend who used a lot of it in his vegetable garden he
collected it straight from the sea and dug it in..not sure if he composted
it first but I'm sure he didnt wash it.

--
Tumbleweed

Remove my socks for email address
"Brian" wrote in message
...
Seaweed is one of the finest additions available. There is no need to wash
it or even to use as compost. Simply dig it directly into the ground. We
used to be able to purchase it [subsidised] in large quantities and crops
were excellent.
Best Wishes.
"Vicky" wrote in message
...
I live near the sea and was wondering about the benefits of seaweed as a
compost in the very poor soil of my garden. If I wash it well to reduce
the
salt content, will it be OK to use straight on and in the soil?

Vicky

Vicky wrote:
: I live near the sea and was wondering about the benefits of seaweed
: as a compost in the very poor soil of my garden. If I wash it well
: to reduce the salt content, will it be OK to use straight on and in
: the soil?
:
: Vicky

Yes I used it like that and it has a bonus of stopping slugs for a while

Vicky14/4/04 10:47

I live near the sea and was wondering about the benefits of seaweed as a
compost in the very poor soil of my garden. If I wash it well to reduce the
salt content, will it be OK to use straight on and in the soil?

Vicky

Farmers in Jersey used it for centuries on their fields - until nitrates
made their lives easier. ;-(
Some do use it still and there is no need to rinse it. After autumnal
storms, gather up whatever you need and dig it straight into your soil or
just lay it on top. Worms and weathering will do the rest throughout the
winter. It gives a wonderful flavour to potatoes, BTW!
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)

Sacha wrote in message . co.uk...
Vicky14/4/04 10:47

I live near the sea and was wondering about the benefits of seaweed as a
compost in the very poor soil of my garden. If I wash it well to reduce the
salt content, will it be OK to use straight on and in the soil?

Vicky

Farmers in Jersey used it for centuries on their fields - until nitrates
made their lives easier. ;-(
Some do use it still and there is no need to rinse it. After autumnal
storms, gather up whatever you need and dig it straight into your soil or
just lay it on top. Worms and weathering will do the rest throughout the
winter. It gives a wonderful flavour to potatoes, BTW!

Is it true that seaweed also confers some disease-resistance on
potatoes? Oh, and liquid seaweed extract sprayed on gives some
frost-resistance, they say.

Mike.

"Vicky" wrote in message
...
I live near the sea and was wondering about the benefits of seaweed as a
compost in the very poor soil of my garden. If I wash it well to reduce
the
salt content, will it be OK to use straight on and in the soil?

Vicky

Coor ........I wish I had access to unlimited seaweed .........just pile
it into your compost heap and watch the benefits in your garden

If you have a worm bin too they really do benefit from seaweed too

You inly have to look at the outrageous price of a packet of calcined
seaweed to see why you are so lucky

Mike Lyle15/4/04 6:01

Sacha wrote in message
. co.uk...
Vicky14/4/04 10:47

I live near the sea and was wondering about the benefits of seaweed as a
compost in the very poor soil of my garden. If I wash it well to reduce the
salt content, will it be OK to use straight on and in the soil?

Vicky

Farmers in Jersey used it for centuries on their fields - until nitrates
made their lives easier. ;-(
Some do use it still and there is no need to rinse it. After autumnal
storms, gather up whatever you need and dig it straight into your soil or
just lay it on top. Worms and weathering will do the rest throughout the
winter. It gives a wonderful flavour to potatoes, BTW!

Is it true that seaweed also confers some disease-resistance on
potatoes? Oh, and liquid seaweed extract sprayed on gives some
frost-resistance, they say.

Mike.

No idea - wouldn't surprise me. I'll ask a Jersey farmer........ ;-)
Frost-resistance wouldn't be a *major* problem in Jersey but it will occur
sometimes.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

Sacha15/4/04 10:15
net.co.uk

Mike Lyle15/4/04 6:01

Sacha wrote in message
. co.uk...
Vicky14/4/04 10:47

I live near the sea and was wondering about the benefits of seaweed as a
compost in the very poor soil of my garden. If I wash it well to reduce
the
salt content, will it be OK to use straight on and in the soil?

Vicky

Farmers in Jersey used it for centuries on their fields - until nitrates
made their lives easier. ;-(
Some do use it still and there is no need to rinse it. After autumnal
storms, gather up whatever you need and dig it straight into your soil or
just lay it on top. Worms and weathering will do the rest throughout the
winter. It gives a wonderful flavour to potatoes, BTW!

Is it true that seaweed also confers some disease-resistance on
potatoes? Oh, and liquid seaweed extract sprayed on gives some
frost-resistance, they say.

Mike.

No idea - wouldn't surprise me. I'll ask a Jersey farmer........ ;-)
Frost-resistance wouldn't be a *major* problem in Jersey but it will occur
sometimes.

And finally - having skived off to France and returned - he's answered me.
;-)

" Sea weed is used as a soil
conditioner /manure. The iodine in the seaweed was supposed to be good for
the cattle grazing . It used to be spread on the grass in the autumn and
therefore dried through the winter.
It is still used in some areas but is expensive to cart and spread."

No mention of anti-freeze properties but, as I say, not a big problem in
Jersey. However, any mulch would help re freezing. The farmer I wrote to
was mainly into dairy farming; another who is a potato grower assures me via
'phone that they chucked it onto the bare fields in autumn/winter and simply
let it rot down and be dragged down by worms. In open weather, they plant
spuds in Jersey in February (depending a bit on which side of the island
etc.) so it clearly doesn't do the soil or plants in it any harm! We had our
first 'feed' of Jersey potatoes last night and they were wonderful - tasted
just like the ones of my childhood, so I wish I knew whose farm those came
from. I was pleasantly surprised because they must have been grown under
polythene and somehow I never find they taste quite the same - maybe this
farmer uses seaweed. ;-) Not being washed mechanically might have
something to do with it, too.
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)

The message
from "Brian" contains these words:

Seaweed is one of the finest additions available. There is no need to wash
it or even to use as compost. Simply dig it directly into the ground.

I agree. If you're digging a bed for some reason, it's an excellent
idea to incorporate the largest possible volume of seaweed. But it's
equally effective spread on top as a mulch; it decomposes into the soil
so fast that a 6" layer put on now, will have disappeared by the end of
summer.

If you're planting potatoes, do both; lay it in the trenches under the
potatoes, replace the soil, and cover the whole bed with a thick mulch.
In one fell swoop you're fertilising, protecting young shoots against
late frost, preventing weed germination, and discouraging slugs and
diseases.

( It's also an excellent decomposition-booster in the compost heap).

Janet.