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Incorporate seaweed in your garden by using it as mulch, fertilizer, or compost
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Co-authored byBen Barkan
Last Updated: October 17, 2022Approved
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Seaweed is a great natural fertiliser that all your plants will love. It can be used as mulch or as a fertiliser. The great thing about seaweed is that is full of trace elements that are often not found in other common fertilizers such as manure. Seaweed also increases water retention in sandy soils and build up disease resistance in the soil.
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1
Collect the seaweed from your local beach or waterway. Be sure to check with your council or local government first for in some areas it is illegal to take seaweed off the beach.[1]
- Kelp is generally the best option, but other types of seaweed work great as well. Collect the seaweed in a plastic bag and if the seaweed is not already wet, be sure to wet it with some seawater to prevent it drying out.
2
When you get home, be sure to wash sand and beach debris off the seaweed for the sand and beach debris is very alkaline. However, if you have extremely acidic soil you could use this to your advantage and not wash off the sand.[2]
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3
Choose what you want to use your seaweed for. You could make it into a liquid fertiliser, add it to your compost or use it in its raw state in the garden.
4
If using it in the compost, be sure to mix it through with other materials really well. If you don't, the seaweed could become slimy and suffocate the compost.
5
To make your seaweed into a liquid fertiliser, simply put all the compost in a barrel or any other sort of container. All you have to do here is add a little bit of water and wait for the seaweed to decompose.( This usually takes a few months.) Liquid seaweed solution can be used on all parts of the garden. It's particular effective in helping plants bearing fruits or flowers for the seaweed builds up disease resistance.[3]
6
If you choose to use the seaweed directly on the garden, it's imperative that you do so correctly. The common mistake that many people make is mixing it into the soil. You should never do this for, as the seaweed breaks down, it will rob the soil of nitrogen. The correct way to apply seaweed is on top of the soil. Gradually over time worms and other soil creatures will bring it down into the soil. The results from this method are marvellous for there is a slow release of trace elements into the soil.[4]
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What are the ingredients and characteristics that someone should be looking for in their fertilizer?
Ben Barkan
Garden & Landscape DesignerBen Barkan is a Garden and Landscape Designer and the Owner and Founder of HomeHarvest LLC, an edible landscapes and construction business based in Boston, Massachusetts. Ben has over 12 years of experience working with organic gardening and specializes in designing and building beautiful landscapes with custom construction and creative plant integration. He is a Certified Permaculture Designer, Licensed Construction Supervisor in Massachusetts, and a Licensed Home Improvement Contractor. He holds an associates degree in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Ben Barkan
Garden & Landscape Designer
Expert Answer
It depends on what you're growing. If you want to grow organically, you will add quality compost and a little bit of nitrogen fertilizer. You don't need to add other things. If you're looking for a fertilizer that does everything, you want a balanced fertilizer. If you look at the front of the bag of fertilizer, there are three letters, NPK, representing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, along with their quantities, for example, 10-10-10 or 20-20-20. This is much more potent and a lot easier to over-apply. You have to be very careful. An organic fertilizer might look like 3-3-3 or 3-5-2. It's generally weaker and you have to generally apply more of it. What you apply is based on the requirements of your plants. Some plants want more fertilizer than others.
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What's the difference between certified organic and conventional fertilizer?
Ben Barkan
Garden & Landscape DesignerBen Barkan is a Garden and Landscape Designer and the Owner and Founder of HomeHarvest LLC, an edible landscapes and construction business based in Boston, Massachusetts. Ben has over 12 years of experience working with organic gardening and specializes in designing and building beautiful landscapes with custom construction and creative plant integration. He is a Certified Permaculture Designer, Licensed Construction Supervisor in Massachusetts, and a Licensed Home Improvement Contractor. He holds an associates degree in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Ben Barkan
Garden & Landscape Designer
Expert Answer
Basically, there are restrictions on the types of chemicals, the types of insecticides, and the types of fertilizers that a certified organic farm can use. Sometimes they are more earth conscious, so for example, certain pesticides would not be allowed on a certified organic farm. Usually, it's more natural, but not always. There are many exceptions and many instances where certified organic farms are less sustainable. It's not necessarily always true that certified organic farms are safer or more natural. It depends 100% on the ethics of the grower.
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How long do I need to soak seaweed to use it as fertilizer?
Susan Butler
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You can put kelp, or any seaweed, into a bucket or large glass jar and fill with water. Leave this in the sun, covered, for a few days and your ‘tea’ will be brewed. Use this as a foliar spray to deter insect pests, or apply directly to the soil around seedlings. Bear in mind that this concoction will smell bad, so be sure to store it downwind!
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Tips
Use seaweed to activate decomposition of compost.
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Kelp is the best type to use for it breaks down easier.
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When using liquid seaweed dilute 1 part seaweed to 3 parts water.
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Warnings
Always check with your local government to see if is legal to take seaweed from the beach.
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About This Article
Co-authored by:
Ben Barkan
Garden & Landscape Designer
This article was co-authored by Ben Barkan. Ben Barkan is a Garden and Landscape Designer and the Owner and Founder of HomeHarvest LLC, an edible landscapes and construction business based in Boston, Massachusetts. Ben has over 12 years of experience working with organic gardening and specializes in designing and building beautiful landscapes with custom construction and creative plant integration. He is a Certified Permaculture Designer, Licensed Construction Supervisor in Massachusetts, and a Licensed Home Improvement Contractor. He holds an associates degree in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. This article has been viewed 105,150 times.
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Co-authors: 7
Updated: October 17, 2022
Views:105,150
Categories: Fertilizers
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Reader Success Stories
Geraldine Costello
Apr 19, 2018
"I wish to use seaweed as it's a natural fertilizer and it's a natural local resource in abundance this..." more
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