Seaweed Fertilizer: It’s Not a New Thing

For as many years as people have engaged in agriculture, fertilizer has been an essential part of the process. In the search for ways to improve the quality and quantity of the crop, countless types of fertilizers have been tried. There are some that have proved to be more effective, however. One of the time honored ways to enhance the quality of your soil, strangely enough, is with seaweed fertilizer.

Seaweed fertilizer has been in use in coastal regions throughout the world for hundreds of years. There is even an industry that centers around the harvesting and drying of seaweed in the Channel Islands of England. Then it’s used for a variety of products, including garden fertilizer.

In Ireland, seaweed also enjoyed popularity as a fertilizer. The soil would be lifted up in rows, the seaweed laid down, and then the soil would be replaced. It’s lost some of its popularity today, but it was commonly used for growing potatoes back then. The coastal regions of Ireland continue to count seaweed and kelp as a major industry to this day.

Seaweed is a remarkably effective way to improve the soil quality of a garden. This is because seaweed grows in seas and oceans, where all the elements that are known to exist can be found. These elements become part of the seaweed as well, and are then passed along to the benefit of your garden soil.

Seaweed fertilizers are a popular choice among conscientious gardeners. This is because it’s an all-natural plant based product which can be added to the soil along with other organic kinds of fertilizer. It doesn’t carry the stigma of many of the commercial products that are full of chemicals. These products frequently contain dubious ingredients. And the manufacturing process is associated with high levels of pollution.

Seaweed fertilizer can be added directly to the soil, just like mulch. Lay it in between and around your plants. You’ll find that it breaks down very rapidly.

You can also include it in your compost pile. It will assist in the decomposition process and will add valuable nutrients. As well, both the powder and liquid forms can be made into a tea-like solution. Then you gently spray the mixture on the leaves, thereby providing them with a readily available source of nutrition.

Seaweed has a long and fruitful history in gardens throughout the world. If you live near the sea, you might be lucky enough to pick it up on a nearby beach. But for the rest of us, a visit to the local garden center is almost as easy. Ask for kelp meal or other types of seaweed fertilizers. And while you’re there, ask them to give you some tips on how to add it to your garden to give it new life.