Your thoughts on seaweed?

[Manalto]

Years ago, I saw a film on the "magic garden" of Findhorn, with its oversized produce.  I wondered what the reason(s) could be for its remarkable results.  At that high latitude there are, of course, the long summer days. Its location near the sea caused me to wonder if that might have something to do with it.

Living in Connecticut at the time, I drove down to Long Island Sound and collected dry seaweed at the high tide line. Sitting in the driveway ignored for several days, it liquefied in the garbage bags into a putrid sludge. I then dug shallow troughs throughout the garden, dumped in the seaweed sludge, covered it with soil and left it for the winter. The next year - I kid you not - my tomato plants were eight feet tall, lush, productive and untroubled by the fungal problems we usually expect to see in southern New England.

Now I'm in Gulf Coast Alabama (where more species of palm will grow - but not enough) and I wondered if my garden here might benefit from seaweed. Yesterday I went to Dauphin Island and collected two big bags of the crispy stuff. Of course I don't want to do any damage to my valuable palms and cycads, so I'm here with this question.

Any suggestions on low-risk experiments to learn if the nutrients/minerals in seaweed provide any benefit to the plants in my landscape, particularly the palms? I suppose I could secretly try it out on my neighbors' palms and if it kills them (the palms, not the neighbors), I will know that the formula needs to be adjusted. 

But seriously, I do have a robust population of Sabal minor on which I could experiment. The trouble is that they're already adapted to local conditions and don't seem to need any help.

I've found a few articles touting the benefits of seaweed fertilizers, but nothing specifically relating to palms. Your thoughts?

Edited June 27, 2020 by Manalto

[Darold Petty]

I use kelp extract liquid on all my palm seedlings, producing  strong growth and an nice, dark green color.  I believe there are a few sparsely setttled islands off Scotland with almost no soil, and the only source of organics for gardening is seaweed.    Your own experience should be your best guide.  

[awkonradi]

Hi Manalto,

Did you collect Sargassum on the beach?  I can NOT imagine that decaying Sargassum would NOT provide nutrients to palms, just like mulch or compost derived from terrestrial plants.  So, in typical mulch-like or compost-like quantities, I don't think "toxicity" to palms would be an issue.

[Manalto]

Hi Andrei,

My thought 

  On 6/27/2020 at 11:08 PM, awkonradi said:

Hi Manalto,

Did you collect Sargassum on the beach?  I can NOT imagine that decaying Sargassum would NOT provide nutrients to palms, just like mulch or compost derived from terrestrial plants.  So, in typical mulch-like or compost-like quantities, I don't think "toxicity" to palms would be an issue.

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Hi Andrei,

I don't know for certain that it's sargassum, but it resembles photos of species without bladders. 

My thought is, because it's from a marine environment, micronutrients might be present that are not in terrestrial compost. The scant information I can find seems to support this.

I've found conflicting advice on rinsing off the salt on harvested/collected seaweed. Those who say the quantity is insignificant have the more convincing argument.

James

Edited June 28, 2020 by Manalto

[Steve in Florida]

Raw seaweed is high in sodium and contains iodine.  Processed seaweed products are much safer for plants.

[Manalto]

I'm not married to the idea of seaweed. I'd like to find a natural source of nutrients that boosts palm growth, i.e., avoiding chemical fertilizers. There doesn't seem to be much interest in this, nor research - who would fund such a thing?

[Dartolution]

I use Blue Plant Nutrients Seaweed Extract on my entire property, and houseplants roughly every 2 weeks, mixed with an organic water soluble fertilizer, and molasses. 

SWE does indeed help with growth and plant vitality. 

My parents also use it on their vegetable garden along with other organic fertilizers. 

 

 

[TomJ]

Anything gathered from the beach, including beach rocks will contain at least trace amounts of salt.

Might be worth investing in commercially available products.

Years ago palms kept dying in a part of my garden where I brought in beach rocks.  hmmmm

Many years later this spot is thriving.

[Silas_Sancona]

  On 6/28/2020 at 5:28 AM, Steve in Florida said:

Raw seaweed is high in sodium and contains iodine.  Processed seaweed products are much safer for plants.

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Interesting.. I knew about the potential issues w/ Sodium content in fresh seaweed but thought the Iodine content, at least in small amounts, wouldn't be something to watch for.. Both my Grandfathers used to fish extensively when i was little and would bring back Kelp, using it ..and whatever was left over from Salmon and Halibut they caught.. around the yard.. Best Oranges and Apricots i have ever tasted, and i'm honestly not the biggest fan of most stone fruits.. Other stuff grew like weeds. Never noted any detrimental effects. 

That said, yea.. i myself might soak /rinse collected Kelp /Seaweed  a few times before using, just to play it safe/ reduce sodium content, or pick a spot in the yard containing not especially important plants and use freshly collected stuff there, as an experiment..

[Steve in Florida]

  On 6/28/2020 at 7:52 PM, Manalto said:

I'm not married to the idea of seaweed. I'd like to find a natural source of nutrients that boosts palm growth, i.e., avoiding chemical fertilizers. There doesn't seem to be much interest in this, nor research - who would fund such a thing?

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You should Google Maxicrop products and W.A. Stephenson.  I have 50+ year old educational research from him.

 

Edited June 29, 2020 by Steve in Florida

[Manalto]

Gracias, Esteban! I'll check it out.