Friday, January 2, 2009

Improve Your Soil the Old Fashioned Way with Seaweed Fertilizer

By Sarah Duke

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.

For centuries, coastal regions around the world have relied on seaweed fertilizer. 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.

Seaweed was also popular as a fertilizer in Ireland. Farmers would lift the soil in rows, lay down seaweed and then replace the soil. Although it's not so popular these days, this was common practice for planting and cultivating potatoes in that country. Even today, the coastal industries of Ireland harvest huge quantities of seaweed and kelp.

Seaweed is a remarkably effective way to improve the soil quality of a garden. The reason behind this is that the large bodies of water that are home to seaweed contain every element known to mankind. Seaweed absorbs these elements and passes them along to the soil when you add it to your garden.

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. As well, the production of these products releases a considerable amount of pollutants into the air.

Similar to mulch, you can put seaweed fertilizer right on top of the soil. Lay it in between and around your plants. It tends to break down quite quickly.

It can also be added to your compost bin. It will add nutrients and help to break down the other ingredients in the mix. You can also make it into a tea, either using the liquid or powder forms. You then mist this concoction onto the leaves to provide another source of nutrients.

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. - 16035

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