Seaweed mulch

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Seaweed mulch

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Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19862
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 15 8:49 am Post subject: Seaweed mulch

I've just bought some healthy fruit bushes that were grown locally from cuttings. The lady I bought them off recommended mulching the gooseberry with seaweed. Her plants were very prolific so I'm going to do that. Shall I do that with the blackcurrant and redcurrant bushes as well?

Is it the mulching aspect or some nutrient in the seaweed? They are in pots at the moment and likely to stay there for months until we decide where the garden is going to be. If it's nutrients I could cover the pots with seaweed which would also help stop them drying out or do you think that would be too concentrated?

I have easy and plentiful supplies of seaweed, what else can I mulch with it?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45723
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 15 8:50 am Post subject:
It'll be mulching and nutrients, traditionally Jersey new pots were mulched with seaweed

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19862
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 15 8:53 am Post subject:
And, am I imagining it, asparagus? It might make it possible for me to grow it as I can't imagine keeping it weed free without help!

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45723
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 15 8:55 am Post subject:
I think you're right

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42223
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 15 9:22 am Post subject:
Asparagus likes a bit of salt so a seaweed mulch is a Good Thing for it.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 43742
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 15 9:27 am Post subject:
traditionally seaweed is collected into low heaps,rained on for a while to reduce the salt content and then used as a mulch or dug in. it has a good selection of minerals and a fairly high nitrogen content tis ace as plant food and as a soil creator/conditioner ps seaweed ferment makes good plant food(you should see my courgette plants )

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 15 12:01 pm Post subject:
Seaweed doesn't make for a great mulch it shrinks to nothing quite quickly, so no good as a weed suppressant. It's still a great soil improver, feed & mineral booster though.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 15 1:38 pm Post subject:
As Tavascarow says. I put it out on my boxes in autumn after collecting from the seashore, then dig it in in spring and plant my early potatoes in it- well I did a few years ago, and it works!

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16198

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 15 8:02 am Post subject:
It contains high levels of potash and should also be good for cabbages without too much raining on as they like a bit of salt. It isn't too good for runner beans without some rain though; our next door neighbour did his no good at all.

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