Seaweed may be annoying to beach goers, but to gardeners it's a gift from the sea! Seaweed has been used for hundreds of years to fertilize soils as it contains a ton of beneficial minerals that can help improve soil. This DIY seaweed fertilizer is easy to make, and will ensure that your plants get a healthy dose of nutritious food!
DIY Seaweed Fertilizer
Benefits of Seaweed for Plants:
- Seaweed improves soil structure which increases soil porosity, while improving moisture retention.
- The abundant nutrients in seaweed stimulate beneficial bacteria, which in turn creates rich, healthy soil for flower beds as well as for edible gardens.
- Dried seaweed can be directly tilled into the soil or thrown onto a compost pile.
- If you live near a beach, you may be able to collect fresh seaweed from the shore, just be sure to check with your local authorities first. In some regions, collection seaweed is illegal (as it's protected), so do your homework first.
How to Make Seaweed Fertilizer:
- There is a little bit of a disagreement between gardeners. Some recommend rinsing the seaweed beforehand (to remove excess salt), while others argue that rinsing it will get rid of beneficial nutrients.
- Whatever you choose to do, be sure to dry the seaweed before turning it into the soil.
- Dry the seaweed by laying it out onto a tarp and placing it under the sun. Within a day or two, the seaweed should be completely dried up.
- Once dried, the seaweed can be immediately thrown on top as mulch, chopped up and worked into the soil, and simply tilled into the soil.
- Alternatively, you can also grind the dried seaweed into a fine powder and sprinkling it around plants.
Homemade Liquid Seaweed Fertilizer:
- To make a liquid version of this fertilizer, simply soak the dried seaweed in a pail or barrel with a partially closed lid.
- Infuse for several weeks and strain the liquid.
- Can be used to spray directly onto the roots, soil, or on foliage.
- The used seaweed can be thrown onto compost piles.
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