Gardening — Liquid Kelp, Kelp Meal and Seaweed
When you’re looking for an organic fertilizer for the garden, consider taking
advantage of the beneficial nutrients found in kelp seaweed. Kelp meal fertilizer
is becoming a very popular food source for organically grown plants. Let’s learn
more about using kelp in the garden.
Kelp seaweed is a type of marine algae, brown in color and with a huge growth
size. A product of our nutrient-rich oceans, kelp is often mixed with fish products
and used as a fertilizer to encourage healthier plant growth, promote greater
fruit and vegetable yields and to overall enhance the general appearance of a
garden or plant specimen.
Organic kelp fertilizer is valued for its micro-nutrients as well as its macro-nutrients
of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Kelp fertilizer is available in three forms.
These include extracts, such as kelp meal or powder, cold processed (usually a
liquid) and enzymatically digested liquid forms, which are used to super power
nutrient deficient soils.
Organic kelp fertilizer is dried seaweed. Kelp seaweed has a cell structure that
filters sea water looking for the oceans rich nutrients. Due to this constant
filtration, the kelp plant grows at exorbitant rates, sometimes as much as up
to 3 feet a day. This rapid growth rate makes kelp a renewable and ample
resource for not only many sea creatures but also as an organic fertilizer
for the home gardener.
The benefits of kelp are that it is a completely natural, organic product and a
source of over 70 vitamins and minerals. For this reason, it is an important
dietary supplement for many people as well as being a terrific organic fertilizer.
Organic kelp fertilizer can be applied to any type of soil or plant without concern
for waste by-products or harmful chemicals, leading to healthier crop.
Seaweed fertilizer has other advantages because it is kind to the environment
as it is a totally natural, organic and sustainable resource that doesn’t harm
the environment when it is harvested.
The reason that liquid seaweed fertilizer is so beneficial for many growing
purposes is that it contains many trace elements such as potassium, iron,
zinc, magnesium, and nitrogen. Photosynthesis, for example, relies heavily
on nitrate for it to work and the nitrogen in the seaweed is needed to produce
nitrate.
The nitrate-phosphate-potassium ratio, or NPK, is negligible in readings of
kelp meal nutrients; and for this reason, it is used primarily as a trace
mineral source. Combining with fish meal increases the NPK ratio in kelp
meal nutrients, releasing in about 4 months’ time.
Kelp powder is simply kelp meal ground finely enough to put into a solution
and sprayed onto or injected into irrigation systems. Its NPK ratio is 1-0-4
and is more immediately released. Kelp meal nutrients can also be found in
liquid kelp, which a cold processed liquid with higher levels of growth hormones,
but again its NPK is negligible. Liquid kelp is useful for combating plant stress.
Increased absorption of nutrients through root stimulation.
Acceleration of chlorophyll production and photosynthesis that will produce greener and
stronger plants.
Greater yield of crops and increase in quality of plants in organic and standard agricultural
methods.
More resistance to attack from many pests and diseases due to of the overall vitality and
health of the plant.
Higher resistance to stress and greater restoration from times of extreme weather (e.g. Cold,
drought and wind, also from wearing from sports, walking. etc. )
The best way to apply liquid seaweed concentrate is by foliar feeding and
it is also a far more efficient method. Just by applying a fine spray onto the
leaves will give the plant a massive boost. As soon as the concentrate hits
the surface of the leaves, the plant starts to absorb all of the nutrients and
trace elements immediately and the effects are somewhat rapid and this can
be seen from as soon as the second day onwards. Foliar feeding with kelp
extract is so effective that it when compared to soil feeding it can be between
10 to 15 times more efficient.
Kelp meal fertilizer can be purchased at your local garden center or online.
To use kelp meal fertilizer, spread the kelp meal around the base of plants,
shrubs and flowers that you wish to fertilize. This fertilizer can be utilized
as a potting plant medium or mixed directly into the soil.
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