Seaweed

[bagseeds]

I've noticed a lot of people in tutorials and on these forums talk about using seaweed on plants for its early stages of growth. I've been meaning to try this since I've always preferred organic nutrients. I have some seaweed but it's the seaweed that comes in individual packets ready for snacks. I'm not sure if I could use this because I'm pretty sure it's seasoned and salted, should I use this? If not what brand or type of seaweed should I be using?

Thanks,
bagseeds

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Keep It Simple Seaweed Powder - the best seaweed extract you can source.

I'd also recommend using kelp meal as part of your soil amendments. It also makes a very good tea to apply both as a soil soak and as a foliar spray.

CC

 

[John Denco]

Seaweed for plants

Seaweed for plants

Bags,

I would suggest that you do not want to put salted seaweed into your plant's environment. What seaweed you want can be obtained at a gardening center (I heard that even Walmart garden centers have it with micronutrients) that is not food based seaweed.......I am not boosting hydro stores, but they will have it too, just more expensive.

JD Co

 

[CT Guy]

Cold water processed ascophyllum nodosum is what you're looking for. It's the most researched and studied variety of seaweed to date.

If you're in Canada, look up Acadian Seaplants.

 

[jammie]

Cold water processed ascophyllum nodosum is what you're looking for. It's the most researched and studied variety of seaweed to date.

If you're in Canada, look up Acadian Seaplants.

ct guy is spot on. i've done a fair amount of research and the important thing is looking for a product thats "cold processed". kelpak, bioweed by general organics and rhizotonic by canna are 3 that come to mind.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

jammie

There are a couple of things about KELPAK that folks may want to consider. CT Guy's comment about ascophyllum nodosum being the most researched and studied variety of seaweed to date. That's very accurate.

KELPAK uses South Atlantic Kelp Ecklonia Maxima obviously a different species.

The other thing is that KELPAK uses a mechanical extraction process which may be a good thing. From their web site:

From here the cleaned material is inspected and progressively reduced. Due to the compressible nature of the Ecklonia particles, they are able to be subjected to extremely high pressure. This induces a degree of potential energy into each particle, which, when passed at high velocity through to a low pressure zone, effects the instant release of this energy, where the resulting expansion exceeds the elastic limit of the cell wall of the seaweed, causing it to rupture and release its valuable contents. The powerful hormones are thus released. This unique Kelpak process is known as Cold Cellular-burst Technology.

This process extracts the cell contents without the use of chemicals, heat, freezing or dehydration, thereby releasing many valuable compounds in their natural form. The result is a powerful yet environment-friendly Bioregulator.

Widely used by the hydroponic nutrient manufacturers because it's clear and won't interfere with their color schemes.

Whatever.....................

CC

 

[Clackamas Coot]

I've been playing with a regional product made from yet another kelp variety found on the Northern West Coast - Nereocystis Luetkeana and it's extraction process is much like that of fish hydrolysate, i.e. the use of enzymes to break-down the kelp.

Then again this kelp hasn't been subjected to the testing that the North Atlantic variety has been going on way back to WWI in Great Britain.

I like the fact that it's a liquid and easily mixed but I doubt that it's as good as the seaweed powder mentioned above. Probably not even close actually.

CC

 

[OrganicMonkey]

Seaweed is great, ya don't use the food grade seaweed. It makes a great topdressing and I go through the liquid stuff fast. I'm not sure I see a difference, but I don't have a lot of experience not using it.

 

[intotheunknown]

you could order or go find yourself some maxicrop powdered or liquid kelp extract. check out burnone's sticky organics for beginners. good info in there

 

[jammie]

jammie

There are a couple of things about KELPAK that folks may want to consider. CT Guy's comment about ascophyllum nodosum being the most researched and studied variety of seaweed to date. That's very accurate.

KELPAK uses South Atlantic Kelp Ecklonia Maxima obviously a different species.

The other thing is that KELPAK uses a mechanical extraction process which may be a good thing. From their web site:Widely used by the hydroponic nutrient manufacturers because it's clear and won't interfere with their color schemes.

Whatever.....................

CC

hey there clackamas- i think the cold cell burst and cold process are the same or at least similiar. the other method uses chemicals to emulsify the seaweed. this can affect the auxins and other hormones

 

[Clackamas Coot]

hey there clackamas- i think the cold cell burst and cold process are the same or at least similiar. the other method uses chemicals to emulsify the seaweed. this can affect the auxins and other hormones

jammie

According to their literature, Acadian Seaplants, Ltd. uses an alkaline hydrolysis extraction process. This is a similar method used by KELPGROW out of Vancouver, British Columbia.

The main 'nit' that I have with KELPAK is that following the mechanical extraction process (again according to their literature) there is a manipulation of certain auxins though they're rather vague on which specific auxins that they're altering.

KELPAK is a good product. I would be far more interested in using it again if the AACT folks did some testing on this extract vs. ASL, KELPGROW, et al. At the very least it would be interesting.

I'd even be willing to buy the product for sampling. CT Guy - you listening? LOL

CC

 

[Castelvetro]

some of the most beautiful dirt plants ive seen on the ic were were flowered with bio bizz bloom, which is kelp n molasess. id imagine salt water being so similar to blood produced food(kelp) that is fantastical for plants much like it is for us as a mineral supplement

 

[jammie]

this is a little over 3 weeks veg using bioweed, ionic grow and subculture/b

 

[jammie]

oops- i forgot what forum i'm in. i guess thats a major faux pas to post a dwc pic here

 

[High Country]

This is what I use, SEASOL, just for the clones cos the main grow is hydro.

38 HAPPY LITTLE CLONES, ALL HAVE ROOTS

ROOTS

 

[HighonPottery]

i am sold on the seaweed. never used it before i recently picked up some dry seaweed powder at the local hydro shop. in a weeks time i have already noticed a jump similar to the one i got when i started using fulvic and humic acids. good stuff.

i also tried the seaweed to soak my jiffy pellets and used honey this time for some clones...hopefully we'll see a more rapid root production - i sprayed the other clones that have been in the dome for a week and they didn't have roots before...they do now!

 

[bagseeds]

Ok I think I'm gonna grab some kelp extract.