Do You Have To Use Fresh Seaweed For Garden Beds
Gardening has grown in popularity over the years, with gardeners new and old looking for ways to get the best from their outdoor spaces. Of the many strategies that can be implemented for a bountiful, healthy garden, using fresh seaweed for garden beds is one of them. This article will address the use of fresh seaweed for garden beds, from the benefits to the drawbacks.
Seaweed has been used as a gardening aid for centuries, and many gardeners today swear by it. Its richness in minerals and trace elements makes it a great choice for pouring nutrients into the soil. When used in garden beds it helps to aerate the soil, improves nutrient uptake and encourages root growth. It also assists with water retention and encourages beneficial microorganisms to multiply in the soil, further enhancing its ability to absorb and supply nutrients.
The advantages of using seaweed have been acknowledged by experts. One researcher remarked that “the high concentrations of trace elements in seaweed can be regarded as contributing to crop quality and crop yields”. An agricultural scientist noted that seaweed “fertiliser has resulted in greater yield and quality of crops”.
Nevertheless, it is important to mention that not all fresh seaweed is the same and that there are a few drawbacks. Fresh seaweed contains salt, which can cause problems in the garden bed if used in large quantities. It is advisable to rinse the seaweed before use to get rid of the excess salt. Additionally, if the surf isn’t clean then the risk associated with using fresh seaweed for the garden bed increases. Algal blooms and pollution are two major risks from which gardeners must be wary of.
New and experienced gardeners alike can benefit from using fresh seaweed for their garden beds. It’s equipped with a multitude of benefits, such as providing essential minerals and stimulating beneficial microorganisms in the soil. With a few precautions, gardeners can be sure to reap the rewards from their garden beds.
Seaweed For Soil Health
From psychological and health benefits to an improved wallet balance, the prospects of a garden’s success will go a long way in fulfilling an individual’s goals. Over and above what may be conventionally done to rejuvenate the soil, one option that stands out is to incorporate seaweed.
Using fresh seaweed for garden beds has proven to be effective in both soil nutrient absorption and in the promotion of microbial activities. Research notes that seaweed facilitates the proper functioning of soil texture, leading to optimum pore space and water retention. In addition, gardeners are able to benefit from the control of O2 and CO2 levels in the soil.
In general, this means that the soil acts as a great medium for the growth of crops because it is oxygenated, and is capable of providing the necessary nutrients for the same. Furthermore, the high carbon content in the seaweed helps to produce humic acid, which is important in the agglomeration of soil granules and enzymes.
Put simply, including seaweed in the garden bed is a great way to promote soil health. Not only does it yield excellent and varied results in terms of crop production, but it also serves as an effective choice for cost-effectiveness.
Cost Advantage of Seaweed
Seaweed, as a source for soil nutrition, is of course, dependent upon the corresponding cost. Using commercial fertilisers can prove to be expensive in the long run, and to avoid this, seaweed is a viable solution.
One of the cost advantages of looking into seaweed as a form of soil nutrition is that it is available for free in most areas. In addition, the scarcity of seaweed in certain locations means that prices are kept manageable, otherwise the user may have to resort to fertilisers that come at a much higher cost.
By implementing the use of seaweed, gardeners are able to avoid unexpected costs. The nice bonus about the use of fresh seaweed is that it requires relatively little preparation and effort, and in some cases, may even be applied with no preparation at all. This makes it even more cost efficient as the gardener can save on effort costs as well.
With the cost advantage of using fresh seaweed for the garden bed, comes the perk of being able to access a consistently reliable quality of fertiliser. On top of that, the natural forms of nutrients from this fertiliser encourage a healthy growth of plants, to unlock their fullest potential.
Jarring Nature of Seaweed
While the use of fresh seaweed undoubtedly provides benefits, the jarring nature of the process must be taken into account when implementing it as a form of garden nutrition.
The unpredictability of seaweed in terms of its availability must be noted, as one cannot rely on its presence in any given location. Moreover, the high nitrogen content, albeit good for fertilizer, can have adverse impacts if used in large quantities on sensitive plant varieties.
In order to ensure the success of using fresh seaweed as garden nutrition, gardeners must make sure that the seaweed used is cleaned in order to rid it of salt and other contaminants. As a result, gardeners should be aware of potential risks associated with using fresh seaweed.
Moreover, the presence of algal blossoms may pose a problem and should be taken into account as a risk of using commercial seaweed as well. This is why those wishing to use fresh seaweed should not solely rely on it as their primary source of soil nutrition.
Gardening as an Educational Experience
The use of fresh seaweed for garden beds is beneficial in many ways, however, using fresh seaweed can provide gardeners with more than just a source of soil nutrition – it can be a vehicle for education.
Gardening is a great learning opportunity for children of all ages, and using seaweed in the garden bed adds an interesting dimension to the activity. Since kids are eager to learn new facts, they can benefit from research about the benefits of seaweed, the precautions to take, and the variables of harvesting, among other aspects.
In addition, while the introduction of organisms and microorganisms below the surface of the soil is not immediately visible, the use of fresh seaweed acts as a tangible connection for a child to the processes taking place in the garden. It encourages a broader understanding of gardening processes and outcomes, and this can be greatly beneficial for a child as their interest in the activity increases.
There are endless possibilities of activities that adults and children alike can implement to make their gardening experiences more educational and engaging. The addition of fresh seaweed in the garden bed is a great stepping stone to dive into the workings of the garden and explore all its possibilities.
Conclusion of Benefits and Drawbacks of Seaweed
To conclude, there are many advantages of using fresh seaweed for garden beds. Its abundance of minerals and other useful nutrients helps to revive the garden bed quickly. Its cost efficiency is a major benefit as it is usually free, though it should be rinsed off to remove excess salt before use. Its availability can be unpredictable but comes with the perk of being able to access a consistently reliable quality of fertiliser. Plus, its use in the garden bed can have educational benefits and teach children about nature.
Despite all of the advantages mentioned above, it is important to remember that using fresh seaweed does come with a few drawbacks. It contains salt, which can be damaging in large amounts, and too much of it can result in an algal bloom. Care should be taken to ensure that the water it is collected from is clean to reduce the risk associated with using fresh seaweed for the garden bed.
