Q&A for How to Use Seaweed in the Garden

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  • Question
    What are the ingredients and characteristics that someone should be looking for in their fertilizer?
    Ben Barkan
    Garden & Landscape Designer
    Ben Barkan is a Garden and Landscape Designer and the Owner and Founder of HomeHarvest LLC, an edible landscapes and construction business based in Boston, Massachusetts. Ben has over 12 years of experience working with organic gardening and specializes in designing and building beautiful landscapes with custom construction and creative plant integration. He is a Certified Permaculture Designer, Licensed Construction Supervisor in Massachusetts, and a Licensed Home Improvement Contractor. He holds an associates degree in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
    Garden & Landscape Designer
    Expert Answer
    It depends on what you're growing. If you want to grow organically, you will add quality compost and a little bit of nitrogen fertilizer. You don't need to add other things. If you're looking for a fertilizer that does everything, you want a balanced fertilizer. If you look at the front of the bag of fertilizer, there are three letters, NPK, representing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, along with their quantities, for example, 10-10-10 or 20-20-20. This is much more potent and a lot easier to over-apply. You have to be very careful. An organic fertilizer might look like 3-3-3 or 3-5-2. It's generally weaker and you have to generally apply more of it. What you apply is based on the requirements of your plants. Some plants want more fertilizer than others.
  • Question
    What's the difference between certified organic and conventional fertilizer?
    Ben Barkan
    Garden & Landscape Designer
    Ben Barkan is a Garden and Landscape Designer and the Owner and Founder of HomeHarvest LLC, an edible landscapes and construction business based in Boston, Massachusetts. Ben has over 12 years of experience working with organic gardening and specializes in designing and building beautiful landscapes with custom construction and creative plant integration. He is a Certified Permaculture Designer, Licensed Construction Supervisor in Massachusetts, and a Licensed Home Improvement Contractor. He holds an associates degree in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
    Garden & Landscape Designer
    Expert Answer
    Basically, there are restrictions on the types of chemicals, the types of insecticides, and the types of fertilizers that a certified organic farm can use. Sometimes they are more earth conscious, so for example, certain pesticides would not be allowed on a certified organic farm. Usually, it's more natural, but not always. There are many exceptions and many instances where certified organic farms are less sustainable. It's not necessarily always true that certified organic farms are safer or more natural. It depends 100% on the ethics of the grower.
  • Question
    How long do I need to soak seaweed to use it as fertilizer?
    Susan Butler
    Community Answer
    You can put kelp, or any seaweed, into a bucket or large glass jar and fill with water. Leave this in the sun, covered, for a few days and your ‘tea’ will be brewed. Use this as a foliar spray to deter insect pests, or apply directly to the soil around seedlings. Bear in mind that this concoction will smell bad, so be sure to store it downwind!
  • Question
    When do I apply seaweed to my garden?
    Susan Butler
    Community Answer
    Seaweed will benefit your garden at any time of year, but it is especially useful as a mulch to protect plants during hot, dry weather.
  • Question
    After winter should I remove the seaweed on top?
    Community Answer
    You don't need to unless the smell bothers you.
  • Question
    How do I stop vine borers?
    Susan Butler
    Community Answer
    If insecticides are needed, spray or dust the stems at their base. Start treatments when the vines begin to run, or when the first adult borers are detected. Repeat in seven to 10 days. Two applications help manage most squash vine borer adults.
  • Question
    Can I put seaweed straight from the beach onto my garden? Or does it need to be soaked in water first?
    Community Answer
    Keep the seaweed in a water barrel and use sparingly. Take it from the barrel and spread it at the start of the next season and add fresh to the water barrel.
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