Kelp meal

[carpenterlady]

What is a good, reasonably priced, substitute for kelp meal in a potting mix recipe?

[dice]

You can replace the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in
it easily enough, it has quite modest levels of those, but kelp
meal is unique in other ways. It has trace elements that
probably no other widely used fertilizer component has
(shrimp or crab meal, maybe, for those, but that will change
your NPK quite a bit, and it is not as if those are cheap).

It also has enzymes that would be difficult if not impossible
to replace from another source.

Maybe composted manure for the N-P-K in kelp plus some
azomite for the minerals?

Azomite sources:
http://www.planetnatural.com/site/azomite.html
http://www.groworganic.com/item_F040...icronized.html

(There are other multi-mineral amendments, like Planters II,
but those are more expensive than azomite, comparable to
kelp meal.)

[amideutch]

The organic fertilizer Kit from T&J for $17.14 is enough for about 16 containers and covers all the bases nutrition wise. I'm using it this year on 8 container plants and 8 plants I planted in the dirt at my surrogate garden. Ami

http://www.tandjenterprises.com/cgi-...pid=BIS0000003

[dice]

One other thing: someone posting in a GW thread a couple of years
ago reported results of their personal side-by-side test, one plant
with kelp, one without, same cultivar, sunlight, etc. Growth and
production were about the same, and the grower could not detect any
difference in flavor. He did add that seedlings seemed to be
consistently healthier and more robust with a little kelp meal in their
potting mix, though.

So one probably does not need a lot of kelp meal to get the benefits.
Just skipping it in the potting mix and fertilizing seedlings with a little
kelp when potting up, then another dose when transplanting into the
garden or containers, and maybe one more when they start to set
fruit could be enough to satisfy the plant's ability to use what kelp
offers that other fertilizers do not.

[velikipop]

I bought a 40lb bag last year for $60.00 dollars at the local feed store. I use it in my homemade fertilizer that works wonders. Given the small amount that is needed to get the great benefits, as Dice points out, I find it very economical. The bag will last for at least another two seasons and I make enough fertilizer to cover about 2000 square feet per year.

Alex

[carpenterlady]

Thanks everyone. I will probably buy it, if I mix my own. It is $18.99 for a small bag, from the same company as Tomato-Tone. I am trying to evaluate if it is more economical to mix my own or buy a few bags of Pro-Mix Ultimate Potting Mix. I need to buy vermiculite ($14.00), greensand ($30 for a 50 lb. bag) and the kelp meal ($18). I know I would have greensand and kelp meal for next year, and probably a few years after that.

[dice]

$18 for a 4 to 5-lb bag is high.

Here are some other sources:
http://www.biconet.com/soil/algaminKelpMeal.html
http://www.4hydroponics.com/nutrients/algaminkelp.asp
http://www.fivepointgardens.com/cgi-...ategory=GARDEN
http://www.horticulturesource.com/pr...oducts_id=3885
http://www.greenfire.net/hot/F056.html
http://www.dirtworks.net/Organic-Fertilizer/Kelp.html
http://www.welterseed.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=239

This place did not have kelp meal (only liquid kelp products), but
they have 40-lb of greensand for $7 (plus shipping of course;
online prices mean nothing until you see that, too):
http://www.amazon.com/s/102-6514830-...bin=GreenSense

[David Marek]

Thanks for all the sources. I'm looking for kelp to use in compost tea, and the web searches have been spotty. Many sources have come up at about $90 shipped for a 50 pound bag. I'll try to find a local source, and probably a small bag. I'll bet the house plants will also like it.

[habitat_gardener]

What' s the difference between kelp powder and soluble seaweed powder? I've been reading the Bountiful Gardens catalog and noticed their Maxicrop Powder is $17.50 + 4.95 s&h (the shipping isn't so bad if you're buying other stuff) for a 10.7 oz. jar that "makes 250 gallons."

[dice]

What' s the difference between kelp powder and soluble seaweed powder? I've been reading the Bountiful Gardens catalog and noticed their Maxicrop Powder is $17.50 + 4.95 s&h (the shipping isn't so bad if you're buying other stuff) for a 10.7 oz. jar that "makes 250 gallons."

You might guess that there is no standard that describes what
the difference would be. "Kelp powder" or "Kelp meal" or
"Seaweed meal" would all most likely be dried, ground up
kelp, with the "powder" being more finely ground than the
"meal".

The Maxicrop powder or "soluble seaweed powder" is supposed
to be a powdered extract, rather than simply finely ground
kelp, a sort of dry concentrate of the non-fibery parts of kelp.

But there is no guarantee anywhere that something described
that way would not just be more finely ground ("powdered")
kelp meal, rather than a concentrate. I do not know if anyone
sells a "seaweed" product where the seaweed is not kelp.

[GHurt]

what about cricket poo.. has anyone ever used that..
http://www.ghann.com/store/store_sub.cfm?Category_ID=10

[mtbigfish]

Raybo
ACTINOVATE SP (Streptomyces Lydicus) May be used at the rate of 4-6oz per 100 gallons of drench, or 6-12oz per 100 gallons for foliar spray. Product encourages larger root systems. 18 oz bag *PRICE PER BAG* is
$ 99 at RJ Johnson Supply
not sure of the shipping didn't sign an account

Dennis

[Blueaussi]

Originally Posted by GHurt

what about cricket poo.. has anyone ever used that..
http://www.ghann.com/store/store_sub.cfm?Category_ID=10

I haven't used that product, but I have used the poo of crickets in the garden. A guy that used to come to our spring flower festival always had big bags of it for not very much money. Haven't seen him in several years, though, more the pity. It's good stuff!

[bohica]

Thanks for all the sources. I'm looking for kelp to use in compost tea, and the web searches have been spotty. Many sources have come up at about $90 shipped for a 50 pound bag. I'll try to find a local source, and probably a small bag. I'll bet the house plants will also like it.

David, you would probably want to use Soluble Kelp in your tea, a little goes a long way, I usually use a tablespoon in a gallon of water to reconstitute it. I've used kelp and fish emulsion in my tea for years, the kelp is a food for the beneficial bacteria, not to mention the natural growth hormones and micro nutrients, and the fish is a food for the beneficial fungi.

[David Marek]

I have been known to overdo things, so good to know. I get impatient with the retailers around here. I like to get things ready early because now is when I get busy with work. So far regular compost and leaves used as mulch have worked well, but I got excited about compost tea after reading about it. The lawn and squash plants will be my main focus of observation.