< Back   Reprint from Nov/Dec 1991 Fine Gardening Magazine  By
Delilah Smittle  Seaweed is good for the garden. Mixed in the
soil, it slowly releases nutrients that plants need, while
improving soil texture. Since it is particularly rich in
micronutrients such as iron, copper, zinc, boron and manganese,
seaweed offers a natural remedy for soil with a micro-nutrient
deficiency. Seaweed also contains large quantities of hormones
that stimulate plant growth.  Plants in seaweed amended soil
grow faster and larger than plants in soil with a comparable
amount of conventional fertilizer.A traditional soil amendment
in coastal gardens, seaweed is now formulated in extracts and
granular products that you can find on garden center shelves and
in catalogs of garden suppliers (see sources on p. 32). Fresh
seaweed and dried granular seaweed must break down in the soil
to release their nutrients and hormones. A foliar spray of
seaweed extract and water makes the nutrients and hormones
available to plants faster. Research h