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maine USA

I live in Maine so I have access to seaweed, primarily rockweed. Does any know how kelp and rockweed compare, such as growth hormones, and nutritional value to the plant. thanks Kathy

2/23/2006 12:17:28 PM

Piqua,Ohio

Rockweed is found attached to rocks on the beach. It is dark brown where it attaches to the rocks and a light golden brown on the ends. The tiny, egg-shaped ends have small lumps on the surface giving it a bumpy texture. The swollen ends make a "popping" noise when crushed.

What it was used for

Rockweed is an alga. Alga is another name for a seaweed or sea vegetable. Rockweed was used mainly for healing people, as a dressing to treat sores and swollen feet, or fresh, rubbed on legs and feet to treat aches, pains and locomotor ataxia (paralysis of the legs). Rockweed was mixed with yellow cedar boughs in steam baths to treat rheumatism. It was sometimes used for steaming butter or littleneck clams in a steam pit. (A steam pit is a big hole in the ground with hot coals and rocks in it). Rockweed was also used with eel-grass for steaming wood to make it soft and flexible. Some of the things made from steamed wood are boxes and halibut hooks.
eaLife Kelp Meal is a soil conditioner made from the seaplant Ascophyllum nodosom, which is harvested from coastal Maine waters. The live plants are quickly dried at a low temperature to maintain the proper moisture level for vitamin and amino acid stability.

SeaLife Kelp Meal contains 60 trace minerals and an assortment of amino acids, enzymes, and alginates that feed and stimulate the necessary microorganisms in your soil. A healthy, active microbial population will breakdown organic material and improve the quality and texture of the soil.

2/23/2006 5:43:23 PM

Norton, MA

Get as much salt as possible out of it by washing several times over. You could accidentally add a fatal amount of salt to your patch. AleX Noel.

2/23/2006 10:20:39 PM

Simi valley, ca

I did an experament with kelp , I got a batch of bull kelp washed with lots of water & high pressure spray of water then choped it with a sm kitchen chopper and then dryed it out NOT easy- very slimey- But when finely dryed it was covered with salt, werd tasting, I tryed it on plants they almost died !! way to much work & if you didnt chop it would be a long time untill it would compose (didnt work anyways) im not sure what they do diferently i once asked & was told they let dry in sun at any rate 55lbs for 40-60$ is much much much cheeper !!!

3/15/2006 12:02:46 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

Kathy i put it up on screens from an old screenhouse and wash thoroughly, as already stated get out all the salt, i then allow it to dry before crushing it up with a 2x4 --

Glenn

3/15/2006 8:15:13 AM