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Old March 21, 2019   #1
Labradors2
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Default Kelp

Does anyone use (dehydrated) kelp when they pot up?

Linda
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Old March 21, 2019   #2
ginger2778
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Labradors2 View Post
Does anyone use (dehydrated) kelp when they pot up?

Linda
Has to be beneficial. I can't see how it would hurt anything.
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Old March 21, 2019   #3
Ironwood
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Absolutely!

Kelp is excellent for a soil amendment. Having a little nitrogen and a good amount of K, but the best part is the micro nutrients, 70+ types of minerals. Adding a little fish fertilizer along with the kelp helps to speed up the kelps availability to the plant by rounding out the NPK ratios. This is excellent for transplants to resume growth and result in an explosion of vegetative growth!

To go one better also add a tsp per gallon of quality molasses.

Last edited by Ironwood; March 21, 2019 at 12:44 PM. Reason: Auto correct is out thinking itself.
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Old March 21, 2019   #4
Labradors2
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Yeah! Thanks! I have some liquid fish fert. to add too.

Funny story about molasses. We bought a huge tote (to use as a rain barrel). It had held molasses in its previous life. Knowing that it was a fert, I didn't worry about flushing it, and the first watering cans contained a lot of molasses. I watered all my brand new perennials with it - and killed the lot!!!!! When we realized what had happened, we used it as a weed killer - sigh!

Linda
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Old March 21, 2019   #5
Ironwood
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Oh my! I honestly would have done the same! Free molasses water!

Good to know too much can be harmful to plants.
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Old March 21, 2019   #6
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Ironwood makes a good point about the dab of fish to speed up the breakdown/access to kelpy goodness. I use as much kelp as I can get to amend my tomato soil in the containers before planting. I also use a kelp drink for the plants when they're about to be (or have been!) exposed to a cold stress.


The great thing about a drop of molasses in your liquid fish stuff is that it neutralizes the foul smell of the stuff. I mostly use the fish liquid indoors so molasses is ... heavenly!
Hey I read somewhere that pouring molasses-water on an anthill would get rid of them.. I never dreamed it would kill plants! Now I'm thinking it may be worth trying on the ants after all.
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Old March 21, 2019   #7
Labradors2
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Good stuff Bower! I'll certain use a little dab of mollasses to negate that fishy smell Now what have those poor ants done to you?

Linda
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Old April 14, 2019   #8
Harry Cabluck
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Kelp seemed to help blossoms set fruit in chilly Pittsburgh, Pa., when we gardened there. Used about half a cup of granulated kelp and rock phosphate in each hole. Molasses, indeed, gets rid of ants.
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