Living near the beach, as I do, I have access to tonnes of seaweed, and
I remember hearing something about it being good for breaking up clay
and generally good for lawns etc.

The thing is though, what exactly do I do with it, before I use it?

Its too slimy to put through the shredder; does it compost?

How do you prepare this stuff for use as a soil improver, or do you just
dig it straight into the soil?

Also, is coastal sand any use for mixing my own compost, or is it too
alkaline? Is there any simple and cheap way to treat beach sand to make
it usable, or is it ok untreated?

-
Thanks,
[H]omer

In article , [H]omer wrote:

How do you prepare this stuff for use as a soil improver, or do you just
dig it straight into the soil?

I believe that is the traditional method - there may be better ones.

Also, is coastal sand any use for mixing my own compost, or is it too
alkaline? Is there any simple and cheap way to treat beach sand to make
it usable, or is it ok untreated?

Wash it. It will have too much salt for many plants, but salt is
readily soluble.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"[H]omer" wrote in message
...
Living near the beach, as I do, I have access to tonnes of seaweed, and
I remember hearing something about it being good for breaking up clay
and generally good for lawns etc.

The thing is though, what exactly do I do with it, before I use it?


I'm in Cornwall near the beach, and I just cut it up fairly small and chuck
it around the garden, it soon rots down.

Em

"[H]omer" wrote in message
...
Living near the beach, as I do, I have access to tonnes of seaweed, and
I remember hearing something about it being good for breaking up clay
and generally good for lawns etc.

The thing is though, what exactly do I do with it, before I use it?

Its too slimy to put through the shredder; does it compost?

How do you prepare this stuff for use as a soil improver, or do you just
dig it straight into the soil?

As I understand it, you let the sun/wind dry it, at which point it becomes
brittle and crunchy. I think you'd need an awful lot of it to condition your
clay soil though. Just as well it's free:-))

Steve

"shazzbat" wrote in message
...

"[H]omer" wrote in message
...
Living near the beach, as I do, I have access to tonnes of seaweed, and
I remember hearing something about it being good for breaking up clay
and generally good for lawns etc.

The thing is though, what exactly do I do with it, before I use it?

Its too slimy to put through the shredder; does it compost?

How do you prepare this stuff for use as a soil improver, or do you just
dig it straight into the soil?

As I understand it, you let the sun/wind dry it, at which point it becomes
brittle and crunchy. I think you'd need an awful lot of it to condition
your
clay soil though. Just as well it's free:-))

Steve



'IS' it free? Are you allowed to just help yourself off the beach? I think
not :-((

Mike


--
H.M.S.Collingwood Ass. Llandudno 20 - 23 May Trip to Portmeirion
National Service (RAF) Ass. Cosford 24 - 27 June Spitfire Fly Past
H.M.S.Impregnable Ass. Sussex 1 - 4 July Visit to Int. Fest of the Sea
RAF Regiment Assoc. Scarborough 2 - 5 Sept. Visit to Eden Camp

"Mike" wrote in message
...
"shazzbat" wrote in message
...

"[H]omer" wrote in message
...
Living near the beach, as I do, I have access to tonnes of seaweed, and
I remember hearing something about it being good for breaking up clay
and generally good for lawns etc.

The thing is though, what exactly do I do with it, before I use it?

Its too slimy to put through the shredder; does it compost?

How do you prepare this stuff for use as a soil improver, or do you
just
dig it straight into the soil?

As I understand it, you let the sun/wind dry it, at which point it
becomes
brittle and crunchy. I think you'd need an awful lot of it to condition
your
clay soil though. Just as well it's free:-))

Steve



'IS' it free? Are you allowed to just help yourself off the beach? I
think
not :-((
Actually you can help yourself, as far as I am aware there are no laws
preventing it

shazzbat wrote:
"[H]omer" wrote in message
...

Its too slimy to put through the shredder; does it compost?

How do you prepare this stuff for use as a soil improver

As I understand it, you let the sun/wind dry it

Doh! Of course ... just dry it out first.

Thanks.

-
[H]omer

"Mike" wrote in message
...
"shazzbat" wrote in message
...

"[H]omer" wrote in message
...
Living near the beach, as I do, I have access to tonnes of seaweed,
and
I remember hearing something about it being good for breaking up clay
and generally good for lawns etc.

The thing is though, what exactly do I do with it, before I use it?

Its too slimy to put through the shredder; does it compost?

How do you prepare this stuff for use as a soil improver, or do you
just
dig it straight into the soil?

As I understand it, you let the sun/wind dry it, at which point it
becomes
brittle and crunchy. I think you'd need an awful lot of it to condition
your
clay soil though. Just as well it's free:-))

Steve



'IS' it free? Are you allowed to just help yourself off the beach? I
think
not :-((

Mike

Err come to think of it I haven't a clue. Does this mean the kids can be
charged for "stealing" shells from the beach? And what about people who
smuggle sand away in between their toes?

Steve

"[H]omer" wrote in message
...
Living near the beach, as I do, I have access to tonnes of seaweed, and
I remember hearing something about it being good for breaking up clay
and generally good for lawns etc.

The thing is though, what exactly do I do with it, before I use it?

Its too slimy to put through the shredder; does it compost?

How do you prepare this stuff for use as a soil improver, or do you just
dig it straight into the soil?

Also, is coastal sand any use for mixing my own compost, or is it too
alkaline? Is there any simple and cheap way to treat beach sand to make
it usable, or is it ok untreated?

-
Thanks,
[H]omer/////////////give me the choice between a free supply of cow manure
and one of seaweed and I will take seaweed anytime.....I have been using
it for the past twenty years and it does wonders for the soil....as to
salt content....none of my plants have ever suffered and mine goes from
the beach to the garden unwashed.....HW

shazzbat wrote:
"Mike" wrote in message
...

'IS' it free? Are you allowed to just help yourself off the beach? I
think not :-((

Err come to think of it I haven't a clue. Does this mean the kids can be
charged for "stealing" shells from the beach? And what about people who
smuggle sand away in between their toes?

Who 'owns' the seaweed?

Hmmm.

Well apparently most beaches in the UK (and therefore their 'natural'
content) is the property of the Crown.

http://www.nerc.ac.uk/publications/d...03/vikings.pdf

OK, I'm off to visit Her Majesty to ask to borrow a cup of seaweed.

Do you think she'll mind?

-
[H]omer

"Harold Walker" wrote in message
...

"[H]omer" wrote in message
...
Living near the beach, as I do, I have access to tonnes of seaweed, and
I remember hearing something about it being good for breaking up clay
and generally good for lawns etc.

The thing is though, what exactly do I do with it, before I use it?

Its too slimy to put through the shredder; does it compost?

How do you prepare this stuff for use as a soil improver, or do you just
dig it straight into the soil?

Also, is coastal sand any use for mixing my own compost, or is it too
alkaline? Is there any simple and cheap way to treat beach sand to make
it usable, or is it ok untreated?

-
Thanks,
[H]omer/////////////give me the choice between a free supply of cow
manure
and one of seaweed and I will take seaweed anytime.....I have been using
it for the past twenty years and it does wonders for the soil....as to
salt content....none of my plants have ever suffered and mine goes from
the beach to the garden unwashed.....HW

I saw a gardening prog a while ago in which someone habitually used sea
water to water the garden, saying that as long as you keep it off the
leaves, it doesn't do any harm.

Steve

shazzbat wrote:
"Harold Walker" wrote in message
...

"[H]omer" wrote in message
...
Living near the beach, as I do, I have access to tonnes of
seaweed,
and I remember hearing something about it being good for breaking
up clay and generally good for lawns etc.

The thing is though, what exactly do I do with it, before I use
it?

Its too slimy to put through the shredder; does it compost?

How do you prepare this stuff for use as a soil improver, or do
you
just dig it straight into the soil?

Also, is coastal sand any use for mixing my own compost, or is it
too alkaline? Is there any simple and cheap way to treat beach
sand
to make it usable, or is it ok untreated?

-
Thanks,
[H]omer/////////////give me the choice between a free supply of
cow
manure and one of seaweed and I will take seaweed anytime.....I
have been using it for the past twenty years and it does wonders
for the soil....as to salt content....none of my plants have ever
suffered and mine goes from the beach to the garden
unwashed.....HW

I saw a gardening prog a while ago in which someone habitually used
sea water to water the garden, saying that as long as you keep it
off
the leaves, it doesn't do any harm.

I'm willing to take instruction, but surely that's insane. She's
probably in a high rainfall area. Anyhow, I'd like to see how she
does it: has she got a bloody great pump? If not, precisely how many
two-gallon buckets does she shift from beach to garden per week?
Until otherwise informed, I'd say her garden would do better if she
never watered it at all.

And, Homer, please don't fall for this commercially plugged bullshit
about shredders: if you can cut it with a spade, it's perfect for
your compost heap. Gardening is just about the cheapest hobby there
is: a hundred quid on five tools and you're set for the next hundred
years if you splash out on a bit of linseed oil for the handles
occasionally. The most expensive thing anybody needs is secateurs ...
and I most often use a Chinese pair I got for a quid, brand new. (OK,
lawn mowers, too; but a decent one will do twenty or thirty years. A
hand mower should last longer.)

--
Mike.

"[H]omer" wrote in message
...
: Living near the beach, as I do, I have access to tonnes of seaweed, and
: I remember hearing something about it being good for breaking up clay
: and generally good for lawns etc.
:
: The thing is though, what exactly do I do with it, before I use it?
:
: Its too slimy to put through the shredder; does it compost?
:
: How do you prepare this stuff for use as a soil improver, or do you just
: dig it straight into the soil?
:
: Also, is coastal sand any use for mixing my own compost, or is it too
: alkaline? Is there any simple and cheap way to treat beach sand to make
: it usable, or is it ok untreated?

Put it straight on for veg

suspicious minds wrote in message
...

"Mike" wrote in message
...
"shazzbat" wrote in message
...

"[H]omer" wrote in message
...
Living near the beach, as I do, I have access to tonnes of seaweed,
and
I remember hearing something about it being good for breaking up clay
and generally good for lawns etc.

The thing is though, what exactly do I do with it, before I use it?

Its too slimy to put through the shredder; does it compost?

How do you prepare this stuff for use as a soil improver, or do you
just
dig it straight into the soil?

As I understand it, you let the sun/wind dry it, at which point it
becomes
brittle and crunchy. I think you'd need an awful lot of it to condition
your
clay soil though. Just as well it's free:-))

Steve



'IS' it free? Are you allowed to just help yourself off the beach? I
think
not :-((
Actually you can help yourself, as far as I am aware there are no laws
preventing it


As far as I'm aware, it's okay to remove seaweed. However, I rather doubt
that it's legal to 'steal' sand from the beach. Certainly, one can't take
rocks and cobbles from the beach. Knowing that at some resorts the council
has to buy in sand to build up the beach, I can't see them being too happy
to have it depleted by opportunist gardeners.

Of course, you could always ask the local council or the National Trust (who
own many coastlines) for permission.

Spider

"suspicious minds" wrote in message
...

"Mike" wrote in message
...
"shazzbat" wrote in message
...

"[H]omer" wrote in message
...
Living near the beach, as I do, I have access to tonnes of seaweed, and
I remember hearing something about it being good for breaking up clay
and generally good for lawns etc.
The thing is though, what exactly do I do with it, before I use it?
Its too slimy to put through the shredder; does it compost?
How do you prepare this stuff for use as a soil improver, or do you
just dig it straight into the soil?

As I understand it, you let the sun/wind dry it, at which point it
becomes
brittle and crunchy. I think you'd need an awful lot of it to condition
your clay soil though. Just as well it's free:-))
Steve

'IS' it free? Are you allowed to just help yourself off the beach? I
think not :-((
Actually you can help yourself, as far as I am aware there are no laws
preventing it

Interesting article about it: http://193.62.154.38/celtica/manureb.htm
Jenny
http://193.62.154.38/celtica/manureb.htm