DIY kelp extract

[Houston]

Has anyone made their own kelp extract? Living near the ocean I am tempted to bring some home, boil it and strain it. Seems absurd to pay so much for something so abundant in nature.

Fun Fact: Kelp can grow up to 10" a day!

[tucker85]

It might be fun to experiment with kelp that you've collected. Make sure to thoroughly wash it so all the salt is removed. Apparently people have used kelp on their gardens for hundreds of years. It's high in mineral content and contains growth hormones that encourage plants to grow faster and larger.

[Ray]

1) Warm-water kelps are not as loaded with the hormones as are cold-water kelps.

2) If you collect stuff washed up on the beach, it will be well on its way to being dead, and the effectiveness of chemicals within it will already be reduced.

3) Boil it, and you will destroy all of the hormones.

[Bud]

I have seen a video on YouTube where the seaweed was collected from the beach, brought home, washed, cut to pieces and put into a blender(one 10 inches leaf to a half gallon water inside the glass of the blender)....a tablespoonful to a gallon of water to water the plants....the rest of the seaweed blend was refrigerated....

[keithrs]

Cold-pressed kelp, which is the best kelp is put into a grinder then a big hydraulic press that squishes the juices out of the kelp.

Home owners can use a cold press machine for vegetable and such.

Norwalk Juicer California - The Ultimate Juicer - Home Page

[Houston]

Thank you for the great feedback. I found an interesting study done on Sargassum seaweed (which is found in abundance here on the western golf coast)

The later half of the abstract is what you'll be most interested in.

DOST SciNet-Phil