Seaweed Extract

[Ray]

Seaweed products - any product containing auxins, for that matter (K-L-N, SuperThrive, e.g.) - should be used with fertilizer. The hormones cause new growth. New growth needs nutrients to continue. Many nutrients are translocatable from other plant tissues, but some are not, so must be actively supplied via fertilizer.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by ALToronto

I presume than none of the people using these products of decomposition is growing orchids inside the home. I can only imagine the smell.

Originally Posted by Fernando

No bad smell at all. Composting has a 'mushroom'-scent, when well done. Half of my plants are inside, in the livingroom, and since I don't smoke any more, I'm very sensitive to odours - ¡no bad smell at all!
Composting has alway to fight against prejudice of beeing a kind of dunghill; as long as all is aerobic, there are no bad smells, and no wet rotting; even all the fauna - ¡and there is really a lot! - stays put in the containers.
If there would be a bad smell, that indicates something's going wrong, or that you have added meat, bones, etc. To much of citric waste can make a very fruite smell, that attracts fruitflies.

The worm-tea smells like walking in a forrest, humus-like.

Fer

Fernando is correct with this. I keep my compost outside, but if all is going correctly it should not smell at all, but will have a faint humus scent when the lid is opened.

---------- Post added at 09:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:46 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Ray

Seaweed products - any product containing auxins, for that matter (K-L-N, SuperThrive, e.g.) - should be used with fertilizer. The hormones cause new growth. New growth needs nutrients to continue. Many nutrients are translocatable from other plant tissues, but some are not, so must be actively supplied via fertilizer.

So if I water and fertilize at least once a week, do I still need to use the seaweed extract solution at exact same time as a fertilizer? Or can I use the normal fertilizer on a subsequent application, say in a couple of days?

I only use the extract 1x per month.

[BettyE]

I use the seaweed extract once a month, with fertilizer. Guess that I will now stop using it in Wintertime, though. Thanks for the tip, tucker85...BettyE

[tucker85]

Originally Posted by isurus79

So if I water and fertilize at least once a week, do I still need to use the seaweed extract solution at exact same time as a fertilizer? Or can I use the normal fertilizer on a subsequent application, say in a couple of days?

I only use the extract 1x per month.

I've done it both ways. One year I added seaweed to my fertilizer mix and it seemed to work fine. This year I'm giving the seaweed separately. So far I haven't seen any difference. It seems to work either way.

[Ray]

According to discussions I've had with the Kelpak technical manager, the process is like this:

Application of auxins triggers activity within the plant resulting in the growth of new root tips. As new root tips grow, they naturally emit cytokinins, which cause cell elongation and growth.

The reaction to the auxins reaches a peak several days after the application, then starts to fade away again, in a classic "bell curve" manner. The reaction to the newly-released cytokinins circulating in the plant follows a similar curve, but lags by several days, as one would expect.

The net result is that the hormonal activity spans anywhere from two- to three weeks after application, so their recommendation is to do no applications more frequently than that.

However, many do a reduced application at ever watering, and I have heard of no adverse effects, as long as they have not overdosed the chemicals.

[isurus79]

@Ray & Tucker,
Great info guys! I really appreciate it, as do my plants!

[Ordphien]

Wow...
Incredible...
So now I'm setting a worm composter in the corner of my yard.
I can only imagine the benefits...
And I need to find seaweed not meant for eating...
I live in California so there's gotta be a hydroponics shop within 10 minutes of me....

[Ray]

Not all seaweed extracts are made equal.

Forget powders - the hormones are very likely already significantly degraded. Look for a liquid that is particularly high in auxins; some are high in cytokinins, instead. If the label states it is heat or enzyme processed, keep looking, as they knock down the effectiveness as well. Cold-, and/or vacuum processing is preferred.

[ALToronto]

What are the symptoms and effects of overdosing on the seaweed extract? I put in in the water for plants growing in semi-hydro, so the seaweed extract is being applied all the time, with no breaks in between.

[DTEguy]

Originally Posted by ALToronto

What are the symptoms and effects of overdosing on the seaweed extract? I put in in the water for plants growing in semi-hydro, so the seaweed extract is being applied all the time, with no breaks in between.

I am not a plant biologist but as far as I know excessive stimulation can also make the plant less sensitive to the stimulant. Leading you to apply more in the future for the same effect.

You can think of this similar to an effect of one cigarette to heavy smoker vs a non-smoker.

If the stimulant is not that critical for normal function then perhaps it's fine. However, when it comes to seaweed's cytokinin/auxin, this is something that plant produces and uses all the time for growth, roots development, flowering...etc. Your plant might rely on seaweed for normal function as their own production of these hormones might be too little compared to what you have been providing.

Therefore I think you should at the most use it 2x a month. Or use it as a kick start for new leaves and roots and then use it again when activity slows down.

This is just my assumption and someone with more experience or more technical knowledge can chime in. However, I think Tucker wrote somewhere that he saw greater effect from seaweed application after he gives them a break in between.

A tangent: I still think spraying seaweed solution with high auxin on plants from the top can interfere with blooming. I mean that is the whole basis of cutting a spike from phal. to rebloom: cut off the supply of auxin and accumulate cytokinin on the next node to form buds.