What Kelp/Seaweed extract are you using in Canada?

[Orchid grower]

Hello everyone! I live in canada and am getting a bit overwhelmed with all the options, whatever is available in the US doesn't seem to be available in canada.

I can't find kelpmax/kelpak in canada without having to pay a high cost in shipping/duties.
I have a bottle of superthrive from 2020 but from my research I don't think it's usable anymore.

I'm looking something available in canada - I found something called sea-k but it's in a powder form and I read that powder isn't as effective?

Please tell me what the Canadian growers are using! Thank you

My main use of this is for reporting my neglected orchids. Whenever I used superthrive while reporting I noticed none of my orchids died. These orchids have been severely neglected and i want to make sure I won't lose them during repot.

[Ray]

I'll agree that Canadian shipping is ridiculous, but shipping into Canada is even worse.

I don't know your situation, but back in the days when I did a lot of shipping to Canadian folks, the preferred and cheapest way - IF the individual was close enough to the US border - was for me to ship to one of those "package services" in the US. Then the individual would travel into the US, pay them a nominal handling fee and just take stuff home after a day of shopping.

[thefish1337]

Originally Posted by Orchid grower

Hello everyone! I live in canada and am getting a bit overwhelmed with all the options, whatever is available in the US doesn't seem to be available in canada.

I can't find kelpmax/kelpak in canada without having to pay a high cost in shipping/duties.
I have a bottle of superthrive from 2020 but from my research I don't think it's usable anymore.

I'm looking something available in canada - I found something called sea-k but it's in a powder form and I read that powder isn't as effective?

Please tell me what the Canadian growers are using! Thank you

My main use of this is for reporting my neglected orchids. Whenever I used superthrive while reporting I noticed none of my orchids died. These orchids have been severely neglected and i want to make sure I won't lose them during repot.

If you live near the coasts I would find a place where you can collect fresh, living coldwater brown seaweed (there is no substitutes) in the early summer and do an osmotic extraction using brown sugar. Simply mix finely chopped kelp with equal parts by weight brown sugar. Fill your container 2/3s full with mixture. Cover but do not make airtight. Allow to extract for 5-7 days and then separate the liquid from the kelp. Supersaturate the solution with brown sugar by adding more until it no longer goes into solution and you have a small amount of undissolved sugar on the bottom. In korean natural farming tradition this would AT least be applied with rice vinegar or raw natural vinegar, both at 8mL per gallon.

I have tried this with sugar kelp, and bull kelp. The active constituents in brown kelp which promote plant growth are phlorotannins (what makes them brown), plant growth hormones (varies depending on the species and when you harvest the kelp), micronutrients, unique sugars, betaines and amino acids. This will not create something that is necessarily better than kelpak but it is a plant sap extract that can be made easily and cheaply by coastal folks that has a lot of the same benefits of a commercial kelp product.

Some may think that this is crazy but there is a lot of horticultural methods we are not exposed to in our "western bubble".

[Canadienne]

Hai, I use marinis seaweed concentrate from rubicon. Available at Canadian tire and Home Depot.
It seems to work fine, have been using it for years. Use Wilson’s liquid ( gel) for root stimulation, now that works great! However I don’t use it regularly, only on root challenged orchids. Available at home hardwares and likely at some other big box stores.

[Orchid grower]

Originally Posted by Canadienne

Hai, I use marinis seaweed concentrate from rubicon. Available at Canadian tire and Home Depot.
It seems to work fine, have been using it for years. Use Wilson’s liquid ( gel) for root stimulation, now that works great! However I don’t use it regularly, only on root challenged orchids. Available at home hardwares and likely at some other big box stores.

Thank you! I'd never heard of this - I got another brand off Amazon before I saw your post but this is a much better price for 1L. I will try this next time. Thanks again

---------- Post added at 01:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:21 AM ----------

Originally Posted by thefish1337

If you live near the coasts I would find a place where you can collect fresh, living coldwater brown seaweed (there is no substitutes) in the early summer and do an osmotic extraction using brown sugar. Simply mix finely chopped kelp with equal parts by weight brown sugar. Fill your container 2/3s full with mixture. Cover but do not make airtight. Allow to extract for 5-7 days and then separate the liquid from the kelp. Supersaturate the solution with brown sugar by adding more until it no longer goes into solution and you have a small amount of undissolved sugar on the bottom. In korean natural farming tradition this would AT least be applied with rice vinegar or raw natural vinegar, both at 8mL per gallon.

I have tried this with sugar kelp, and bull kelp. The active constituents in brown kelp which promote plant growth are phlorotannins (what makes them brown), plant growth hormones (varies depending on the species and when you harvest the kelp), micronutrients, unique sugars, betaines and amino acids. This will not create something that is necessarily better than kelpak but it is a plant sap extract that can be made easily and cheaply by coastal folks that has a lot of the same benefits of a commercial kelp product.

Some may think that this is crazy but there is a lot of horticultural methods we are not exposed to in our "western bubble".

Thank you so much for the detailed reply. I may give this a go next time I'm by the water!

[CocoSo]

Hi everyone. I too have been looking at what's available in Canada for kelp/seaweed fertilizers. Here are 3 possible options for liquid fertilizer all made in Canada.
1) KelpMan Sea Spray Organic Fertilizer
Available: online direct, Home Depot
$29.97/500ml
The West Coast Canadian Kelp used in Kelpman is the giant Pacific Kelp called Macrocystis Integrifolia.
2) Rubicon Organic Fertilizer, Liquid Seaweed for Plant Growth
Available: Direct online, Canadian Tire $24.99/l
Marinis Seaweed Liquid Extract is a concentrated extract of Ascophyllum nodosum harvested from cold water.
3) Sea Forest SEA FARM Liquid Kelp Fertilizer
Available: Direct online at seaforest.ca, Amazon.ca - $19.95/l
Cold-press extract, made of Pacific Sea Kelp sustainably grown and harvested in Canada’s Salish Sea.
I have contacted Sea Forest to ask specifically what Pacific Kelp is in their fertilizer as Salish Sea has several kinds. The 2 main kinds are Bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) and Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
Super strictly speaking, kelp is a taxonomic distinction that refers to members of the Order Laminariales. Therefore very strictly speaking Ascophyllum nodosum isn’t really kelp, almost looks like it albeit smaller but not. It along with the others below are all part of Phaeophyceae(Brown algae) class.
So here’s how it goes in the 3 listed varieties above;
Phaeophyceae/Fucales/Fucaceae/ Ascophyllum nodosum(Rubicon)
Phaeophyceae/Laminariales/Lessoniaceae/Ecklonia maxima(Kelpak) and Nerocystis luetkeana(possibly Sea Forest Sea Farm)
Phaeophyceae/Laminariales/Laminariaceae/ Macrocystis pyrifera(integrifolia)(KelpMan) (possibly Sea Forest Sea Farm)
As soon as and if I hear back from Sea Forest, I’ll add on that info. Hope this can be of some benefit to the Canadian contingent as the expense of importing Kelpak can be prohibitive and I’m speaking from experience.($45.00/l plus post=YIKES)

[Dimples]

Originally Posted by CocoSo

Hope this can be of some benefit to the Canadian contingent as the expense of importing Kelpak can be prohibitive and I’m speaking from experience.($45.00/l plus post=YIKES)

What?! Per LITER?? That’s

[Ray]

If I’m not mistaken, that’s the price C&C used to sell it for.

I sell quite a bit to Canadians who have me shop to a package service, then take it home themselves.

$36 is the list price delivered to the service, and a lot of folks get discounts.

---------- Post added at 08:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:29 PM ----------

I will add that “a rose is a rose is a rose” does NOT apply to seaweed extracts, not only due to the species used, but it’s growing conditions, as well as how it’s harvested and processed.

There’s a reason Kelpak has been in broad use for over 40 years.

[Waterdog111]

Ray,that’s a big 10/4.

[CocoSo]

Originally Posted by Ray

[/COLOR]I will add that “a rose is a rose is a rose” does NOT apply to seaweed extracts, not only due to the species used, but it’s growing conditions, as well as how it’s harvested and processed.

There’s a reason Kelpak has been in broad use for over 40 years.

Very true. That being said, Rolls Royce and Volkswagen are both cars but sadly the Rolls is not easily available to me and is out of my league. With my seaweed info I'm only giving a glimpse under the hood of the Volkswagen, letting folks know what is actually in the bottle. After that we all have to do our research and make individual choices.

---------- Post added at 10:05 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:48 AM ----------

Now maybe some good news. Belchim Canada are distributors for Kelpak in Canada. I contacted them and this is their reply Jan 2, 2025:

"Hello Coco,
Kelpak is imported into Canada for the Agricultural (farming) market. As such, the smallest available size is 20L.
The 2 distributors in the Montreal area are Sollio and Synagri.
You could find your local Sollio coop here Our members | Sollio Groupe Cooperatif
It is very unlikely that they would have stock, but would be able to special order it.
Best Regards,
Dave
David Gosnell
Operations and Supply Chain Manager"

Could this be something for larger Canadian orchid sellers to look into or Orchid Societies to group purchase? Maybe it's been tried already. Just asking.