Kelp fertilizer or kelp meal is derived from kelp seaweeds, large brown seaweeds found in shallow coastal waters. While it is true that all seaweed products are valuable in providing macro and micronutrients, kelp appears to offer even more benefits than others.
Kelp contains more than 50 vitamins and minerals, such as iodine, amino acids, thiamin, and vitamins A, C, and B12. These organic fertilizers have recently grown in popularity in households and businesses because they have been proven to improve soil fertility and plant growth.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the effects and benefits of kelp meals as organic fertilizer and animal feed supplements and how to use them effectively.
Kelp Meals As A Soil Conditioner
Kelp meal is an excellent addition to the garden that you can use on various crops. It provides plants with valuable micronutrients and vitamins. It also enhances soil structure, lessens drought stress, and improves plant tolerance to frost and insect pests.
Benefits of Kelp Meals for Plants
Here are some additional advantages of using kelp meals as a soil conditioner:
- They are suitable for crops with high potassium, like soybean, strawberry, tomatoes, lettuce, and potatoes.
- They enhance plant root mass, which helps in creating a solid structure for nutrient and water absorption from the soil.
- They are ideal for chemical-free planting and farming because they are natural.
- They have high levels of iodine, which helps repel insects, bugs, and pests.
- They enhance the efficiency of any soil or potting mix, allowing you to get the most out of a small amount of space.
How To Use Kelp Meal As A Soil Conditioner
Kelp meal is available at garden centers and online markets. The easiest method is spreading it around the base of the plants, crops, shrubs, and flowers you want to grow and harvest. It can also be used as a plant potting medium or mixed directly into the soil.
Here are other kelp meal tips for your specific application:
- Squashes: Sprinkle a small quantity early in the growing season and on the base of the plants to help deter squash bags. You may repeat this process every ten days to keep pests away.
- Garlic: Soak in kelp meal tea for one to two hours before planting. You can easily make tea by combining ¼ cup of kelp meal and one gallon of water. Let it steep for one to three days and stir daily.
- Stressed and dehydrated plants and crops: Use liquid kelp over dry kelp meal for faster absorption and reaction.
- Plants and crops frequently exposed to extreme temperatures: Use liquid kelp as a foliar spray.
- Vegetable gardens and flowerbeds: Apply one to two pounds of kelp meal per 100 square feet and mix it into the top three inches of soil.
Kelp Meals As Animal Feed Supplements
Kelp meals meet the trace element demands of animals typically lacking in mineral mixes, land-grown feeds, and pastures due to erosion and leaching. Moreover, research findings indicate that farmers and breeders rely on them to ensure the health and productivity of their animals.
Benefits of Kelp Meals for Animals
There are substantial advantages to using kelp meals as animal feed supplements for chickens, cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and other poultry creatures:
- They enhance animal feed utilization.
- They reduce or eliminate breeding problems for pigs and cows.
- They are helpful in animal metabolism because they contain high levels of iodine.
- They boost overall gains, such as milk production in cows, egg production in chickens, and weight in pigs, cattle, and horses.
- They minimize internal parasites in pigs.
How To Use Kelp Meal As Feed Supplement
Here are some suggested feeding rates for animals. These generally range within one to two percent of the feed ration:
- Horses: ½ oz. per day
- Dairy cows and cattle: 2-4 oz. per day
- Goats: 2% of the food ration
- Chickens: 1% of the total feed pre-mixed
- Sheep: 2% of the food ration
- Turkeys: 1-2% of the total feed pre-mixed
- Dogs (standard size): 1 teaspoon per day
- Cats: ¼ teaspoon per day
Quality Kelp Meals From North American Kelp
For over 50 years, North American Kelp has been your trusted provider of responsibly and sustainably sourced kelp products. Our products are single-ingredient, renewable sources of minerals and vitamins for your animals and plants. We use a delicate drying process to preserve the seaweed’s nutrients, color, and a savory flavor, leading to an appetizing supplement that livestock and pets enjoy.
Our skilled and committed team is ready to help you meet your needs! Contact us today for more information or inquiries about our kelp products.
