Soil conditioners improve soil quality by boosting nutrient levels, increasing water absorption, and improving aeration. The most common conditioners include compost, animal manure, vermiculite, peat, and more. While all types universally amplify the health of your soil in one way or another, their benefits and qualities differ.
If you’re looking for a slow-release soil conditioner for your commercial horticulture or agriculture production or manufacturing operation, kelp meal is an excellent option. This soil-building seaweed product feeds and stimulates beneficial microorganisms and improves soil quality, texture, and water and nutrient-holding capacity.
In this article, we will walk you through the uses and benefits of kelp meal as a soil conditioner.
What Is Kelp?
Kelp is a large brown seaweed that grows in cool, shallow waters near the coast. The variety Ascophyllum nodosum grows primarily off the coast of Maine, Canada, Ireland, Iceland, and Norway. The nutrient dense ocean provides a great environment for the seaweed to grow and flourish.
Kelp meal, is made from dried and ground seaweed which can then be used in agriculture to improve soil fertility and promote plant growth. Kelp meals typically have a low NPK, or nitrate-phosphate-potassium ratio, and are predominantly used as a trace mineral source. Also, they provide beneficial micronutrients, and vitamins that aid in increasing yields, improving soil conditions, reducing drought stress, and increasing frost tolerance.
What Are the Uses and Benefits of Kelp in Soil Conditioning?
The cell structure of kelp aids in the filtering of seawater for rich nutrients. This continuous filtration process allows kelp to grow rapidly, sometimes reaching three ft. (91 cm.) per day. Moreover, kelp is considered a renewable and abundant resource due to its rapid growth rate.
Here are the advantages of using kelp seaweed as soil conditioners:
Improves Soil Microbial Activity
Kelp is high in protein, iodine, and other minerals beneficial to the soil. With its variety of nutrients, this fertilizer choice energizes and feeds Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR). Thus, it can help germinate seeds faster, promote rooting, and produce larger flowers and buds. [Our kelp meal isn’t a registered fertilizer and doesn’t have a NPK claim, so we can’t call it a fertilizer]
Enhances Water Holding Capacity
Carrageenan, or the polysaccharide giving kelps their “gelling effect,” aids in water retention, allowing the soil to remain hydrated for an extended period.
Provides Natural Ingredients and Nutrients
Kelp has the advantage of being a completely natural, product that contains over 70 vitamins and minerals. You can apply kelp meal in any soil and not worry about toxic substances and other waste byproducts.
SeaLife Kelp Meals for Soils From North American Kelp
SeaLife Kelp Meals for Soils is a graded kelp meal soil conditioner that uses the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum. We collect the seaweed off the coast of Maine’s and dry it at a low temperature to maintain its beneficial nutrients, trace elements, amino acids, and carbohydrates.
North American Kelp has been your dependable source of responsibly and sustainably sourced kelp products for over 50 years! Our experience makes us a leader in the seaweed industry. Let us help you integrate kelp meal into your soil conditioner regimen or products.
Contact us today to learn more about kelp and the products we offer!
