Seaweed fertilizer question

Is there any real difference between powdered, reconstituted, and non-reconstituted? (I know the websites who sell the non-reconstituted would have you believe theirs is best, but it's pricey!)

My co-op stopped carrying the Maxi-something brand of liquid seaweed in their retail store. Fortunately, my neighbor works on the "real farmers side" of the store, and he's checking to see if they can get me a gallon special-ordered. But in case they can't, I've started researching my mail-order options.

It seems that many places sell wettable powder form of seaweed and/or fish emulsion, some (like Golden Harvest Organics) put a lot of other stuff in their powder, too. The powder is generally cheaper, and is obviously cheaper to ship.

Don't laugh (at least not too loud), but the only analogy I can think of is orange juice: obviously fresh-squeezed tastes best; never frozen or reconstituted is a distant runner-up, and the powdered stuff is dead last. But that's from a taste perspective, not from a nutritional standpoint - help, please!!!!!

I see that no one has answered you yet. I'll try and ask at my garden center in the next 3 or 4 days. It's all organic. I'll get back to you later.

Only thing I've noticed is that altho the powedered kinds (and especially the pelleted ones you see out now) seem to not go as far as the liquid. Some of those powders use 2 to 3 cups per only 50 sq ft. The liquids are usually mixed at around 1 to 3 tbls per gallon, depending on how you use them. I like the liquid cuz I can not only use it to water in transplants to ease them along and prevent too much shock, but can also use it as a foliar feed later.
I have some wettable kelp I use sometimes, mainly in the spring and fall when the plants need a bit of protection with the cold temps...but it doesn't seem to break down well enuff to use in a pump-up sprayer.

Shoe, do you think there is any real difference between the reconstituted powder and the never-dried/never-frozen liquid?

I'll probably be able to get the Maxi-crop (?) from my Co-Op, but to be honest, the Golden Harvest Organics stuff is sounding mighty tempting, so I may try it too...

I think it would depend on the type of food. Some kinds are strictly fish parts, pureed. Some are that plus shellfish additions, some have kelp added and other minor elements.
I guess the best way to figure it up would be to take a powdered form, see how many tablespoons of it would make one gallon of liquid and, most important, see what the maker declares its strength is (as in 3-2-2, or 5-5-5).

Then do that also with a liquid form...how much of it mixed with one gallon of water, and find out what strength you will end up with. At least that will tell you the pros and cons based on cost of product and end strength of product. But, like I said, if one has kelp meal, and another doesn't that may not add to the 3-2-2 or 5--5-5 but will add quality in another area. (As for me, I'd rather buy kelp separately and use it as needed, and use fish emulsion most of the other times.) I seem to have good results with "Alaska Fish Emulsion"...have used that brand for yrs.

All the above info is popping out from my personal use of the products, my thinking (or lack of!), and when it comes to money I'm a definite MISER! Sometimes spending money on an "all purpose product" is not really the best way to go if you don't need all the ingredients in a given product (as in the kelp being added to the plant food, whether it is powder or liquid). Hope this helps, or at least opens up some ideas for you, and others.

PEEEEEE-YEWWWWWWW! I used fish emulsion last year and boy howdy did it smell! Even the so-called "deodorized" version - hoo boy. Every time I came in from fertilizing plants in my GH, I had to change clothes to stop the snide comments and gagging (and that was from DH and my two teenage boys, who are not known for their tender sensibilities!)

That's why I want to go back to the seaweed fertilizer this spring. It has an aroma, but it's NOTHING like fish emulsion. (I hear the fish emulsion makes a pretty good deer repellant spray - I can see where that might work!)

Thanks for the advice, though; here's what Golden Harvest states about their wettable powder:

What is Golden Harvest made from?

Yucca extract that truly help plants withstand heat, drought and stress. Yucca also works as a surfactant or spreader-sticker which helps the fertilizer adhere to the plants for optimum absorption.

Seaweed powder http://www.ghorganics.com/page33.html the finest grade of cold-processed providing a multitude of trace minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. It also supplies microbial stimulation of the soil, and helps plants to grow strong root systems. Seaweed may repel aphids and can lessen the chance of viral wilts and nematodes in the soil. Seaweed improves cold tolerance in plants via displacing the water content in the foliage with minerals thus reducing the chance of frost damage to emerging growth. The natural growth regulator effects of seaweed, specifically polyamino compounds also play a role in cold resistance. Seaweed as a plant supplement treatment has consistently proved to be the BEST for doing this.

Alfalfa for soil improvement and humic acid content. Alfalfa is an excellent soil additive for alkaline soils! It also is a source of many important minerals. Alfalfa contains triconatol, which promotes plant growth.

Comfrey contains minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and phosphorus along with vitamins A, C, and B-12. Powdered comfrey leaves enrich the soil making these elements available to your plants. It works synergistically with the other ingredients.

Equisetum (horsetail) for disease resistance and enhanced light absorption.

Ascorbic acid for enhancing disease and pest resistance.

Yarrow for its outstanding fertilizing and insect repellant properties.

Pure cane sugar: an excellent source of trace minerals.

Powdered fishmeal: a good supplier of nutrients and trace elements. This fishmeal is a by-product and not from fish harvested only for fertilizer.

No synthetic growth hormones. Completely natural and safe to use.

The combination of seaweed and fish powder together is effective at preventing many fungal diseases from ever developing. It is a known fact that fish emulsion on its' own can promote the conditions which encourage fungal spores to grow.

The hyperlink (above) to their information on Seaweed Extract is worth clicking on for more interesting reading.

My wife just read this product description and laughed out loud. She promises that when she returns next week from arctic ice diving training in northern Canada she will write what she calls a "de~mytholi-gizing" post.

Adam.

This message was edited Friday, Feb 7th 12:49 AM

Vols...hehehe, I agree! The smell of fish emulsion when used in the ghouse lingers for days! (However, it also makes strangers who show up here not want to linger around long either! :>)
Maybe you could save the fish emulsion for outdoor use (and also not get it all over you?).

Have you checked GardensAlive kelp foods by any chance. Theirs is the only kelp I've tried but Golden Harvest sure makes a good write-up, eh?

for anyone interested, i was recently sent a magazine called "acres u.s.a. books 2003 catlog" which is full of books you can order about eco-farming/eco-living. page 7 has a book entitled sea energy agriculture. they also put out a monthly magazine. their website address is www.acresusa.com.

Heh, folks, I feel like a poor relative turning up at this erudite discussion.

I'll just throw in my widow's mites' worth, and depart...

I've used kelp powder for years.

Sprayed in very weak solution, it's a fabulous deterrent for damping off disease. In slightly stronger solution, it helps transplants to overcome transplanting shock.

In vigorous solution, it puts the green back into the leaves of wilting beans - at least, when I grow them in my greenhouse, prior to planting out.

It's lovely stuff.

You can also eat kelp powder, of course. And full of minerals, it is.

Try sprinkling it in your salad dressings, wherever you might use pepper. It imparts a lovely, refreshing marine fragrance.

But you'll know all about that, if you've ever sprinkled kelp solution on a plant - in a greenhouse!