Collect the seaweed from your local beach or waterway. Be sure to check with your council or local government first for in some areas it is illegal to take seaweed off the beach. Kelp is generally the best option, but other types of seaweed work great as well. Collect the seaweed in a plastic bag and if the seaweed is not already wet, be sure to wet it with some seawater to prevent it drying out.
When you get home, be sure to wash sand and beach debris off the seaweed for the sand and beach debris is very alkaline. However, if you have extremely acidic soil you could use this to your advantage and not wash off the sand.
Choose what you want to use your seaweed for. You could make it into a liquid fertiliser, add it to your compost or use it in its raw state in the garden.
If using it in the compost, be sure to mix it through with other materials really well. If you don't, the seaweed could become slimy and suffocate the compost.
To make your seaweed into a liquid fertiliser, simply put all the compost in a barrel or any other sort of container. All you have to do here is add a little bit of water and wait for the seaweed to decompose.( This usually takes a few months.) Liquid seaweed solution can be used on all parts of the garden. It's particular effective in helping plants bearing fruits or flowers for the seaweed builds up disease resistance.
If you choose to use the seaweed directly on the garden, it's imperative that you do so correctly. The common mistake that many people make is mixing it into the soil. You should never do this for, as the seaweed breaks down, it will rob the soil of nitrogen. The correct way to apply seaweed is on top of the soil. Gradually over time worms and other soil creatures will bring it down into the soil. The results from this method are marvellous for there is a slow release of trace elements into the soil.
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