The Merits of Seaweed

Why did I get damp and smelly down at the beach this week?
Well, it was all for the good of the allotment as I found out recently that seaweed's invaluable to improve the soil and the crop of vegetables and fruit because:

1. When spread upon the soil and 'rained upon' the salt permeates the soil, thus discouraging slugs and snails; 
2. Once the salt has been leached out the seaweed will be superb as it improves the water-holding quality of the soil (vital here by the seaside); and 
3. It will add many nutrients, although temporarily (about 15 weeks, with dried blood or loam speeding up this process) there'll be less nitrogen so Autumn is a good time to apply seaweed. It feeds the bacteria in the soil.  According to organic farmers it contains lots of nutrients: vitamins, all trace elements (in a form acceptable to plants), growth hormones, also disease- controlling qualities.  
4. It's sustainable and renewable.  

WOW!!

• Some people apply the seaweed at the depth of a spade or two at the rate of a barrow-load per square metre.  
• If putting on the compost heap, mix with woody or fibrous material, or paper such as newspaper, to help it avoid it becoming slimy. 
• Or can use as a mulch but this may become rather smelly (it's certainly been smelly in the car!).

However, there's no public right to collect it, unless you own the beach.  I should have thought we had the right to collect it because:

1. It would save the Council money by them having to clear less from the beaches; and
2. Surely we've paid towards it in our (high) Council Taxes and our (also high) Water Rates, which cover keeping our coastline clean.

Incidentally, at this site: http://www.giapo.com/blog/sea-weed-salad/, there's a recipe for Seaweed Salad Sorbet!  Also: http://www.oceanvegetables.com/seaweed-recipes.html.  Full of nutrients!

Allotment Update

15 November: We've been busy digging over the new part of the allotment, making four sizeable beds, then covering them to suppress weeds.  It's a long, boring job but will be worth it.

Today I planted some broad beans.  Pushed finger/piece of wood 2" into the ground, dropped in a broad bean. Then raked over the area.  The hope is that planting them in early November will mean much less black fly than when they're planted in the spring.


16 November: Still picking the odd raspberry!
This afternoon it was pretty rainy and miserable but as I'd promised to show some prospective allotmenteers around our site to choose a new plot, needs must.  
Well, they both arrived on time, the first one paid and got his key ready to start digging as soon as it stops raining.  Then there was a long wait, which would have been great had the weather been more clement, would have made me get on with things.  But in the end I decided that, as it's not too cold this November, getting wet didn't really matter as could sit in front of the wood burner this evening.

So, scattered wood ash from the burner over the fruit bushes, planted the rest of the broad beans and clipped lots of the path, amazing to think the grass is still growing when it's only six weeks to Christmas - perhaps I'll be out grass cutting again on Christmas Day!
The second group of people came, suitably prepared with their wellies and raincoats and we trudged up the hill.  They had a good look and are very pleased, so are coming this evening to pay and get their key!  A good day's work!!
Someone said yesterday that the new plotholders are getting younger - I said 'no, we're getting older'!

19 November: Went up to Allotment today. David did some more digging which was heavy work as the soil is quite waterlogged. 
I hoed the leeks, then amalgamated the compost heaps, putting the good stuff onto the fruit bushes and pruning and tidying up their branches. 
Also (surprise, surprise) we picked six raspberries, so it seems we still have yet to experience a frost this autumn. So I haven't picked the parsnips and sprouts as they need a frost to become more tasty, although we brought home some cabbage for dinner tonight.
We're thinking of getting a bigger shed now that we have more land and here are two of our possibles:

(from: http://www.waltons.co.uk/wooden-sheds/ultra-value-range)

The summerhouse here in the garden came from Waltons Sheds and we're very pleased with it: 

It's down at the bottom of the garden and faces Tor Bay, looking towards Torquay and the rocks off Hope's Nose, so not a bad view.

Lancaster Bomber doing a 'fly past' a couple of years ago.

20 November: Finally got round to planting the onions.


22 November: Was lucky enough to procure an old square water tank from Freecycle (http://uk.freecycle.org/) and today went down to the beach and filled it up with seaweed left by the tide.  Rather a damp, smelly job but it will be worth it eventually, see separate item on seaweed.

24 November: It said in the weekly Herald Express that it's time to earth up the leeks, so that's one of today's jobs.
25 November: Collected more seaweed from the beach and spread it onto some of the bare soil to leech out the salt.  Did some more digging and weeding and covered the onions as something is starting to dig them up.  Mice? 
Am still picking the odd raspberry and cutting the grass verges (in November?!).  
This evening it was fun as we made out the seed order for next season.  It's easy to be ambitious at this time of the year ...