Lake Seaweed

[jacksonduper]

The local lake district that I help out from time to time is looking for a place to dump the lake weed in the summer. I know it is high in nutrients but I only have Hay ground. The previous farmer who took the seaweed tilled it in. I have a farm that the owners don't want any commercial fertilizers used. My question is could I compost it and spread it after it composts. I have access to horse manure and cow manure to mix with the seaweed if that would help? Any thoughts?

 

[Steve in VA]

The local lake district that I help out from time to time is looking for a place to dump the lake weed in the summer. I know it is high in nutrients but I only have Hay ground. The previous farmer who took the seaweed tilled it in. I have a farm that the owners don't want any commercial fertilizers used. My question is could I compost it and spread it after it composts. I have access to horse manure and cow manure to mix with the seaweed if that would help? Any thoughts?

If I had ready access to it, I'd certainly compost and use.

 

[used red MN]

The local lake district that I help out from time to time is looking for a place to dump the lake weed in the summer. I know it is high in nutrients but I only have Hay ground. The previous farmer who took the seaweed tilled it in. I have a farm that the owners don't want any commercial fertilizers used. My question is could I compost it and spread it after it composts. I have access to horse manure and cow manure to mix with the seaweed if that would help? Any thoughts?

From dirt to dirt, a quick web search yielded this. It is likely a master’s thesis so the wording is fairly high level. Composting aquatic plants
Section 2 seems have the most direct information for your quest. Having been involved with my father’s and uncle’s organic farming in my younger years, I learned a few things about sustainability. We never tried anything quite this exotic. Chicken manure was often acquired for some of its unique qualities they also used a lot of Calphos, both of which were beneficial to the types of soil we had.

 

[DanielW]

I'd agree with Steve: If you can get it free or cheap, I'd be tempted to get it, pile it up, and then formulate a plan to deal with it. There's a region i the South of England that has vineyards and wine-growing capabilites similar to those in the South of France. The soil there is (apparently) unbelievably rich and full of nutrients - some of the best in the World. It's apparently largely due to generations of farmers having loaded seaweed that washed ashore onto wagons and dumping it on their fields.

 

[wrenchere85]

Sea weed is great fertilizer, IF no chemical weed killer has been user.Friend of mine was in the Aquatic weed cutting business and used a lot to fertilize with. Until he put some on his dads garden from a lake that had been treated with chemical weed killer, garden would not grow anything for 4 years after that. Yet chemical is safe for fish and humans to swim in. Ya right.

 

[Steve in VA]

I'd agree with Steve: If you can get it free or cheap, I'd be tempted to get it, pile it up, and then formulate a plan to deal with it. There's a region i the South of England that has vineyards and wine-growing capabilites similar to those in the South of France. The soil there is (apparently) unbelievably rich and full of nutrients - some of the best in the World. It's apparently largely due to generations of farmers having loaded seaweed that washed ashore onto wagons and dumping it on their fields.

Did you by chance ever see the film "The Field"? 1990 with Richard Harris and Tom Berringer. Tracks pretty well.