Did You Know That Seaweed Can Benefit the Plants in Your Garden?

According to Homes & Gardens , seaweed offers a host of beneficial properties that can mean happy plants and healthy soil in your garden .

This natural wonder can be added to the soil, used as a mulch, added to compost heaps, or applied directly to plants as a seaweed extract-based fertilizer.

According to gardeners, using seaweed in the garden provides several important benefits, such as stronger, healthier plants, improved soil structure and health, and more flowers, fruits, or vegetables .

Top reasons to use seaweed in your garden

All gardeners strive to have a garden full of healthy, thriving plants.

The plants have greater vigor

Seaweed are rich in compounds that benefit healthy plant growth throughout their life.

The compounds contained in algae stimulate essential processes in plants that regulate their growth and promote healthy growth.

According to Angharad James, Maxicrop's product manager, there are two natural hormones present in seaweed, cytokinins and auxins , which play a beneficial role in helping plants both above and below ground.

Cytokinins slow cell aging , helping plants maintain green leaves and photosynthesis for longer. Auxins promote root growth , ensuring better nutrient retention and absorption.

Improving soil quality

Seaweed promote beneficial microbial activity in the soil , as the carbohydrates and polysaccharides they contain act as a food source for soil microorganisms.enen actúan como fuente de alimento para los microorganismos del suelo.

These microbes, including bacteria and fungi, are the engine of healthy soil ecosystems and help break down organic matter , release trapped nutrients, and improve soil structure, creating an ideal growing environment.

More flowers and fruits, and stronger plants

Seaweed is naturally rich in copper, iron, manganese, and zinc . These trace elements have a significant impact on plant health and development, even though they are required in smaller quantities.

High levels of potassium help promote flowering and fruiting throughout the growing season , benefiting bud development and more flowers, along with fruit formation and ripening for many tasty home crops.

When plants face heat, drought, or frost, algae contain compounds such as betaines and antioxidants that help plants cope with these stresses .

Betaines act as osmoprotectants, which are small organic molecules that help organisms maintain cellular hydration under water stress .

Meanwhile, antioxidants combat oxidative damage caused by extreme environmental conditions, keeping plants healthy for longer . Strong, healthy plants will also be more resistant to pests and diseases.

Which plants benefit most from seaweed?

According to fruit tree specialist Fern Berg, she has used seaweed to grow tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers and has always had lush plants and abundant harvests .

In addition to fruit crops, algae also benefits root crops such as carrots, as auxins promote root growth, and the roots thrive with improved soil structure.

Seaweed is also recommended for various fruit crops , including strawberry and blueberry cultivation.

What plants don't like seaweed fertilizer?

Plants that don't like seaweed fertilizer tend to be those that thrive in nutrient-poor soils .

For example, drought-tolerant herbs, such as lavender, rosemary, and other Mediterranean herbs, do not benefit from the nutrients provided by algae and prefer leaner, well-drained soils.

Other plants unsuitable for use with seaweed fertilizers include cacti, succulents, and desert plants .