Many gardeners would agree that there is nothing tastier than a tomato fresh off the vine. By trying to produce the best growing tomatoes possible, you can avoid the toxins that many store-bought tomatoes have been subjected to. You may have wondered if using seaweed (also called kelp) can help your tomato plants.
There are many trace elements in seaweed fertilizers, such as: magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, and nitrogen, all of which are beneficial to plants. For people who farm organically, seaweed is a great organic fertilizer to use. Tomatoes require a lot of nutrition and ideally you should use a seaweed solution at least every 2 weeks.
Using seaweed as a fertilizer can help you produce the best growing tomatoes in the following ways:
1) as a growth stimulator, helps plants to form flowers and fruits
two) helps fight disease
3) helps plants during times of stress, such as drought, cold weather, and when repotting
It is best to spray or water the diluted liquid seaweed solution directly onto the leaves, as it is absorbed immediately. Routine use of a seaweed spray can also improve soil condition and the flavor of tomatoes. Seaweed fertilizer is also available in a granular form that can be distributed and mixed into the top layers of the soil.
Another advantage of using seaweed in the garden is that it is a natural slug repellant. You can cover with algae near the bottom of your tomato plants or on the edge of the beds. If you cover with mulch up to 4 inches thick, it will shrink to about 1 inch when dry. Because the algae are salty and get rough when they dry, they deter slugs.
These are just a few of the ways that using seaweed can help your tomato plants. Growing tomatoes can be fun and easy. By exercising a few basics in growing your tomato plants, the end result will prove worth the effort!