The answer to the question of whether adding seaweed to our compost will enhance it, is a simple yes.
Seaweed is a rich source of nutrients like nitrogen, potassium and phosphate, which are essential for plant growth. It also contains vitamins, amino acids and trace elements like manganese, zinc, copper and boron, which are often lacking in our ancient soils.
When adding seaweed to our compost, we can treat it like any other nitrogen-rich ingredient. Chop it up into nice small pieces and add in a thin layer. It is not necessary to rinse the seaweed before adding as the salt and sand are not in high enough quantities to do harm and can actually add valuable nutrients.
To save time on chopping up big slippery tendrils of seaweed, I try to collect only small pieces. Alternatively Joel dries his seaweed in the hot sun and then simply crushes it under foot. This drying process also enables him to store it indefinitely which is a real bonus.
So yes, seaweed is great for our compost and our garden, that is why we see it in so many commercial garden products. The question of where and how much seaweed we should collect on our next beach holiday is a little more complicated.
Firstly it is important to acknowledge seaweed plays a critical role in the food web of our coast areas. Seaweed washed ashore is not rubbish but an important food source for sand dwelling scavengers. In turn these little critters contribute to the diets of coastal birds such as gulls and sandpipers, as well as fish. Seaweed also plays a critical role in helping to protect beaches from erosion. As such, we need to be mindful and informed when collecting seaweed.
In Australia, while you need a permit to harvest living seaweed, in many places it is legal to collect seaweed washed ashore for personal use. For example, the Great Ocean Road Parks and Coastal Authority do ‘allow hand collection of one (1) bag up to 20kg, however this must be loose ‘shore cast’ seaweed that is not connected to rocks. No trailers or other equipment are allowed on the beach or foreshore during the collection, and the collection site cannot be from a marine park or sanctuary’. For a list and maps of all marine sanctuaries in Victoria, visit the Victorian Fishing Authority website www.vfa.vic.gov.au.
So when you are heading to the beach this summer, by all means pack a container to collect some seaweed for your compost. Just remember to reach out to the local government agency or parks authority to check what regulations apply to seaweed collection in the local area.
– Mikaela Beckley works with *Yes In My Back Yard, (YIMBY), a community-scale composting initiative in Castlemaine and surrounds. Send questions or comments to hello@yimbycompost.com, or to book in for a compost workshop!
