Storms Bring Challenges & Blessings
Gardeners everywhere are sometimes challenged and other times blessed by what nature and the environment delivers.
The South shore of Nova Scotia experienced an intense storm on January 4th that left not only coastal damage but also what many refer to as “ Gardeners Gold”. As we were in “Storm watch Mode”, I thought of all the seaweed that would be torn, tossed and piled on our shorelines.
In May 2017, Betsy and Bob from Bear Cove Resources explained the Storm-cast process and production of an excellent, odour free fertilizer/soil conditioner to use in our gardens and on our indoor plants.
The following are a few shots of the ocean and coastline the day following the storm. The piles of “Storm-Cast Seaweed Mix” along the coast was impressive as were the pounding seas that created the impressive views and results.
Gardens that receive a gift of seaweed compost will flourish this coming gardening season.
Click on picture for slide show:
0 Replies to “Storms Bring Challenges & Blessings”
Great pictures. Thanks for sharing.
What a storm. Beautiful and hopefully mostly OK for all..
Yuck! That seaweed is heavy! and squiggly. At least there is a practical use for it.
For generations, coastal dwellers have gathered seaweed off local beaches for use on their crops. Gardeners still gather “sea manure” or “goémon” – the seaweed mixed with shell and sand that has been torn loose by wave and storm action.
Those who harvest it here dry it at least partially somehow. I do not know how they do it without it rotting, but is sure makes it easier to move it. It is very heavy for those who collect it themselves, and illegal (not that anyone would complain).
Permits are required for commercial harvest here. The May 24th post explains how the process works.
Oh, permits are required here as well, but are difficult to enforce. The best enforcement is that the kelp is difficult to get to and move. (It collects on beaches that one can not drive onto. Beaches with access tend to not collect kelp, and are patrolled.) Most of us would rather pay someone for relatively lightweight (partly dried) kelp that was harvested with permit.