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Shredding eelgrass
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Posted by
josko Cape Cod (
My Page) on
Sat, Jan 15, 11 at 10:02
I'm wondering if it's worth my while to shred eelgrass. Quantity i can get is limited by what I can haul (a pickup-load at a time) and the hassle to desalt and dry it. I'm talking a few cubic yards at a time, vs a commercial quantity. I've tried shredding it; the result has a peat-like consistency, while reducing volume by 3:1 or so.
I'm not really sure what the benefit of the shredded stuff is compared to original. Eelgrass makes a great summer mulch and soil amendment, although it takes ~6 months to break down when incorporated in the soil or in a compost pile. It does not work as a brown for combing with high-N wastes such as fish scrap.
Is there somewhere I can get the shredded stuff tested for NPK, micro-nutrients and harmful products, kinda like a soil sample? What would one use shredded eelgrass for? Thanks in advance. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Shredding eelgrass
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- Posted by jolj 7b/8a-S.C.,USA (My Page) on
Sat, Jan 15, 11 at 13:14
Your Extension center should be able to test it, for a price.
I use http://hgic.clemson.edu/ |
Here is a link that might be useful: Clemson Extension
RE: Shredding eelgrass
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| I have used seagrass before and it worked ok. Do you mean submerged grass that is totally underwater or grass you get off of the marsh? |
RE: Shredding eelgrass
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| In our area, storms will periodically wash significant quantities of seaweed (mostly eelgrass) ashore. Gathering it is a matter of backing a pickup to a washed-up pile and pitchforking it in. I would assume the area right in front of our house would easily yield 10-20 cubic yards/year. The local DPW encourages folks to take it, as they remove any remains off the beaches in the spring. |
RE: Shredding eelgrass
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- Posted by jolj 7b/8a-S.C.,USA (My Page) on
Mon, Jan 17, 11 at 23:04
I am 100 miles from the sea & seaweed.:-(
You are lucky!:-)
I hear it is eaten by fish, humans & mermaids alike, soooo it must be full-up with the right stuff.
I mean when was the last time you saw a poorly Mermaid??!!!:-) |
RE: desalting eelgrass
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| Josko, I haven't heard anyone mention the desalting process and wondered if it was necessary. How do you do it? Since you do, I assume it's a necessary step. Rosie |
RE: Shredding eelgrass
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I try to collect right after a rainstorm and leave the collected pile away from the garden for a couple of months. Our 4' of annual rainfall does the rest, I hope.
I've always wondered just how much salt I can leach away with 4' of rainfall without causing noticeable problems in the garden. I bet it's a significant amount. |
RE: Shredding eelgrass
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| I'm not sure where I've read it, but I have read repeatedly that the salt in eelgrass isn't a problem for the plants as long as its not fresh. But don't take my word for it, I'm a complete noob (as you know: ). |
RE: Shredding eelgrass
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| I've read it, too. And I haven't had a soil test in a few years, but I use tons of seaweed in my garden, and have since 1974. I have never washed any of it, and furthermore, until about 5 years ago, I only brought home fresh, harvested seaweed. After a while, I got haunted by all the live snails and crabs that I brought home and started only getting washed up seaweed, which is what I should have done all along. My chickens like fresh seaweed, so I will sometimes harvest some for them taking care not to bring home any wildlife. |
Oh, and...
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| I don't care if my mulches or seaweed break down, because prior years' seaweed is breaking down. If you commit to gathering materials for your garden, you don't have to be concerned about when stuff will break down or become nutritionally available, because something always will be. I gather seaweed several times a years. |
RE: Shredding eelgrass
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| I used to use eelgrass a lot, as you know. Sometimes I would throw it or seaweed straight onto the garden around growing plants, never a problem. Sea water in small quantities is a benefit to the soil. How are you shredding it? |
RE: Shredding eelgrass
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| I have a McCullagh leaf shredder that works fine on DRY eelgrass if someone bothers to feed it in. The stuff comes out like fine loam. But I think annpat's right - it decomposes just fine on its' own, so there's no point doing the extra step. I just shovel it on in the fall, let winter do its' thing, and turn it under or rake aside come springtime. It works fine as a summertime mulch, too. |
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