That is due to the fact that there may be deficiencies in manufactured products, so the variety gives a good chance of full compliment of nutrients. You can always correct with amendments.

Dan

I recommend kelp meal as a good all-purpose amendment to ensure you are not deficient in any nutrients (specifically the micro-nutrients that are essential for healthy plants that may not always be present in a standard industrial compost).

It takes more than just N-P-K to grow healthy plants!

I live in a small town and packaged compost is real hard to come by, I did not have enough on hand so I did Mel's mix with only two sources last year. I was never happy with it. I had to work all year to get a workable soil out of it. This year I will use my compost witch is made from many sources and will not have to guess about my soil quality. So from me yes if you must purchase compost follow Mel's advice. Some of the bagged stuff leaves a lot to be desired.

Curt :-)

Ok, 5 kinds it is, or kelp meal if I cannot find 5 kinds. The stores here are not stocked yet so I don't what I will find, but I will keep your wise advice in mind.

Thank you!

A source for kelp meal, if you can't find it in stores:

www.gardensalive.com

There are others....

thank you, I will certainly look it up!

Whats the ratio of Kelp to add, or in other words, how much do I add if I'm following the SFG recommended amounts of soil mix?

Duhh... I looked it up at the Gardensalive.com site posted above...and found out it's 1lb per 100 Sq. Ft...Should've researched it before posting the question...Duhh...

I am wanting to order this but the smallest amount of kelp meal is 5 lbs and it says that it covers 500 square feet. I only will use 1/5 of that. Will it keep? I remember you saying something about that it is better alive. Thanks! :D

jengc,
Check out Espoma products. They have microrhizi, etc. in their fertilizers. All their stuff is organic and you can find it in small bags.
Keski

jengc,

The process of creating the kelp meal is simply: harvested, dried, and ground. As with other dried products, it will keep fairly well as long as it is kept dry.

The condition for getting fresh seaweed just is in regard to having all of the nutrients available. Dead seaweed starts to break down before being harvested and dried, so all the nutrients may not be present. That is not the same for the kelp meal being stored from year to year.

I also only need 1 lb for my veggies, but have purchased 5 lbs. I will be using about another 1/2 lb in my perennial beds. I will be giving a lb. to my dad and storing the rest for the next year. I will be storing mine in an airtight container, in a room that stays roughly 65 degrees, year round. There is low humidity and decently "low" temps in that room for me. I don't see a problem with it being one year old, as long as it stays cool and dry.

It probably wouldn't be a good idea to keep it for 5 years, but a year or two old shouldn't be a big deal. (Of course, if someone else has different information, I'd love to hear it.)

Eaglesgarden,

Thanks so much. I will use it in other places in my yard, but it isn't nearly as big as the garden. Glad to hear it will at least store for a year. That would be worth the $22 plus shipping especially if it is as wonderful as you say it is. I will probably use more in my "normal" garden (using normal soil instead of the mel's mix) since I will be digging deeper there.. I looked at the Espoma web site but couldnt figure out how to find kelp or any type of soil that had it in there so I will stick to this place. It is simple and so am I. Seems like a perfect match LOL

Thanks so much for all your help Eagle's Garden and Keski. I do appreciate it! My wonderful bounties this year will be because if you guys! :D

jengc,

Not a problem. (Just rake it in to the soil a little around the perennials.)

Where are you ordering it from? ($22 PLUS SHIPPING?!)

Gardensalive.com has 5 lbs for $14.95 plus shipping and tax.

Best wishes with the garden.

NO no that INCLUDES shipping. Sorry. I didnt mean plus! hehehe I spent more than that on vermiculite last year. I don't even want to think about how much I spent last year. This year I am doing much better and this will help TREMENDOUSLY!

ok. That makes sense then. You must have gotten a good price on shipping.

Well, I haven't purchased it yet, but it says that it will be $7.95 Shipping and handling. So it is $22.90 (I rounded down apparently LOL) but I wanted to make sure that it would keep! Even if it didn't, I would probably had bought it because $23 for amending all my soil is AWESOMENESS!! hehe

I just found kelp meal in 4lb. bags by Espoma at both of my local garden stores - not HD or Lowes. I paid $9.99 for it. The other store was charging $18.99 for the same bag.
Keski