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Kelp meal on turf with pics

11K views 19 replies 11 participants last post by  Smallaxe 
#1 · (Edited)
This is in response to the "seaweed extract thread". I started another thread for ease of locating and indexing.

Seaweed extract was accused of over night greenup on turf, I decided to test it.

100sqft of turf freshly mowed at 3.5" by yours truly

1lb of feed qrade dry kelp meal with 2oz of feed grade wet molasses. 1lb of kelp was applied dry in earthway hand spreader, 2oz molasses was applied mixed in 4gal of water.

Applied at 1PM, I will post a new pic tomorrow. Honestly I dont expect any real change for a couple days, if any.

Plant Land lot Grass Groundcover Grassland


Plant Groundcover Terrestrial plant Grass Grass family
 
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#2 ·
SWEET, I get to "literally" watch the grass grow

What are your soil and air temps there, microbes aren't doing much below 45 degrees
What might be interesting is to do the same test when the soil temps get above 70
 
#4 ·
Soil temp is right at 45deg, air temp is 46deg. It is suppose to warm up into the 70's starting tomorrow.

Test area is 100sqft. Its the 10x10 staked off area in the picture.

This is actually my neighbors back yard. They dont do much with their yard and mine is full of compost and biosolids so I figured I would get a better real world response on virgin ground.
 
#7 ·
Thanks! This should be interesting... I plan on running similar tests in my parents back yard... idea is to have it go through the season... mainly using organics maybe a synthetic plot to compare to as we go a long... I am hoping to have some time next week to get it set up and running...
 
#8 ·
Now we are talking!!! There may not be changes as drastic as one might hope until the soil warms up, but the kelp and the molasses aren't going anywhere either. If there is no difference by Memorial Day -then we know. :)

Great post... thanks...
 
#9 ·
I did not take a pic yesterday because...well nothing happened. It was still cool all day though, air temp around low 50's. Overnight air temp was still around low 50's and todays high is 80 with a low of 60 so we might see some action over the weekend.

I will grab a pic this afternoon just for recording purposes.
 
#10 · (Edited)
I have not used kelp but have seen a dramatic seven day response in two compost test sections that in conjunction with a 20# per K low Protein (apr. 1.5 % N) feed. Color and growth being impressive. The compost source was composted Chicken Manure and composted Leaf/Grass clippings. The response between the compost types at this point very similar and the low N feed only section having very slow response. The feed has a unknown quantity of molasses as a bonding agent for pelletizing.
 
#12 ·
So I skipped a few days because nothing drastic has accured. No noticable greenup difference between test plot and existing turf.

New pictures 9AM 4/25/09. Air temp 68, soil temp 67.

Plant Tree Land lot Grass Groundcover


Plant Groundcover Grass Grassland Shrub
 
#15 ·
So I skipped a few days because nothing drastic has accured. No noticable greenup difference between test plot and existing turf.

New pictures 9AM 4/25/09. Air temp 68, soil temp 67.
We have the Forsythias in bloom yesterday - and - just today I talked with a friend that claimed actual soil temps were 44 degrees.

Is this the part of Michigan below the Mason Dixon line?
 
#16 ·
We have the Forsythias in bloom yesterday - and - just today I talked with a friend that claimed actual soil temps were 44 degrees.

Is this the part of Michigan below the Mason Dixon line?
LOL, yes. No, The first test I took myself at 4" and the second I pulled off the following site. http://www.greencastonline.com/SoilTempMaps.aspx

We have had strange weather fluctuations this year in central MI. Lots of ups and downs, We will go from 80deg to 40deg in 24hr period a couple times per week. Our forsythias have been in bloom for about a month now. Just a few days ago all of my variety of bulbs were up at the same time.

The grass is most likely KBG. No special seed here.

Now for the exciting update........nothing! No significant change what-so-ever.

=kelp meal not a good overnight "greenup" tool. Maybe if it was applied at twice the amount I used which was 1lb per 100sq but I felt it was expensive at that at $2 per lb. Supplemental it has its place I am sure but my 1/8" compost I spread 2 days ago on my front yard has had more overnight greenup than this has in a week. Stick to post, cheaper and more effective.
 
#17 ·
I did have a strange occurance on some minature daffodils yesterday though. I had brewed 5gal 24hr compost tea and mixed it 2:1 water to tea and mixed in 6oz of molasses. I applied it to my front yard and in my landscape beds. Within 20 minutes of spraying it seemed to have caused my minature daffs to bloom?!
 
#18 ·
LOL, yes. No, The first test I took myself at 4" and the second I pulled off the following site. http://www.greencastonline.com/SoilTempMaps.aspx

We have had strange weather fluctuations this year in central MI. Lots of ups and downs, We will go from 80deg to 40deg in 24hr period a couple times per week. Our forsythias have been in bloom for about a month now. Just a few days ago all of my variety of bulbs were up at the same time.

The grass is most likely KBG. No special seed here.

Now for the exciting update........nothing! No significant change what-so-ever.

=kelp meal not a good overnight "greenup" tool. Maybe if it was applied at twice the amount I used which was 1lb per 100sq but I felt it was expensive at that at $2 per lb. Supplemental it has its place I am sure but my 1/8" compost I spread 2 days ago on my front yard has had more overnight greenup than this has in a week. Stick to post, cheaper and more effective.
Wow, I didn't realize that You guys had that much protection from the Lake - or whatever the difference is. We got the 80 to 40 degree swing last weekend, but otherwise we have only seen 70 degrees one other time in April. I imagine there was frost in low lying areas last night.
What is your Average Last Frost date? I think ours is around the end of May.
 
#19 ·
Actually no frost last night. This morning when I awoke it was 48deg out and rainy, now it is actually colder at 43deg. Last night when I went to bed it was 65deg or so.

I am pretty sure the last frost is mid-May, I dont plant annuals until past that date.
 
#20 ·
That's a cool map. Thanks.

After 3 inches of rain in the past couple days we are supposed to get out of the 40's now. Mowing has just come to a few yards so far. Interestingly enough the organic lawns without automatic irrigation grew first.
The overwatered ones, who also use synthetic NPK - will come in last the way it looks now. I wonder which factor contibuted most the late growth spurt. N apps were applied over a week ago for those lawns too.
 
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