BioPower Seaweed directions for indoor plants
Your plants are doing a happy dance right now. Great choice on the seaweed, especially the BioPower Seaweed Flake. Here are the directions...
How much seaweed do you use for indoor plants?
You don't need much. Just pour out 1 to 2 grams into the built-in measuring top. Go up to the 5ml mark on the top (that's 2 grams). Mix well with 1 litre of water. Give it a good stir - the flakes dissolve really easily - and you're ready to feed.
How often should you feed indoor plants seaweed?
The label advises feeding as often as fortnightly during the growing season, but a common method recommended for indoor plants is once a month, all year round (some people stop in winter). I prefer the monthly, top watering method myself and I give mine a seaweed boost every month, all year round.
How should seaweed be applied to plants?
You can top water, bottom water or use seaweed solution as a foliar spray directly on leaves.
Top water: Dilute 1 to 2 grams BioPower per 1 litre of water (2 grams is the 5ml mark on the supplied measuring top). Stir well and top water. I prefer to drench well when top watering, until the substrate is thoroughly saturated, and water freely pours out the drainage holes.
Bottom water: Dilute 1 to 2 grams BioPower per 1 litre of water and use as a soak. Put the pot inside a larger container. Pour seaweed solution into the outer container, until the seaweed solution comes up about quarter of the way up the side of the pot. Soak for 10 to 20 minutes or until the top of the soil is damp. 60 mins max. Remove inner pot. Drain well.
Foliar spray: As effective as this, I'd avoid spraying with seaweed indoors. Even once diluted, the water will be brown and would need to be cleaned off any surfaces it splashes on so it doesn't leave a mark. I would spray outdoors and spray lightly. Just one light coating of weak seaweed solution will do the job. I use a half-dose for foliar spraying, so 1 to 2 grams BioPower seaweed flake per 2 litres water in a fine-mist spray mister.
As with any foliar spray, best applied in the morning on plants that won't be in direct sun that day, so leaves get a chance to fully dry. Check leaves are dry before returning to a full-sun position. Spray one light layer only.
For outdoor plants, use 10 grams (2 caps) per 5 litres of water, and water in or apply with your sprayer. See the label for application rates for pip fruit, stone fruit, citrus, grapes and berry fruit, vegetables, roses, lawn and turf.
How to use seaweed when repotting
Repotting is like major surgery for plants. Seaweed helps reduce transplant stress and aids root recovery, ideal to help plants handle the stress of repotting.
24 to 48 hours before repotting, give the plant a seaweed soak as per the bottom watering directions above, for 60 minutes maximum. Directly following repotting, give the plant another seaweed feed, either top water or bottom water, so the new substrate and roots are saturated with seaweed solution to help with recovery.
Does seaweed replace fertiliser?
No, but that's a common misconception. Seaweed is not a complete and balanced fertiliser. It doesn't offer adequate levels of all the nutrients your plants need. Think of it as a growth stimulant or health booster, more like a vitamin and mineral supplement, rather than a complete meal.
Can you mix seaweed with fertiliser?
Yes, for most fertilisers you can, however it's best to check before you mix them together. If you're unsure, just save one water per month as a seaweed-only feed, and for the rest of the month, use your fertiliser as usual every time you water, rather than mix-feeding.
Where can I buy BioPower Seaweed in NZ?
From me here at Love That Leaf. Shop BioPower Seaweed Flake >