Not exactly. Kelp meal has some rather unique properties as far as organic ferts are concerned in that it supplies about 60 different micronutrients, including minerals and amino acids, that are not present in either alfalfa or blood meal.

As far as NPK levels are concerned, alfalfa meal come closest to kelp (blood meal is higher and faster acting) but still lacks a lot of the benefits of the kelp.

Living in San Diego with easy access to the beach, you could always gather your own seaweed to use. Not precisely the same as the Norwegian kelp copnsidered the premier species for this purpose but still an extremely useful organic material.

Thanks gardengal.

Yeah, after reading the recipe again, I got the nutrients mixed up. I always thought that the seed meals were for the potassium, but it's for the nitrogen.

I just ordered the meals in bulk. Tell me if I got a decent deal--

Kelp - $75/50lb
Cottonseed - $35/50lb
Bone - $64/50lb

Lime - I didn't feel like buying 100lbs of lime but I can get the calcitic for $1/lb and the dolomite for about $.80/lb.

That's funny about going to the beach and grabbing some kelp.

I've actually done that and thrown it in my compost pile. There's only so much you can bring back in a cooler though lol.

;)

Kevin

Use contractor bags! :) Same way I use maybe 50% less fertilizer every season because of the fact I mulch and compost dead leaves that fall from trees, you can use anything free and local to save big!

TMG1:

Actually, I think the Fish and Game limit the amount you can take.

I make my own compost, but that isn't enough. I also buy it for $12/cu. yd and mulch for $7. I can get horse manure for free and all of these are loaded in the back of my truck by THEM.

I think I found a place that will sell me worm castings by the yard for real cheap also.

Next, a bat guano dealer!

Kevin

I very much doubt that you should use any lime.

The reason: Solomon's recipe is for acid-reacting soils. Yours isn't.

Jean
who gardened in Long Beach, CA, for 30-some years and who saw a number of garden failures just because the gardener used a highly touted method in a book or magazine for the "perfect" soil.

Lesson for every gardener:
"Perfect" recipe varies with the kind of soil at your place.

Jean: I was wondering about that. I guess Solomon's recipe is made for volcanic soils of the Pac NW.

Although my garden areas are a mixture of native soil and top fill(probably more top fill than native), I was wondering if I needed lime.

I read on one site that gave me the recipe that the reason why was because seed meals tend to be acidic.

What about the calcium? Which of the 3 meals contribute Ca? Or, should I pick up a few pounds of the calcium carbonate(calcitic lime), add some, do a ph test, and if too acidic, add some dolomite?

Any help would be much appreciated. Also, what about the ratios of the original recipe?

Thanks

Kevin

Kevin,

I paid $42 for a 50 lb. bag of kelp and $21 for cottonseed from a supplier in Virginia.

You might want to consider having your soil tested. Check with the cooperative extension office at UCSD to see if they offer testing or send a sample out to an independent lab. That's one way to get a good, detailed analysis of your soil so you can identify what you need more or less of.

Cheers,
Rick

The University of CA Extension Service hasn't done soil tests for the public for *many* years. But you can speak with the Master Gardeners in the Sand Diego County office to learn which local lab they suggest.

To locate your county's office, use this clickable map
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/index.html

Here is a link that might be useful: locate your county's Extension Service office

Meant to add a few things -- first, your soil has more than enough calcium due to the fact that you live in a low-rainfall climate.

Next, whenever soil is made of fill as yours sounds it might be, it's wise to obtain a professional test to determine baseline values. Even though it may cost a bit more, request a report with recommendations.

btw, cottonseed is a natural acidifier and bone meal will provide all the additional calcium you may require.

But I do agree that a professional soil test as a baseline evaluation is your most appropriate course of action before applying any additional nutrients. You may be spending unnecessarily.