Ever heard of calcified seaweed? This natural garden booster is made from red algae deposits and is a total game-changer for your soil. While it’s packed with trace elements and minerals, its real claim to fame is its high calcium content. Since boxwoods are absolute lime-lovers, their roots are always happy to find some calcified seaweed nearby. But this fine powder is way more than just a snack for your plants…
Using it as a Fertilizer
Gardeners have been using calcified seaweed for ages, mostly to add lime to their boxwoods. But honestly, you can use it for all sorts of plants or just as a general soil conditioner. Whenever your soil starts getting a bit too acidic, a dose of this stuff brings the pH level right back into balance. If you use it regularly, you can prevent pH issues before they even start! Plus, those extra trace minerals help strengthen your plants from the inside out. It usually comes as a fine powder that you just sprinkle around the root zone. Just make sure to check the package for the right dosage and timing.
Fighting Pests and Diseases
We’re all keeping our fingers crossed that boxwood blight won’t be as devastating in the coming years as it was in 2021. But for many gardeners, calcified seaweed has become the go-to weapon against *Cylindrocladium buxicola* (the fungus that causes blight). Since there aren’t many other cures out there, folks are leaning on years of anecdotal success. The idea is that it helps contain the infection and encourages the boxwood to push out new growth. Some gardeners even swear it has completely brought back plants that looked like goners! It’s also rumored to be a great deterrent against those pesky boxwood moth caterpillars.
How to Apply it for Plant Protection
When you’re using it to fight pests or disease, you don’t just put it on the soil. Instead, you “dust” the entire plant, coating the leaves generously. Your boxwood will look a bit ghostly and white for a while, but don’t worry—the next rain will wash the lime into the center of the bush and let the green shine through again. Just a heads-up: if you’re trying to beat boxwood blight for good, you might need to repeat this process for a few years before you see total success.
Quick Note:
While calcified seaweed is one of the few hopes for blight, there are actually several other home remedies for boxwood caterpillars that work wonders. It’s definitely worth checking those out too!
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
I totally get the urge to do whatever it takes to save a prized boxwood. However, if you go overboard with this fine powder, you might run into a few hiccups:
- The dust can block sunlight, making it harder for the plant to photosynthesize.
- It can clog the plant’s pores (stomata), which might stunt new growth.
- It can spike your soil’s pH level too high.
- High pH can actually make it harder for the plant to soak up other nutrients.
Pro Tip:
Since this powder is super fine, it’s easy to accidentally breathe it in, which can irritate your lungs. Do yourself a favor and pop on a dust mask before you start dusting your garden!
