KELP FIBER

The Environmentally Preferred Soil Amendment

If you are a serious farmer or gardener and would like to have a healthy organic garden and lawn, you will be interested in the advantages that using KELP FIBER will have for you. KELP FIBER is commercially used by professional growers of vegetables, flowers, trees, ground cover, sod, new lawns, and for refurbishment of existing turf, greens and playing fields.

KELP FIBER:

• is a very effective growing agent for your lawn and garden.
• is an ecologically desirable soil amendment.
• is 100% natural, weed- and contamination-free, no synthetic chemicals, and is 100% non-toxic.
• will not burn your plants.
• will remain active in your soil for up to two full years.
• promotes the growth of the natural flora and worms.
• cuts water costs 25 to 40 percent plus.
• naturally treats clay and sandy soils and activates them with natural bacteria.
• is a very rich source of major and minor nutrients.
• helps reduce transplant shock for new sod plants and seeds.
• promotes the growth of a stronger root system and promotes a stronger, healthier plant.
• unlike commercial fertilizers, will not leach out of the soil; it forms a natural organic bond with the soil.
• is your partner in establishing a healthy and natural organic farm or garden.

FAQs

What is the history of KELP FIBER?

For over 50 years, Kelco, a division of ISP Alginates, Inc., has been harvesting the kelp beds along the California coastline for the production of algin, a commercially important thickening agent that is extracted from kelp. Disposal of the bulky, organic material that was left after the algin extraction process was becoming a real problem, so about twenty years ago Kelco commissioned a group of scientists to develop a use for this material. KELP FIBER, a very nutritious organic soil amendment was born out of the technological effort to reclaim the thousands of tons of kelp byproduct that were being dumped in San Diego landfills, where the high nutrient content was growing the healthiest weeds in town.

What is the composition of KELP FIBER?

Approximately one half of the dry weight of KELP FIBER is microscopic perlite, (a common component in planting mixes), that is used in the algin extraction process, and the remainder of the material is organic matter (39.8 %), and mineral nutrients (5.2 %). What makes KELP FIBER unique as a soil amendment is its residual alginic acid content, which has a commercial value of $80 to $150 per cubic yard. If it could be extracted, coupled with its nutrient value and with the long-lasting benefits of its inorganic perlite (sponge rock) component, it would be the best soil amendment in the market place. Also, the alginic acid content of KELP FIBER puts it in a class all its own, as no other soil amendment has it.

What is alginic acid and why does it make KELP FIBER unique?

Alginic acid is a structural polysaccharide polymer, which is composed of sugars as the repeating unit, that is found in brown seaweed such as kelp. Compared to the structural polysaccharides of higher plants, such as celluloses, hemicelluloses, and pectins, alginic acid is unique because it not only acts as a structural element in seaweeds but it also has an amazing affinity for water. The hydrophilic (water loving), nature of alginic acid and its derivatives is what makes alginates so useful in so many industries ranging from textile to foods, where they are used for stabilizing, thickening and suspending, and for forming films and gels. The residual alginic acids content of KELP FIBER is what makes KELP FIBER so unique because it makes KELP FIBER act like a sponge that attracts water and holds it in a gelatinous form.

What are the benefits that alginic acid gives to KELP FIBER?

Alginic acid acts as a humectant, a substance that holds many times its weight in water, and the algin content of KELP FIBER gives this unique product the ability to hold almost three times its weight, (272%) in water. For the gardener that is trying to improve the moisture-holding capacity of the soil, this mean that for every cubic yard of KELP FIBER that is tilled in per 1000 sq. ft. the moisture holding ability of the soil is increased by 143 gallons, or the equivalent to 0.23 inches of precipitation. If 4 cubic yards per 1000 sq. ft. where used, the KELP FIBER would hold 0.91 inches of water above and beyond the normal moisture-holding capacity of the unamended soil.

Thus, if the KELP FIBER amended area were planted with lawn and irrigated with the typical 1.0 inch of precipitation per week, 91% of the irrigation water would be held in the root zone of the plants by the KELP FIBER instead of being lost by percolation — especially in sandy soils — or evaporation. Actual field tests have shown that amending the soil with KELP FIBER leads to a 25% to 40% savings in water.

Moreover, the alginic acid in KELP FIBER holds nutrients in solution in a gelatinous matrix, making any added nutrients more readily available to plant roots and reducing losses by leaching. Coupled with the intrinsic nutrient value of KELP FIBER this leads to further savings in maintenance costs by greatly reducing the need for supplemental fertilization.

How long will KELP FIBER remain in the soil?

The perlite that composes half the bulk of KELP FIBER is inorganic and will continue to aid in the percolation of air and water through the soil for many years, while the alginic acid that is responsible for the moisture holding capacity of KELP FIBER reportedly lasts seven years in the soil. The nutrients in KELP FIBER are slowly released, as in time release fertilizers, over a two year period.

How much water can be saved by amending with KELP FIBER?

At current water rates, the 25–40% savings in water that are typically found when KELP FIBER is used as a bulk soil amendment, translates into a savings of $530–850 per acre per year, so at its current price of $30 per cubic yard, KELP FIBER will actually pay for itself in water savings alone within 3 years, when used as directed.

What nutrient value does KELP FIBER have?

KELP FIBER is rich in all major nutrients, namely Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), and Potassium (K), and micronutrients that are also needed for healthy plant growth, flowering, and fruit production. For each cubic yard of KELP FIBER added per 1000 square feet, the following nutrients (in lbs/acre) are added to the soil: organic Nitrogen 327, Nitrate Nitrogen 1.0, Ammonium Nitrogen 0.7, total Phosphorous 95, available Potassium 35, available Calcium 375, available Magnesium 140, available Copper 0.04, available Zinc 0.3, available Manganese 0.1, available Iron 1.0, dilute acid-soluble Iron 2.8, and Boron 0.15.

What is unique about the nutrient content of KELP FIBER?

KELP FIBER is used as a bulk soil amendment and not as a fertilizer per se, so that even though the percentages of the various nutrients are low, the actual amounts added to the soil are comparable to those supplied by premium grade pre-plant fertilizers that are usually recommended in conjunction with traditional bulk soil amendments such as ground bark or wood shavings. If given an NPK rating, KELP FIBER would rate at 1.7 · 0.5 · 0.2, but at the rate of five cubic yards per 1000 square feet, you would be adding over 2000 lbs (dry weight) per 1000 sq. ft.

KELP FIBER is also rich in micronutrients which are not usually found in chemical pre-plant fertilizers. The spectacular results enjoyed by growers all over San Diego County are largely due to the micronutrient content of KELP FIBER.

How long does KELP FIBER last?

Unlike chemical fertilizers whose nutrients are readily leached from the soil, the nutrients in KELP FIBER are organic and are released slowly over a two year period. KELP FIBER thus acts as a controlled release fertilizer, but lasts four to eight times longer than chemical time-release fertilizers that only last 3–6 months.

What is the particle size distribution of KELP FIBER and how does this distribution compare to that of traditional soil amendments like wood shavings?

The particle sizes of KELP FIBER are generally smaller than the large particles that are found in traditional amendments like redwood shavings. Over 95% of the KELP FIBER particles are smaller than coarse sand (2mm) and 40% of them are smaller than fine sand (0.5mm), whereas for redwood compost only 25% of the particles are smaller than coarse sand and only 6% are smaller than fine sand. The smaller particle size of KELP FIBER gives it a larger surface area for holding water and nutrients, and also allows it to work into the soil easier when used as a top dressing.

Why is it better to use KELP FIBER than inexpensive sawdust or wood shavings?

Sawdust, bark and wood shavings are comprised largely of cellulose, and cellulose is very low in nitrogen (being composed entirely of repeating units of glucose sugar). When cellulose is added to the soil, microbial populations explode in response to this new carbonaceous food source. This leads to a reduction of plant-available nitrogen by a process called nitrogen immobilization. The soil microbes need nitrogen for making protein just as plants do, and when they proliferate by digesting cellulose they convert available nitrogen into an unavailable form, namely microbial protoplasm. The 0.5% nitrogen that is usually added to traditional soil amendments does nothing more than “stabilize” the nitrogen content of the soil by providing just enough nitrogen to prevent nitrogen immobilization during its decomposition. It does not add any plant-available nitrogen to the soil.

KELP FIBER, on the other hand, is very low in cellulose and rich in organic nitrogen (1.72%) and as it breaks down in soil it slowly and continuously releases plant-available nitrogen to the soil.

What is humus and why is KELP FIBER a good source of humus?

Humus is the organic part of the soil that is formed from the partial decomposition of vegetable matter in the soil. Humus greatly affects the workability (tilth) and structure of soil because it is essentially fibrous in nature and thereby prevents hardening of packed soil particles into a mass. It makes the soil more friable (loose) by physically separating the packed soil particles and by chemically causing them to aggregate together (by combination with existing soil colloids which are small insoluble particles that remain suspended in a fluid medium to make a gelatinous substance.) This complex restructuring of the soil increases the amount of pore space in the soil and also produces a more hydrophilic (water attracting) surface. This in turn, improves the water-holding capacity of the soil.

These beneficial effects are all produced by adding humus to the soil, and KELP FIBER is an excellent source of humus. Humus is formed from those parts of decaying plant material that are most resistant to microbes, namely lignin, some of the hemicelluloses, chitin, tannin, waxes, and to a lesser extent, because it is more readily broken down, cellulose. Traditional soil amendments break down more quickly in soil because they are composed largely of cellulose, whereas KELP FIBER is rich in humus-forming substances.

Are there weeds and salt in KELP FIBER?

KELP FIBER is weed free and even though kelp comes from the ocean, the alginic acid extraction process removes essentially all of the potentially harmful sodium salts from the KELP FIBER. In fact, the electroconductivity (EC4 x 103) of KELP FIBER, (1.0), is usually lower than that of nitrogen-stabilized redwood compost (2.5). Even when KELP FIBER has been used at high application rates with salt-sensitive crops like strawberries, there have been no reports of salt damage to the crop. Steer manure, on the other hand, is high in salts and often is contaminated with weed seeds.

Can KELP FIBER be used as a top dressing?

Yes, the fine particle size of KELP FIBER and its high moisture holding capacity and nutritive value make it an excellent top dressing for lawns. KELP FIBER should be applied to a thickness of 1⁄16 to 1⁄8 inch after aerating soil with a mechanical aerator. Unlike coarse, wood-based top dressings, KELP FIBER actually works its way into the soil and provides nutrients and enhanced moisture retention to the soil.

Can KELP FIBER be used for making potting soils for container plants?

Yes, KELP FIBER can be mixed with coarse sand, decomposed granite, perlite, or even clean fill soil to make soil mixes for container plants. Generally, 10% KELP FIBER should be used, since mixes containing more than 20% KELP FIBER will hold too much water for growing most types of plants.

How does the cost and nutrient value of KELP FIBER and traditional soil amendment regimes compare?

If the cost and nutrient value of KELP FIBER, used at the rate of 4 cu. yds. / 1,000 sq. ft. is compared with the cost and nutrient value of 4 cu. yds. / 1,000 sq. ft. nitrolyzed redwood compost, supplemented with 200 lbs. / 1,000 sq. ft. commercial fertilizers (used as a preplant fertilizer to supply macro and micro nutrients), the cost of the traditional soil amendment regime is 24% more than the cost of a comparable application rate of KELP FIBER.

However, the KELP FIBER provides more of the macro nutrients, Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), and Potassium (K). It also provides the micronutrients, Iron, Zinc, and Manganese, that are present in the redwood compost, and most commercial fertilizers. Plus, it provides large amounts of the nutrients calcium, magnesium, and trace amounts of the micronutrients copper and boron that are not present in the traditional amendments or fertilizers.

Thus, the KELP FIBER regime costs less and provides more nutrient value than the traditional amendment regime. Of course, there are less expensive traditional soil amendments, for example, fir shavings and steer manure. However, these do not provide the moisture-holding capability, the long-lasting nutrient and organic matter supply, and the many other benefits of KELP FIBER, so these lower grade traditional soil amendments are not strictly comparable to KELP FIBER.