Sea Kelp

In Harmony often uses natural sea kelp or sea kelp extract to supplement our liquid product applications.

Sea kelp improves growth and color of plants and enhances flowering. It does this by providing:

• Trace elements, often deficient in our garden soils
• Potassium, an essential plant nutrient
• Plant growth regulators

Kelp contains an exceptional concentration of plant growth regulators, the plant equivalent of animal hormones. Plant growth regulators influence all aspects of plant growth, including seed germination, cell division and cell growth.

One plant growth regulator found in sea kelp, cytokinin, is particularly beneficial. Cytokinins stimulate cell division and elongation, which play a number of crucial roles in promoting plant health:

• Promote healthier leaves
• Help repair plant wounds quickly, limiting the entry of pests and disease
• Create stronger, more extensive root systems
• Retard plant aging
• Stimulate the formation of energy capturing structures
• Enhance flowering in some species

Sea kelp is our best concentrated source of cytokinins. In our landscapes, plants are often struggling because of stressful growing conditions. Plant growth regulators such as cytokinin will help your plants to thrive.

References

• Kelp Studies—Scientifi c and Technical Support: Biostimulants. Wallace, A. Wallace Laboratories. http://www.organa. cc/Studies/Kelp_Studies-Biostimulants.html. December 7, 2000.
• Plant Nutrition from the Sea: Marine Products Can Be Used to Supplement Soil Nutrients. Baker, B. Farmer to Farmer. http://www.namkelp.com/nutrition.html
• Plant Physiology, 4th Ed. Devlin, R.M. and Witham, F.H. Wadsworth Publishing Company. Belmont, California. 1983.