Liquid Kelp applications for trees

Liquid Kelp Tree Tonic is a biostimulant perfect for treating diseased trees, and those suffering from abiotic stress. It is also helpful in establishing newly planted trees and protecting against root shock, drought, and frost. Liquid Kelp contains NPK as well as over 60 micronutrients helpful in root and foliar development.

Among many others diseases, ash dieback, horse chestnut blight and acute oak decline are currently threatening to change the UK’s landscape. Alongside droughts, extreme temperatures and stronger winds, disease and climate change are stressing trees to death and destroying the aesthetic of the countryside, parks and communal areas in the UK’s cities. It is estimated that the UK will eventually lose 80% of its ash population.

Trees that succumb to these invasive fungal and bacterial infections have often been weakened and stressed by native pathogens and abiotic stressors first, making them increasingly vulnerable to other comorbidities. In urban settings, trees need to survive with less water and more pollution and face considerable stressed due to ground compaction. Efficiencies gained with the help of Liquid Kelp Tree Tonic enable trees to get by with less.

Atlantic Mariculture’s Kelp Tree Tonic offers Landscapers, landowners, conservationists, and councils a way to help defend trees from disease brought about by the stresses of drought, frost, heat and poor soil condition.

Use

Application on mature and elderly trees should be focused on the root base. We recommend several one-liter doses diluted at a ratio of 1:10, spread evenly around the base of the tree. The first dose can be applied in mid-winter building up frequency up until early spring. High levels of potassium, over 60 micronutrients, phenolic compounds and soil enhancing molecules work together to give stressed trees the best possible start to the growing season in their ability to fight off disease.

Newly planted trees benefit from reduced likelihood of root shock. We recommend a weaker solution of one liter, diluted at a ratio of 1:15, and then poured into your prepared hole before planting – followed by a generous watering once the tree is planted. Liquid Kelp stimulates root growth, which is crucial in the first years of a tree’s life. Soil surrounding the root base, once cleared adequately, can also be treated with Liquid Kelp to further aid establishment.

Atlantic Mariculture can produce a tailor-made acid or alkali mixes of Liquid Kelp, providing greater versatility for arborists, foresters and landscapers. Use should be determined by the tree’s known soil preferences as well as existing soil type. Please contact us for further information on our tailor-made consultancy services.

Tree Tonic is made entirely from kelp cultivated in Scotland and natural hill water, without chemicals, colourants or preservatives. Because of our zero-energy production techniques, it retains high levels of compounds found in the brown kelp species, including:

• Laminarins: Polysaccharides found only in brown algae, laminarins are elicitors that affect the defence responses of trees against fungal and bacterial pathogens. The same molecular functions further aid trees with stress, damage and repair of plant cells. 

• Phlorotannins: Secondary metabolites also predominantly found in brown kelp species, phlototannins are an efficient antioxidant that aid in photosynthesis and prevent oxidizing damage from light, temperature, drought, salinity and other stressors.  

• Osmolytes: Organic osmolytes are small solutes used by cells of water-stressed organisms and tissues to maintain cell volume. Their main function is to stabilise protein structures in plant cell walls serving again frost, high temperatures and drought.  

• Mannitol: Mannitol is a compound found in great abundance in brown kelp. It is important for efficacy and efficiency in nutrient movement through the soil, and also as a chelating agent which unlocks otherwise unavailable elements in the soil to root uptake. 

• Growth Hormones: The main growth hormones found in Tree Tonic are auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, abscisic acid, and ethylene. They can work together or independently of the others to influence tree growth. When a plant is fertilised and given supplemental growth hormones this means they don’t have to spend energy on production themselves, improving growth efficiency.

• Betaines: Betaines in Tree Tonic can play an essential role in the osmotic processes in trees, with their introduction resulting in increases in performance in both regular and drought conditions.

• Amino Acids: Amino acids in kelp are used by microbes as a source of nitrogen and proteins to strengthen microbial colonies, making for more ecologically resilient soil. Robust microbes help with nutrient uptake into the roots.

HOW TO USE TREE TONIC

Mature Trees

Application on larger mature and elderly trees should be focused on the root base up to 3ft from the base . A 2-5 dose course is recommended, at roughly 10 day intervals, from late winter and well into spring. Each treatment should consist of 1-2 litres of Tree Tonic diluted with fresh water at a ratio of 1:10, spread generously around the base of the tree. i.e 2 litres to 20 litres of fresh water. The high levels of potassium and over 60 micronutrients in Liquid Kelp Tree Tonic, combined with soil enhancing molecules unique to kelp, work together to give stressed trees the best possible start to the growing season.

Propagation 

We recommend adding 1 litre of Tree Tonic to your standard 20-gallon garden water container, for watering and feeding your potted trees over the summer. This aids disease defence and promotes an extremely healthy looking vigour for pot-based plants. Can be used with other products for use on trees with specialist requirements.

Planting Young Trees

Tree Tonic works to protect newly planted trees against root shock. We recommend a single 500ml treatment at a more diluted solution ratio of 1:20, poured directly into the prepared hole prior to planting, followed by regular watering after planting. Liquid Kelp ™ Tree Tonic stimulates root growth, which is crucial in the first years of a tree’s life. Soil surrounding the root base, once cleared adequately, can also be treated with Tree Tonic to further aid establishment, ideally in late winter or early spring.