Sea Minerals for Fertilizer
My Feedback on Three Products

I learned about using sea minerals for fertilizer by reading a book by Dr. Maynard Murray, Sea Energy Agriculture. To say the least, I was quite impressed with the benefits Dr. Murray chronicled from fertilizing with sea minerals, and just how important these trace minerals are to our health.

I expected yield increases

The first sea mineral fertilizer product I tried was Ocean Solution. With this liquid product I noted that plants were healthier, and insect pressure had lessened. This was certainly noteworthy.

However, I was disappointed that I didn’t see any increases in yields. I even sponsored a replicated study at the University of Georgia on wheat, where I asked them to put on 7 full applications of Ocean Solution at 10 day intervals. I was hoping for yield increases from using sea minerals for fertilizer, but the results showed none.

Yield increases are possible

I noted that in his book, Dr. Maynard Murray saw increased vitamin content AND substantial yields increases when he applied between 1,000 lbs. and 2,200 lbs. of sea solids per acre to the soil (pgs. 43-47). At lower application rates, yield increases lessened considerably.

I purchased some sea solids and did an experiment on my lawn. I applied the equivalent of 2,000 pounds per acre. I did note that the appearance of my lawn improved, but soil tests also showed that the amount of sodium in my soil had gone through the roof. Fortunately, I knew that I could apply Huma-Tec to help remediate the salt.

Two problems to overcome

1. Ocean Solution seemed to work quite well in helping with plant health and in decreasing insect pressure, but in my personal experience I didn’t see yield increases. Plus, applying numerous applications like we did on the wheat at the University of Georgia could get quite expensive.
2. Sea solids, as used by Dr. Murray, can produce both substantial yield and vitamin improvements. However, most farmers just don’t have the money to apply enough sea solids to get the yield increases Dr. Murray experienced. Second, many farmers already are fighting with high sodium in their soils, and a good application of the solid sea minerals for fertilizer could make their salt problem worse.

Enter Gerry Amena

In 2006 I came across an article in Acres USA magazine, an interview with Gerry Amena. For 20 years Gerry had been using his concentrated sea minerals for fertilizer on his farm in Australia, and getting substantial yield increases.

Benefits seen with Aussie sea menerals

1. For very little cost per acre, farmers were seeing yield increases when the sea minerals were fed to plants through the leaves.

2. It was helpful for farmers who were dealing with high salt soils, since Gerry’s sea mineral concentrate had only 1% of the original sodium.

3. Because it was low in sodium, farmers and gardeners could apply heavy applications of sea mineral fertilizer without burning their crops.

4. Because Gerry’s sea minerals were so highly concentrated, we started to see yield increases. In a study done on wheat by an agronomist in Montana, Gerry’s concentrated sea minerals posted a 10% increase in yield at just 2/10ths gallons per acre, applied at flag leaf. There was no visible increase in yields at the 1/10th gallon per acre application rate.

At 4/10ths gallons per acre, yields increased by 17% over the control. Test weight increased by 1.6 and protein increased by 2.1

5. The wheat fertilized at 4/10ths of a gallon and the control were sent to CCI lab (now called ALS Environmental Lab) for testing. The test results showed the following increases in vitamin content over the control:

• Vitamin B1 increased by 35%
• Vitamin B2 increased by 10%
• Niacin increased by 38%
• Vitamin E increased by 15%

Until further testing is done, I'm not ready to say that others will get these same great results. However, the initial indications as seen above seem to validate feedback I have heard from those who have used the Aussie sea minerals for fertilizer.

Gerry’s concentrated sea minerals are sold in the United States under the name Ocean Trace. I use them extensively in my garden, and am seeing many of the good results that Dr. Maynard Murray saw in his research with sea solids. My garden is healthy, I have minimal insect invasion, the produce tastes wonderful, and I get bountiful yields.

(Return from Sea Minerals for Fertilizer to Ocean Trace)