That is what we do Millie. If you can shred it a bit it breaks down quicker. Some people dig it in but, as long as the salt is washed out of it, we find mulching works fine.

thanks for that - does it get smelly?

Not really. Unless you are bringing it in by pantechnicon. I live by the sea too and just bring it by the sack. We quite like the slight sea smell but the rain keeps it down.

I spread mine out on the path in a corner and let the rain wash the out out for a week or two, then just spread it round as a mulch.
We are lucky in that a fresh water stream round onto the beach so i collect the seaweed in a box with big holes in and stand it in the water for a while to let the stream do most of the work!

Somebody asked last week what I was going to do with it - they thought it was for eating!

Some people compost it rather than mulch though.

Hope your stream doesn't have any sensitive wild-life in it Steragram. The salts and iodine washed into it will not be very fresh water beasties friendly.

Don't worry, Sarraceniac - It's on the beach and only has a few more yards to go before it reaches the sand and spreads across it in a very undisciplined manner, so any wildlife that doesn't like salt water is already doomed!

I've heard it helps combat potato blight, but I'm not sure if it's true ...

Well, having picked my seaweed, washed in the sea, soaked in tap water for a couple of days, I've now chopped it up and dug it in around a couple of plants-so, thank you all for your help. x

That's amazing Hywel - worth a try? Will have a go next year if I remember.

Elder is supposed to keep witches away, and that works, because we haven't seen a sign of any!