Dear Editor,
I was very pleased to read an article in your paper entitled Sea Moss Industry Progressing Steadily by Kingsley Emmanuel.
This article caused me to reflect on my air layering initiative (hobby) on a Ficus tree next to my residence when I lived in Ciceron. I used sea moss and discarded banana plastic bags to air layer young Ficus branches and sold the rooted branches in pots to Super Center.
The sea moss was first spread on wire gauze and washed free of sea salt before the air layering process. As the then Director of R&D of WINBAN, I took advantage of our chemistry laboratory and had the washed sea moss analyzed for plant nutrients. We found the sea moss to be rich in plant nutrients which accounted for the rooting of the young Ficus branches.
I further used the washed sea moss as a fertilizer in my back yard vegetable garden for home use.
I am therefore very pleased that St Lucia, through local initiatives has advanced in the use of sea moss washed on our shores – an example of the use of natural resources – from disaster to a useful enterprise.
The uses of this resource are many, and I am confident that our developers and entrepreneurs will continue to convert this hazard into a productive sector for the economic benefit of our country.
Dr. Edsel Edmunds
Former WINBAN Director of R&D
Former Senior Research Fellow
UWI St Augustine Campus
Wrong picture, not sure if the sea moss described in this piece is what’s reflected in picture shown with article
Way back in the 1950’s there was this farmer in Micoud who collected truck loads
of sea weed – not Sea Moss – and spread it around his plants, I asked him why and
he said it was for Fertilizer. I found it strange and did not question since I was not and
still not knowledgeable in that field; but it stuck in my little mind from that time. Now
I know that, that farmer knew something that lots of us had little knowledge of back then.
So we live and learn, and knowing my good friend Edsel who I always respected, writes
about and believe that the crust from the sea that mother nature have given us, can also be
used for our benefit naturally, healthily and financially. Dr. Edsel, the Lord bless you and keep you
and may the light of His countenance shine upon you and give you peace. Be blessed my good friend.