If $f$ is a real-valued function on $[-\pi,\pi]$ that is Henstock-Kurzweil integrable, let $u_r(\theta)$ be its Poisson integral. It is shown that $\|u_r\|_p=o(1/(1-r))$ as $r\to 1$ and this estimate is sharp for $1\leq p\leq\infty$. If $\mu$ is a finite Borel measure and $u_r(\theta)$ is its Poisson integral then for each $1\leq p\leq \infty$ the estimate $\|u_r\|_p=O((1-r)^{1/p-1})$ as $r\to 1$ is sharp. The Alexiewicz norm estimates $\|u_r\|\leq\|f\|$ ($0\leq r<1$) and $\|u_r-f\|\to 0$ ($r\to 1$) hold. These estimates lead to two uniqueness theorems for the Dirichlet problem in the unit disc with Henstock-Kurzweil integrable boundary data. There are similar growth estimates when $u$ is in the harmonic Hardy space associated with the Alexiewicz norm and when $f$ is of bounded variation.

Applications of minimal surface methods are made to obtain information about univalent harmonic mappings. In the case where the mapping arises as the Poisson integral of a step function, lower bounds for the number of zeros of the dilatation are obtained in terms of the geometry of the image.