I wouldn't use it on my clematis. The NPK isn't going to be consistent unless it was especially manufactured for the use of fertilizer. I'd stick with a good rose or tomato fertilizer.

I know some people swear by alfalfa, but doing a quick google search will show the NPK being all over the place. You might end up with a lush vine and few flowers. If the foliar spray burned the leaves on your clematis, the alfalfa might contain too much nitrogen? I'd save it for non-flowering shrubs or keep making the tea and use it for lawn fertilizer.

Gary,

I use alfalfa meal on my roses and my clematis are planted in and among my roses and it hasn't harmed them at all. I haven't noticed an excess of foliage with a lack of blooms from using alfalfa. This is of course, just my experience in my garden.

Carol

"the same plant growth hormone, tricontanol, that drives rosarians to use liberal amounts of alfalfa meal with their roses to enjoy more and larger blossoms will produce the same effect with clematis. And it increases cold tolerance"
Both Gardengal and Carol are correct..I use Alfalfa Tea on my clematis and Roses and just about everything I grow..it's not the N-P-K ratio that is important in the usage of this but the "Tricontanol" in it..It is great and your plants will be stronger and more vigorous than ever before..I use it in conjunction with my Rose and Tomato fertilizers..try it you'll love it!!..Jeanne

I have used it also in the past and purchased it as animal feed. People often warned about using the animal feed because the salt content might be too hot but I have never had an issue using it either as a dry additive sprinkled on the soil or soaking it in water and adding it as a tea. If I had some right now I would be using it.

I think my brain is on overdrive today. I meant to say that some people had said that the salt content of alfalfa pellets used as animal feed might be too high--NOT hot!!! LOL

I use alfalfa cubes on my clematis once every spring. I get a 50lb bag of cubes then pound the cubes into smaller pieces and spread around before I apply the years fresh mulch. If anything I think I've actually gotten more blooms, and in worst case scenario, it doesn't hurt them a bit.

Really don't want to harm my celmatis ,2 different reviews ,would a gardener know the answer?

I started this thead 10 years ago. In the interim I've used alfalfa meal as a light top dressing every spring and have had great results with it.

G.

I use alfalfa pellets (for horses from the feed store) on my Clematis, roses, daylilies and more. I've been using it for many years and it is extremely cheap. I don't crush or soak the pellets. I just toss them on the ground. I pay less than twenty bucks for a forty pound bag.

"would a gardener know the answer?"

Well, ALL the folks that posted responses are gardeners and of the half dozen or so that responded prior to your post, only one stated any issues. And those issues are not well founded :-) Alfalfa meal is a perfectly acceptable organic fertilizer and can be used with any plants. And it is especially effective with roses and clematis.

It begins to decompose and release nutrients rapidly and so direct contact with plant roots should be avoided but is fine when applied as a topdressing around the base of plants.

Thanks for the right info ,will go out and get some