Great advice. Thanks! Its a tiny patch of lawn so I do keep it watered over summer. its got some vigour right now, and I mowed it for the first time, nice and high. Looks pretty good.

Do you leave the clippings on the lawn when you mow?

I'm curious as to why alfalfa pellets are chosen over other organic material.

I use a mulching mower and call it good.

I use alfalfa pellets on my roses because it is easy, and the local radio gardening talk show recommends it. I also use commercial compost as mulch. About 5% nitrogen in the alfalfa.

I purchase alfalfa at the local feed store. 40 lb bag is $15-20. When the price of gas was close to $5/gal, a bag was $40.

I do leave the clipping on the lawn. The alfalfa is to "feed the soil". I'm not going to try to relay the science but the alfalfa works and gives a thick green lawn that seems to last longer, at least by comparison to other lawns in the 'hood. Even the ones I know are chemically fed. Ive used soy bean meal in the past too. Again, just an observation, but I didn't apply nearly as often last year and for the first time in a long time I have patches of moss in the lawn.

Alfalfa pellets make a good root zone for the grass as well as it gives nutrients. Sort of a top dressing. No special nitrogen because alfalfa a legume I suppose. That's in the roots.

I've added woodchips to the lawn and then swept the larger pieces into the surrounding groundcovers. A top dressing for both!

I use alfalfa pellets on my clematis, daylilies, roses and more. cheap at the feed store and I go there anyway since I own a horse.

I have used both alfalfa and soy bean meal the last couple of years and have been pleased with the improvements to my lawn. The soy has a higher nitrogen content. I use alfalfa meal as it's what I can get easiest.