Thanks for the info about the soap. I use hay and it always stinks and gets bubbly.

Mike Rivers, who used to post here, is a chemist and suggested the soap in small quantities. I think I used about a teaspoon for a 40 gallon batch. Reading old posts about alfalfa some people think the anaerobic bacteria could be bad for plants, but overall most people's alfalfa tea stinks and seems to have a good effect. I bet mine didn't stink because the weather was cool. I think if it has a good effect on my plants I will prefer to brew it in cool weather in the future as well. I don't like the idea of getting anaerobic bacteria all over me. I used to just throw alfalfa meal around my plants but I think brewing tea might extract more of the tricontinol.

Maybe it's just the alfalfa you're using because the tea I've accidentally brewed from hay left in a wheelbarrow stinks and it's been snowing! That was rather shallow so I'm not sure if it was the depth that accounts for your sweet smelling tea either. The only difference temperature has made from me is whether or not it ferments, but it doesn't take much heat for that to happen. I've have wondered if the fermented tea might be better, but no experience with that. Again, I'm using hay so perhaps that is the difference. It would be nice if we could figure this out, because while I've gotten used to the smell I could live without it!

I think my tea did ferment, because I saw some foaminess. The liquid was pretty green. The cubes break up to look like chopped hay. I read an old alfalfa tea post written by someone who used a fish tank aerator in his tea and he said it stank less. I guess I'll find out what happens when I brew the stuff in warmer weather. How long do you brew your tea?

What kind of soap did you use?

That make sense diane which would explain why the smell seems worse after it ferments. I'll need to pay more attention. Mine always has some smell, though, but truthfully, I've smelled worse!

Stirring does decrease the malodorous tea.

I let the alfalfa tea "brew" for a week but if it's sunny then 4-5 days should also do it. I use pellets, not hay, and the color is green half way through, becoming more brownish as it ferments toward the end of the week. That's also when it smells though not so much as others report, perhaps because I stir it once. I am happy how it works. I do add a fish & seaweed emulsion right before watering with this tea. I've never heard of adding soap and will try it next time.

Soap sweetens it. You know the acidity and the lime that sweetens story. It goes back to pH

What kind of soap did you use?

I am going to brew my tea for the first time this year. I've been wondering when I should start it. I live in Southeastern MA. The recipes I've seen didn't mention hay. I bought the alfalfa pellets, Sprint 330 and Fish emulsion.

I used dish liquid but have some Ivory soap and wonder if it would be any better.

Chey, spring is a good time to start it. With the variable winter/spring season across the Northeast this year, it's difficult to say when exactly it is in your area and you would be the best judge. Last year all my bulbs, save for later flowering tulips, were in bloom at this time. This morning I woke up to yet another thin layer of snow and only 2 brave hellebores with a few winter aconites are blooming right now. Last year I would have started applying alfalfa around mid-April. This year unlikely until early to mid-May...

@Vesfl It's still very cold here as well. It sounds like you really need the warm weather in order to start the Alfalfa tea. I am totally in the bitter barn over this weather. I did a post a few weeks ago about lots of rose cane death in my garden and someone recommended the tea saying perhaps I can rejuvenate the rose. Praying!

Chey, now that you mention it, I remember that thread and you got good suggestions from quite a few experienced rose gardeners on GW. So sorry you've experienced it, but from what I gather on that thread, there is still hope for your roses! This is my 4th year in rose gardening and it's always a learning process with ups and downs... I apply alfalfa when the new growth is just starting out, but since you've had the issue of reviving your roses and hopefully inducing new growth, then probably it's best to apply alfalfa when the soil is workable and time to fertilize in general-- as often recommended, when "forsythias start blooming" in your area. Good luck!