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kitasei2

When to spread alfalfa

5 years ago

is it a waste to spread alfalfa pellets now? I was going to use it on my roses, vegetable garden, snd even compost pile next spring but an animal got into the bag so I wouldn’t mind using it right now.

Comments (13)

  • 5 years ago

    and i note.. the vermin already got yours in the bag ... i had to store it in 5 gal utility buckets ... the hosta peeps decided making tea was the best way to utilize it ...


    that said ... i used those once ... and all i attracted was vermin who ate them ... its rabbit food ... and.. apparently golden retriever food ... idiot dog ... lol ... his gas was paint remover ...


    and i note.. the vermin already ogt yours in the bag ... i had to store it in 5 gal utility buckets ... the hosta peeps decided making tea was the best way to utilize it ...


    ken

    kitasei2 thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
  • 5 years ago

    Spread mine before the rain and snow a couple days ago, some got covered with mulch, some still to do. Better in or on the ground than sitting in the bag.

    kitasei2 thanked lkayetwvz5
  • 5 years ago

    Does it deteriorate in the bag?

  • 5 years ago

    As long as it stays dry it will not deteriorate.

    kitasei2 thanked garybeaumont_gw
  • 5 years ago

    Spread it now so your soil microbiota will have something to work on (decompose) when they need it. Try to protect it (cover lightly with soil or mulch) from bigger animals who would like to eat it and go, leaving nothing behind for exchange . After all, you want all that manure in your soil.

    For the future I would rather recommend Alfalfa meal, not pellets, as a soil amendment.

    kitasei2 thanked windberry zone5a BCCanada
  • 5 years ago

    I’d wait for spring. The primary reason to use alfalfa on roses is the growth hormone, and you don’t want to simulate tender growth in fall. I guess it’d be ok in fall if you live in a really cold zone where there’s no chance of breaking dormancy.

    Store it well, I’ve had a rat chew through a thick plastic tub to get at it.

    kitasei2 thanked BenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
  • 5 years ago

    i see houzz got at my post and messed it up ... i hope you got the gist ...


    to sum up.. pellets are in that form to feed to rabbits and horses ... as others note.. ground might be better to work in the soil ...


    either will work to make a tea to water with ... scroll down below the ads: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=alfalfa+tea+for+garden&t=ffcm&ia=web


    ken



  • 5 years ago

    The pellets dissolve quickly on the ground with rain so they are good too.

  • 5 years ago

    I used some pellets I had that I was using for horse feed -- the kind that needed to be soaked in water before feeding. I dug some into the hole when I planted a new tree late last fall. No vermin that I noticed, but it was right before the onset of winter, and I dug it in pretty deep. I don't think I"d top-dress roses or anything else with it -- it probably would attract all sorts of critters, but for deep-digging it's fine. I still have a bag of the stuff to use up.

  • 5 years ago

    I've scattered alfalfa pellets around without problems. In Alaska, fish fertilizer attracted bears which I did not need.

  • 5 years ago

    Bears, really Sheila?! Lol, I’m annoyed if I attract a rabbit or a squirrel, I guess I should count my blessings.

  • 5 years ago

    Holy smokes! I'm with Ben. I guess I should count my blessings that I don't have bear (or moose) in my garden. Deer, Raccoons, rabbits, gophers, moles, ground squirrels are bad enough! (not to mention the snails...)