Great post about inexpensive sources of food for your plants

http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/organic/2002085416013761.html

Wow - cool link!!! :) I didn't know about the cornmeal, or that beans and peas (even split?) from the grocery store would actually sprout! That's really cool.... Not going to try no.12 though... I just don't have it in me, oh wait, I do, but I don't..... ;)

Had I known about #12 earlier, perhaps I could have redirected my two sons (and husband) to the compost pile rather than their favorite spot off the covered front porch. In their partial defense, they did claim to be aiming for dandelions.

Yeah, I thought no. 12 was pretty funny, too. I was talking to my brother last night and he's going to make more of an effort this year to fertilize plants and fill in the garden to get it fuller (he's partially retired since the winter). I was suggesting alfalfa and trying to get a link to inexpensive sources and easy applications and this just popped up. I'll be picking up some alfalfa this weekend, as well to start my alfalfa tea . . .

Where do you get your alfalfa, Katie? Do they sell it at the Grange?

I haven't gotten any yet. I assumed that I could find rabbit feed at the local feed store. The first place I would look/call is the feed store. DeYoung's Feed Store in Woodinville is where I go for dog/cat food. Or I would go to Dell's Feed Store in Monroe. Not sure about the Grange as I've never been there, but I think they probably would be likely to have it.

I have a couple of garbage cans. I'm going to try to make my first batch without using an aerater, though I think that's recommended. Many recipes call for Epsom salts, as well.

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/roses/msg0208035532725.html

http://davesgarden.com/guides/terms/go/2294/

I guess is stinks so you want to cover it up, but I'm not sure about pressure building up, either, so I have to figure out how not to have it explode. :-)

I heard you should be careful with alfalfa as it is akaline(sp)

I've only used it on my roses so far... they seem to love it.... poor things.... they need all the spoiling they can get till I can protect them better from deer-brunch fate....

I was wondering if I sprayed the roses with some heavily diluted tea tree oil, garlic, pepper, lavender oil and egg after every rain.... if that would discourage the deer... I don't really want to move them... They love their spot other than its proximity to deer.

Sprinkle them with bonemeal.

Wow, can it be that simple... :) I'll try it....

I've heard that putting human hair around can also be a deterrent.

I'm still looking into the pH of the alfalfa tea - will report back!

I get bales of alfalfa hay from the Issaquah Grange every spring and use it as mulch on my raised vegetable beds. Works great. Do you use the hay for the tea as well, or do you need fresh or pellets?

Bonemeal and bloodmeal work great as bunny and deer deterrants, if you don't have dogs. Dogs love the stuff and will then dig up the plant trying to eat it all.

I just sprinkle it over the top of everything. There is nothing on the ground. The secret is to remember to sprinke.

You can use a bale of alfalfa as well as the pellets for alfalfa tea - I think the goal is just to find the least expensive and easiest to transport form of alfalfa you can . .

I just treated my roses and arborvitae (and myself thanks to the wind) with a dusting of blood meal... I can see why they don't like the smell & taste of it. I imagine I'll have to apply more after all this wind & rain.............................

That generates a nice image there, Kur. It's beautiful and sunny (but windy still) in downtown Seattle.

Some people can't use bonemeal because their dogs dig (looking for the bone). Keep that in mind. Mine don't mind it (after all, are plant eaters LOL), but some go at it pretty good.