Alfalfa tea users ... question for ya......

OK, I did the alfalfa tea thing this week, whew-eeee! did that stink! I used the entire garbage can on the veges , flowers and perenials all over my property tonight. How soon should I do it again? Can I use the stocking full of the soaked alfalfa pellets over again or create a new sock of alfalfa pellets? I used about 2 cups of pellets in a knee high stocking. Oh I bet the neighbers are wondering what the heck stinks! Should'nt be too aweful bad --- I keep the lid on the garbage can. Thanks, Jill

Jill, I use about the same amount of pellets, but I try to apply the liquid before it gets to the smelly stage! I re-use the mash one time, with a bit less water... then I throw the mess leftover into my compost bin. I used to place it around shrubs but it looks so ugly.

Oh thanks Darius! I'll do that, I sure hope it helps things grow nicely! We'll see! Have a great 4th, we dont do the fireworks, DH thinks it reminds him too much of Nam.

Yeah, my brother can't do fireworks either. Even a car backfire sends him to the floor...

My Brother Passed away from Cancer Last October but the last time he came for Thanksgiving we were walking to the store to pick up some last minute stuff and an electrical transformer blew nearby, oh my gosh! He jumped, and I knew why but thats as far as it went, he nver talked about it and DH too --- I really dont think I wanna know anyway, we here enough on the news daily re Irac/Iran ect.

Jill, My next door neighbor called Exterinator out, wanted to know what died.
sidney

This message was edited Jul 10, 2005 11:44 AM
Opps I posted on wrong thread.Sorry Jody

This message was edited Jul 10, 2005 11:45 AM

As to frequency of application, from what I've read, a "full dose" of this fertilizer is good for at least a month, and perhaps 6-8 weeks. (Somebody correct me if I'm wrong here.)

I tend to use a less-concentrated ratio (about 3-4 cups to 18 gallons of water) and I don't let it get to the truly stinky stage - I usually make it one day and use it within 24-48 hours.

As I understand it (and I'm definitely not a scientist), the beneficial alcohol will form as it breaks down in the soil, so you may delay the beneficial effects of the fertilizer if you don't let it get to the nose-pinching rotten stage, but it'll still have the same long-term benefit to your plants. Same goes for using the dry pellets in your planting holes, or sprinkled around your roses in the spring - the effect is not as immediate, but will eventually provide the same effect without the stench.

This summer, I decided to keep my rubbermaid "tea tub" in the yard. When I empty it, I pull it to the next spot in the "rotation" and refill it. When it's emptied, it gets moved to the next spot.

I've also found that as I empty the tub, it's helpful to place the hose down in the tub, and turn the spray-nozzle on a fairly stiff stream. It keeps the alfalfa nicely suspended, so I can dip out of it with my 2-gallon watering can and get everything fertilized in just a few minutes, with no leftover "sludge" to deal with when I get down to the bottom.

I have about 15 areas of my yard that I use a full tub-full, so I rotate through all of them in just under a month.

Terry, thanks for the alfalfa info, I'll but a larger size of alfalfa pellets next time and sprinkle the pellets around all the plants. I went to residence in the country to to look at their 17 gardens, after looking at those gardens I think I'll get some hay for mulch, it's working well for them, and it may look a little weird in the city but it will cut down on the weeds since I can bever catch up to them anyway, and it will be really cheap.