Alfalfa Pellets/Meal

[party_music50]

I'm wondering how everyone uses alfalfa as a fertilizer because I want to try it this year. I've searched on-line and find conflicting opinions about what works best and why. Some say to use pellets because they're easy to scatter, some say scattering pellets doesn't work because critters will eat them and therefore they should be wetted and mushy before laying down, others say that wetted/mushy pellets are a PITA to deal with and they therefore use alfalfa meal, some say alfalfa tea is the way to go, etc.

My instincts tell me to go to a feed store and buy a 50 lb bag of alfalfa pellets, then just scatter a couple handfuls (small hands ) around any plants I want to fertilize. There is, however, a large field at the edge of my property and I do get a lot of rabbit visitors and occasionally deer, so maybe my instincts are wrong?

[ogrefcf]

My instincts tell me to go to a feed store and buy a 50 lb bag of alfalfa pellets, then just scatter a couple handfuls (small hands ) around any plants I want to fertilize. There is, however, a large field at the edge of my property and I do get a lot of rabbit visitors and occasionally deer, so maybe my instincts are wrong?

That's what I do. Water it right after and they go mushy pretty quick. That might discourage any animals.

[Chris_W]

If you can find the meal that might work better, but otherwise water it in or make a tea.

When we've used it I put the pellets in when planting, but never scattered it above ground. But then again, our hostas are never in the ground much more than a couple years before being adopted to new homes

[thy]

..., then just scatter a couple handfuls...

hat's what I do, it works and is easy and if you are afraid of the animals just water the garden, they will be soft with a normal garden watering.
Do not do it the day before you have visitors to the garden, they look like duck poo the first days after they got wet.
I do use a handfull when i plant a new plant and some hands full when I make potting soil.

[party_music50]

That sounds easy -- scatter and remember to water! I'd have never thought of adding pellets to potting soil or planting holes, and those are great tips! There is a new feed store in the area and I'm anxious to check it out. I'll also check my options of pellets vs meal. Pia, that's too funny about it looking like duck poo.

I also want to try using corn meal on my veg garden because I read that it's a good organic fungicide for controlling early blight and septoria leaf spot on tomatoes. I don't have the space to relocate my tomatoes and peppers and I started seeing problems on my tomato plants last year. I wondered if you have a forum on organic gardening here? I didn't find it when I looked.

Thanks for the replies and help! I think I'll love going to the feed store; it sounds like my kind of place.