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Jul 25, 2015 7:35 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Kevin Smith
INDIANA (Zone 5b)
Just picked up a bag and it says online will not burn lawn or plants and can apply anytime except before heavy rain. Slow release pellets supposed to provide nitrogen.
SO MANY DAYLILYS, SO LITTLE LAND
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Jul 25, 2015 7:55 PM CST
Name: Joy Wooldridge
Kalama, Wa. (Zone 8b)
Sunset Zone 6, Heat zone 4,
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Photo Contest Winner 2021 Lilies Daylilies Organic Gardener Cat Lover
Birds Region: Pacific Northwest Garden Photography Bulbs Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Container Gardener
Yes! I use it on almost everything I grow. In my opinion, that and alfalfa pellets are the best fertilizers for daylilies. Other plants do exceptionally well with them too.
No two gardens are the same. No two days are the same in one garden. ~Hugh Johnson
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Jul 25, 2015 8:18 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Kevin Smith
INDIANA (Zone 5b)
Thanks Joy. I was not going to chance it w/o getting some opinions on it. I am the process of making new bed (primarily daylily) and am going to use some there and everywhere. Plus my yard could always use some help too. Once i get the weeds under control it would be nice just to go all organic plan care.
I have also heard it could be good deer or rabbit repellant. Have you had any problems with those critters? Would you say your plants would not look as good without it?
SO MANY DAYLILYS, SO LITTLE LAND
Last edited by kssmith Jul 25, 2015 8:25 PM Icon for preview
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Jul 25, 2015 9:22 PM CST
Name: Michele Roth
N.E. Indiana - Zone 5b, and F (Zone 9b)
I'm always on my way out the door..
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I use it. It's a good all-around product for ornamental plants. As a repellent it needs to be reapplied after every significant rain, but here at least, it seems to work pretty well. I used it in the rock garden this year as well, and even those persnickety plants proved to be completely tolerant of it.
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Jul 25, 2015 9:32 PM CST
Name: Joy Wooldridge
Kalama, Wa. (Zone 8b)
Sunset Zone 6, Heat zone 4,
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Photo Contest Winner 2021 Lilies Daylilies Organic Gardener Cat Lover
Birds Region: Pacific Northwest Garden Photography Bulbs Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Container Gardener
I've not had problems with deer or rabbits, yet! Knock on wood. Because they are around. I think the rabbits stay away because of my many cats. But why the deer haven't been feasting on my daylilies, I don't know? Just glad they haven't. We have neighbors with plenty of fruit trees. I've seen the deer eating from them. Maybe they are getting enough to eat without eating my daylilies?
No two gardens are the same. No two days are the same in one garden. ~Hugh Johnson
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Jul 25, 2015 9:42 PM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
I agree with everyone above. I use that alfalfa pellets, too. And I DO believe the Milorganite Fertilizer DOES deter pests be they big or small mammals. The squirrels will dig in other parts of my yard but not where I fertilized with Milorganite. Thumbs up
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
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Jul 26, 2015 4:21 AM CST
Name: Sue
Ontario, Canada (Zone 4b)
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I've used it as a deer repellent (it worked for a while but probably needed re-applying and I couldn't get any more at the time) - the Milorganite web site does give instructions for using it as a fertilizer on daylilies: "½ cup per plant, early spring, late summer, and late fall"

http://www.milorganite.com/gar...

The nutrient analysis, including how much N is slow release, is on this page:

http://www.milorganite.com/Pro...

The slow release N part requires microorganisms to work on it, which happens when the soil temp is between 55 and 85⁰F. Bear in mind that it has no, or almost no, potassium so if your soil is lacking in that you'd need to provide it some other way.
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Jul 26, 2015 5:41 AM CST
Name: Karen
Minnesota (Zone 4a)
Garden Art Region: Minnesota Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Master Level
It has been a wonder for my gardens and does all it says it will. I started with the alfalfa last year and cannot believe what it has done for the flowers. WOW WOW WOW
Happiness is doing for those who cannot do for themselves.
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Jul 26, 2015 5:46 AM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
I agree. Those two products added to your garden soil works wonders! Just be sure that when you buy Alfalfa pellets you get 100% alfalfa WITHOUT any additives (like salt).
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
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Jul 26, 2015 6:16 AM CST
Name: Larry
Enterprise, Al. 36330 (Zone 8b)
Composter Daylilies Garden Photography Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level Plant Identifier
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Region: Alabama
I always think of the video by Dan Hanson in which he says Nothing greens up daylilies better than Milorganite. The video shows him spreading it out all across his seedling bed, then follows that up with a high nitrogen lawn fertilizer. The smell is my big objection, I hate the smell, but so do the critters. The only problem as far as using it to keep the critters out is I would have to use it on a semi monthly basis, and that is way over the recommended application rate. It seems to be effective in my garden (with normal rains) on about a two week basis. Then the critters start back to digging up my plants looking for earthworms.
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Jul 26, 2015 6:21 AM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
Larry - I use it monthly by just sprinkling a little bit in my beds. Nowhere near the recommended application. Just a little tossed around my seedling beds especially. I follow that up with the liquid fertilizer watered in.
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
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Jul 26, 2015 6:28 AM CST
Name: Julie C
Roanoke, VA (Zone 7a)
Daylilies Garden Photography Region: Virginia Photo Contest Winner: 2015 Heucheras Cat Lover
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I've used Milorganite for years, along with Plant-tone and Osmocote. Please be sure to apply it carefully, wearing gloves, etc.
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Jul 26, 2015 6:31 AM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
Yes! I agree. Gloves for sure!!! Thumbs up
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
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Jul 26, 2015 9:07 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Kevin Smith
INDIANA (Zone 5b)
With the record rain fall we had in June Beautiful Edgings looked better than it had in five years but many of my plants had poor color so i knew i needed something different and in the past mixed miracle grow.
Then for the first time ever deer were in our back yard. I bought liquid fence then heard about Milorganite. Since it rained heavy last night i will apply this today for both reasons. Now i just need to find who sells alfalfa pellets in my area.
Thanks everyone for the glowing reports and advice.
SO MANY DAYLILYS, SO LITTLE LAND
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Jul 26, 2015 9:40 AM CST
Name: Suga
Coastal South Carolina (Zone 8b)
Bee Lover Garden Ideas: Master Level
This was the first year I used the milorganite and the first year I didn't have problems with deer and rabbits eating my day lilies and my plants were beautiful.
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Jul 26, 2015 12:10 PM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
Kevin - A livestock feed store should care the alfalfa pellets. They are usually fed to horses and cows and maybe rabbits.
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
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Jul 26, 2015 1:05 PM CST
Name: Karen
Minnesota (Zone 4a)
Garden Art Region: Minnesota Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Master Level
Ask for the ones for rabbits and not horses. Some feed stores are aware that people are using them for gardens and know which ones you need.
Happiness is doing for those who cannot do for themselves.
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Jul 26, 2015 1:19 PM CST
Name: Larry
Enterprise, Al. 36330 (Zone 8b)
Composter Daylilies Garden Photography Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level Plant Identifier
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Region: Alabama
Alfalfa feed for rabbits or horses or any other animal can have additives, so you just want Alfalfa with no additives. The size of the pellets are often different for different animals, so some prefer the larger pellets for horses and some the small ones for rabbits, etc. They will all work fine and break down fairly quickly. I would actually love to try the Alfalfa meal, but I can never find the meal around here.
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Jul 26, 2015 1:23 PM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
I definitely agree with Larry! Get 100% Alfalfa pellets with NO ADDITIVES!!!
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
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Jul 26, 2015 1:28 PM CST
Name: Karen
Minnesota (Zone 4a)
Garden Art Region: Minnesota Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Master Level
The supplier here does not show the pellets as 100 percent alfalfa because there is a small amount of trace minerals in the ones recommended for the gardens here. Those are also the ones they sell strictly for rabbits. Sorry if I caused any confusion on that point.
Happiness is doing for those who cannot do for themselves.

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