@Sharon Thanks for the article on the molasses fertilizer. On the same page, I noticed that you can make fertilizer out of stinging nettles! I hate those things because of their thorns, but see that there is also a good use for them.

florange said:What Kathy said. I use Alfalfa in the fall/winter in FL because it does create heat as it breaks down. That just won't work here in the spring as the temperatures rise by leaps and bounds!

Same here for roses. We have triple digit temps for months in a dry climate. I don't want to encourage growth at that time. I'll use a light dose in early fall and a larger dose in the spring after the last frost date.

I don't want to encourage new growth in the hot summer months to be fried by the heat and the light dose in early fall just kind of replenishes the nutrients for the fall flush but is not sufficient to encourage lots of new growth going into winter.

@Paul2032 .... those quilts are beautiful ... as are all of your garden photos.

@Sharon ... what a wonderful way to learn gardening ... under the quilt frame.

Smiles,
Lyn

What about making an alfalfa "tea" instead of mixing alfalfa pellets into the soil? I make the tea and just water everything with it once or twice a month. (I also add in some fish emulsion.)

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/Alfa...

Arbico has some soil amendments:

http://www.arbico-organics.com...

I've ordered beneficial nematodes from them in the past and they do have a nematode special running through Sunday.

Xenacrockett said:
Arbico has some soil amendments:

http://www.arbico-organics.com...

I've ordered beneficial nematodes from them in the past and they do have a nematode special running through Sunday.

I'm planning to order live earthworms, although I might instead order earthworm eggs. Can't quite decide which. In either case, they aren't terribly expensive.

farawayfarmer,
Before you order any expensive worms or eggs, read up on them. From what I have read if the conditions are not right the worms will not stay, and if the conditions are right you will get worms without having to order them. For years I had no worms, but after I started composting with leaves and grass clippings I began to get thousands of them.

farawayfarmer said:

I'm planning to order live earthworms, although I might instead order earthworm eggs. Can't quite decide which. In either case, they aren't terribly expensive.

Check out red worms. They should be available not too far away.
I had them years ago and they are very vigorous if you keep them in a contained area and feed them newspapers, leaves, kitchen scraps, etc.
A kiddie wading pool kept in shaded area makes a nice worm bed.
They also got loose to an area where we dumped leaves and horse manure pickings. When I had a soil test done, they freaked out on the reading.
Just keep them wet enough that ants don't get into the worm bed; also have drainage.
I still find them in my soil.

Seedfork said:farawayfarmer,
Before you order any expensive worms or eggs, read up on them. From what I have read if the conditions are not right the worms will not stay, and if the conditions are right you will get worms without having to order them. For years I had no worms, but after I started composting with leaves and grass clippings I began to get thousands of them.

Sadly, earthworms are not attracted to the sort of extremely porous sandy soil of which our hill consists. It is a huge pile of what is known as sugar sand. We have some, but only in the beds which have been built up with many cubic yards of Black Kow composted cow manure.

I know for a fact that what earthworms we have were imported in the pots of growing daylilies purchased from my favorite source. I know this because when I've planted the plants, the earthworms have tumbled out of the pots and rapidly worked their way into the beds.

Those worms are still thriving, and multiplying after nearly three years.

Hence, it follows that they must be imported.

John - I have to agree with you on that! I am always thrilled to see earthworms when I dig .... and it is usually a rare sight.

beckygardener said:John - I have to agree with you on that! I am always thrilled to see earthworms when I dig .... and it is usually a rare sight.

I can honestly say, that in eight years of digging around my yard, I'd never seen an earthworm in the yard. Not until I started inadvertently importing them.

farawayfarmer said:

I can honestly say, that in eight years of digging around my yard, I'd never seen an earthworm in the yard. Not until I started inadvertently importing them.

Look at the bright side, John -- how easy earthworm inventory must be at your house.

(Earthworm inventory is done by selecting a 12" cube of soil and counting how many worms are in it.)

JWWC said:I use them as well. I've noticed a much better response when transplanting if I add alfalfa to the mix. I pick mine up from Tractor Supply. I think they run $10-12 for a 40 or 50 lb bag. If memory serves there is something specific they add to the soil. A fatty acid the plants want/need or something. I don't have time to go digging or I would try to point you in that direction. If you search the forum I am certain there are other threads on the topic.

And yes, make sure they are horse pellets. The rabbit ones have a load of salts and minerals added to them which can wreak havoc on your soil.

You must be closer to the source of supply. Here in central Florida, 40 lb bags are currently $13.49 from Tractor Supply. It costs to send heavy stuff a thousand miles farther from the source.

TSC has 40 lbs for 12.99 in Northern KY

TSC listed it for $14.99 for 40 lbs. in Hot Springs, however, they were out of stock. I did purchase some at the County Farm store for $19.99 for 50 lbs. yesterday.



TSC has it listed for $14.99 for a 40 lb. bag, however, they are currently out of stock. I purchased 50 lbs. at the County Farm store for $19.99 yesterday. It was a little more than I wanted to pay, however, when you consider a 40 mile round trip to go back ---

With the humidity up the lastxouple days I am seeing the wet alfalfa getting moldy looking. is this a problem for my plants?

I don't think that is a problem...........As they start to break down I work them lightly into the surface of the soil.

rocklady said:TSC listed it for $14.99 for 40 lbs. in Hot Springs, however, they were out of stock. I did purchase some at the County Farm store for $19.99 for 50 lbs. yesterday.



TSC has it listed for $14.99 for a 40 lb. bag, however, they are currently out of stock. I purchased 50 lbs. at the County Farm store for $19.99 yesterday. It was a little more than I wanted to pay, however, when you consider a 40 mile round trip to go back ---

Jean, I about flipped when I paid $17.50 for a 50 pound bag at a local farm store yesterday. Yes, one does have to figure gas and time.

I've spent $20 for a new rose, hosta or iris. A bag of alfalfa pellets goes a long way and does a lot of good so maybe it is a bargain.

Xenacrockett said:

Jean, I about flipped when I paid $17.50 for a 50 pound bag at a local farm store yesterday. Yes, one does have to figure gas and time.

Which is why, when we made a necessary 40 mile round trip into town today, we went another five miles out of our say to visit TSC and purchase two more bags of alfalfa pellets.

Paul2032 said:I've spent $20 for a new rose, hosta or iris. A bag of alfalfa pellets goes a long way and does a lot of good so maybe it is a bargain.

That's a good way to look at it Paul. I spent $75 for three pots of muhley grass, just because I love the stuff.