Here's Ted! He, like Tommy Maddox, loves alfalfa. Pardon the typos. Davdi
Ted White, Minot Maine, USDA Zone 5a, AHS Region 4
Hello Robins,
It has been a while since I have made any contributions to the robin discourse. Today, I noticed that alfalfa has been mentioned again, so I thought I would send along an article that I prepared for our Maine Hosta Society on alfalfa tea. Of course, you can use alfalfa in the pellet form, but those who have used alfalfa tea swear by it. You might like to try it, too. It works every bit a well with daylilies.
Ted White, Minot, Maine
Ø Alfalfa– the Powerful Plant Growth Stimulant Will Make Your Hostas & DayliliesShine! ……..
[Editor’s Note:Members who participated in our MHS Garden Tour day expressed a strong desirefor your editor to republish an article written in 2006 on alfalfa tea.Therefore, by popular demand, we present this reprint.]
Natural or organic soil amendments areusually the best choice for stimulating plant growth, as many of these organic substances canimprove the microbial activity in your garden soil that, in turn, will promotethe release of nutrients already present in the soil. Simply spreadinginorganic fertilizers across the garden landscape is a short term fertilizerregimen that, in the long run, does not really benefit your plants. Withalfalfa you can grow your hostas to their maximum potential. You will notice adeepening of the leaf color and shine, particularly in your solid green hostas.But this is only part of the story; wait until you see how quickly your plantsdevelop into lush, strong specimen plants. In some cases first and second yearplantings can double in size and root development.
Alfalfa contains a wealth of nutrientsthat will be highly beneficial to the growth of your plants. Perhaps its most valuable component is itspowerful growth stimulant, Triacontanol. In fact, alfalfa has been used asplant stimulant for more than 50 years, and Triacontanol has been called themost potent growth hormone ever used in the production of flowers andagricultural crops such as corn. This naturally occurring stimulant willsignificantly boost the growth of your plants, perhaps more so than any othersingle ingredient that may be added to your garden soil. In addition toTriacontanol, alfalfa contains a wealth of minerals needed by your hostas,daylilies, irises, hostas, roses, and peonies. Chemical analyses of dry alfalfaindicate the presence of 3.75 – 5.5% nitrogen, 0.75 – 3.5% potassium, 0.3 –0.7% phosphorus, 1 - 2% calcium, 0.30 – 1% magnesium, 0.2 – 0.5% sulfur.Alfalfa also contains these micronutrients: manganese, iron, boron, copper, andzinc. It also contains a high concentration of Vitamin A, and a great number ofamino acids, too many to mention here.
Alfalfa comes in three forms that canusually be purchased at agricultural feed stores, i.e., Paris Farmer’s Union and Agwayand other animal feed stores. You may purchase it in pellet, cube, or mealform. For more rapid chemical breakdown in garden soil, alfalfa meal is likelybest. However, one must be very careful when applying dry alfalfa meal in thegarden. It is very light and dusty, and although its dust is nontoxic, it cancreate respiratory problems if inhaled; therefore, we recommend that you use amask to cover your nose and mouth, even if the air seems calm. Alfalfa pelletsare about the size of the pellets that might be fed to animals such as rabbits,horses, etc., and are virtually dust free. They can be applied to the soilwithout any fear of alfalfa dust getting into your lungs. They also break downfairly quickly, especially if applied before a rain storm. We further recommendthat the alfalfa be mixed with the soil. This will promote more rapid microbialactivity and will make alfalfa’s nutrients and growth stimulant more readilyavailable to your plants. Alfalfa cubes would not be our choice for garden use.The cubes are larger than the pellets, making them more difficult to spreadacross the garden surface evenly.
Alfalfa tea is a special brew that youcan make and apply directly to your garden soil. In fact, alfalfa tea is the quickestand best method of supplying the Triacontanol and nutrients to your plants.Orchid and rose growers have used alfalfa tea as a foliar spray. Some irisgrowers have even mulched their beds with alfalfa meal. Delphinium and hosta growershave found that the Epsom salts included in this brew help to ward off slugs.
Making alfalfa tea will definitely beworth your time and effort,and there are various methods and ingredients that can be used to make tea ineither small pails or bulk containers. Here is one step by step method ofmaking your own alfalfa tea:
Obtain a32-gallon plastic or leak proof trash barrel with a tight fitting lid or alarge container of about that size. Position it in a convenient location, asyou do not want to try to move it once full. Add 24 cups of alfalfa pellets ormeal, or use the formula of 4 cups to 5 gallons of water. Fill the containerwith water and stir the contents thoroughly about three times a day for thenext three days to completely dissolve the pellets. Put on a tight lid toprevent mosquitoes from breeding in your “swamp.” On the third day add up to 2cups of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate crystals) and 3 tablespoons of ironchelate and 1 cup of fish emulsion. Stir the brew thoroughly and you are readyto apply the alfalfa tea. If you wish, you can let the mixture stand for up toone week until it bubbles with fermentation. Your nose will probably tell youwhen it’s ready. Just add the iron chelate, fish emulsion, and Epsom salts justprior to application.
Using alfalfatea. Apply the tea once per month in the spring and summer, especially afterthe first flush of flowers, to encourage repeat blooming. You can also reduce oreliminate the Epsom salts in later batches. Stop applying the tea in the fall, whenyou want plants to begin hardening off for the winter. The last thing you wantto do at this time is to encourage new growth. Before applying the tea put onsome old clothes, as you may likely splash a little of the brew onto yourclothing, and you certainly do not want to be socializing with friends whilewearing alfalfa tea. Take a small or convenient size pail and scoop into thetea barrel after stirring one last time and apply to your plants. You can applyup to a gallon around a large clump of hostas, irises, daylilies, roses,peonies, and other perennials. For smaller clumps reduce the amount by aboutone-half. The only drawback to alfalfa tea is the “barnyard odor,” but it’s avery minor problem, when you consider that your efforts will result in superiorplant growth, greater bloom production, and more luxuriant leaves. Alfalfa tea,pellets, or meal can have the following beneficial effects in your garden: Theplants may break dormancy earlier; the plants may double in weight in one year;they may show the equivalent of three years growth in one growing season; theywill have a greatly expanded root system; there may be a doubling of the numberand size of flower buds, flowers and seeds (especially in daylilies); and therewill be a much improved quality of growth with increased number and thicknessof the leaves.
Sources for the ingredients used to makealfalfa tea: You canfind Epsom salts at your local pharmacy or garden center. Fish emulsion andiron chelate may be found in garden centers, or online. Alfalfa can been foundat most animal feed stores. We recommend that you purchase a 50 lb. bag. Itshould cost no more than $10. The other ingredients are also quite inexpensive,especially when purchased in bulk from a garden center or animal feed store.
A summary on the use of alfalfa tea: Alfalfa tea is a natural and inexpensivefertilizer. It is a fast-acting source of nitrogen and growth stimulant. If youdo not have time to make the tea, you can scatter the pellets or spread themeal directly on the garden beds; however, dry alfalfa is a good slow-releasingsource of nitrogen. The tea goes to work the moment you apply it, and you don’thave to worry about weed seeds sprouting from the fertilizer. Once you haveused alfalfa tea you will never use commercial fertilizers again. The benefitsof the tea are that dramatic. If your garden is large and you do not think youhave the time to cover the entire garden with alfalfa, why not treat one or twobeds this season and compare the results with those plants denied this magicbrew. Of course those plants that are denied this organic treat may have theirown way of telling you that they would have enjoyed this magic potion, too. J
Ted White, Minot, Maine, USDA Zone 5a, AHS Region 4
Ø Alfalfa– the Powerful Plant Growth Stimulant Will Make Your Hostas & DayliliesShine! ……..
[Editor’s Note:Members who participated in our MHS Garden Tour day expressed a strong desirefor your editor to republish an article written in 2006 on alfalfa tea.Therefore, by popular demand, we present this reprint.]
Natural or organic soil amendments areusually the best choice for stimulating plant growth, as many of these organic substances canimprove the microbial activity in your garden soil that, in turn, will promotethe release of nutrients already present in the soil. Simply spreadinginorganic fertilizers across the garden landscape is a short term fertilizerregimen that, in the long run, does not really benefit your plants. Withalfalfa you can grow your hostas to their maximum potential. You will notice adeepening of the leaf color and shine, particularly in your solid green hostas.But this is only part of the story; wait until you see how quickly your plantsdevelop into lush, strong specimen plants. In some cases first and second yearplantings can double in size and root development.
Alfalfa contains a wealth of nutrientsthat will be highly beneficial to the growth of your plants. Perhaps its most valuable component is itspowerful growth stimulant, Triacontanol. In fact, alfalfa has been used asplant stimulant for more than 50 years, and Triacontanol has been called themost potent growth hormone ever used in the production of flowers andagricultural crops such as corn. This naturally occurring stimulant willsignificantly boost the growth of your plants, perhaps more so than any othersingle ingredient that may be added to your garden soil. In addition toTriacontanol, alfalfa contains a wealth of minerals needed by your hostas,daylilies, irises, hostas, roses, and peonies. Chemical analyses of dry alfalfaindicate the presence of 3.75 – 5.5% nitrogen, 0.75 – 3.5% potassium, 0.3 –0.7% phosphorus, 1 - 2% calcium, 0.30 – 1% magnesium, 0.2 – 0.5% sulfur.Alfalfa also contains these micronutrients: manganese, iron, boron, copper, andzinc. It also contains a high concentration of Vitamin A, and a great number ofamino acids, too many to mention here.
Alfalfa comes in three forms that canusually be purchased at agricultural feed stores, i.e., Paris Farmer’s Union and Agwayand other animal feed stores. You may purchase it in pellet, cube, or mealform. For more rapid chemical breakdown in garden soil, alfalfa meal is likelybest. However, one must be very careful when applying dry alfalfa meal in thegarden. It is very light and dusty, and although its dust is nontoxic, it cancreate respiratory problems if inhaled; therefore, we recommend that you use amask to cover your nose and mouth, even if the air seems calm. Alfalfa pelletsare about the size of the pellets that might be fed to animals such as rabbits,horses, etc., and are virtually dust free. They can be applied to the soilwithout any fear of alfalfa dust getting into your lungs. They also break downfairly quickly, especially if applied before a rain storm. We further recommendthat the alfalfa be mixed with the soil. This will promote more rapid microbialactivity and will make alfalfa’s nutrients and growth stimulant more readilyavailable to your plants. Alfalfa cubes would not be our choice for garden use.The cubes are larger than the pellets, making them more difficult to spreadacross the garden surface evenly.
Alfalfa tea is a special brew that youcan make and apply directly to your garden soil. In fact, alfalfa tea is the quickestand best method of supplying the Triacontanol and nutrients to your plants.Orchid and rose growers have used alfalfa tea as a foliar spray. Some irisgrowers have even mulched their beds with alfalfa meal. Delphinium and hosta growershave found that the Epsom salts included in this brew help to ward off slugs.
Making alfalfa tea will definitely beworth your time and effort,and there are various methods and ingredients that can be used to make tea ineither small pails or bulk containers. Here is one step by step method ofmaking your own alfalfa tea:
Obtain a32-gallon plastic or leak proof trash barrel with a tight fitting lid or alarge container of about that size. Position it in a convenient location, asyou do not want to try to move it once full. Add 24 cups of alfalfa pellets ormeal, or use the formula of 4 cups to 5 gallons of water. Fill the containerwith water and stir the contents thoroughly about three times a day for thenext three days to completely dissolve the pellets. Put on a tight lid toprevent mosquitoes from breeding in your “swamp.” On the third day add up to 2cups of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate crystals) and 3 tablespoons of ironchelate and 1 cup of fish emulsion. Stir the brew thoroughly and you are readyto apply the alfalfa tea. If you wish, you can let the mixture stand for up toone week until it bubbles with fermentation. Your nose will probably tell youwhen it’s ready. Just add the iron chelate, fish emulsion, and Epsom salts justprior to application.
Using alfalfatea. Apply the tea once per month in the spring and summer, especially afterthe first flush of flowers, to encourage repeat blooming. You can also reduce oreliminate the Epsom salts in later batches. Stop applying the tea in the fall, whenyou want plants to begin hardening off for the winter. The last thing you wantto do at this time is to encourage new growth. Before applying the tea put onsome old clothes, as you may likely splash a little of the brew onto yourclothing, and you certainly do not want to be socializing with friends whilewearing alfalfa tea. Take a small or convenient size pail and scoop into thetea barrel after stirring one last time and apply to your plants. You can applyup to a gallon around a large clump of hostas, irises, daylilies, roses,peonies, and other perennials. For smaller clumps reduce the amount by aboutone-half. The only drawback to alfalfa tea is the “barnyard odor,” but it’s avery minor problem, when you consider that your efforts will result in superiorplant growth, greater bloom production, and more luxuriant leaves. Alfalfa tea,pellets, or meal can have the following beneficial effects in your garden: Theplants may break dormancy earlier; the plants may double in weight in one year;they may show the equivalent of three years growth in one growing season; theywill have a greatly expanded root system; there may be a doubling of the numberand size of flower buds, flowers and seeds (especially in daylilies); and therewill be a much improved quality of growth with increased number and thicknessof the leaves.
Sources for the ingredients used to makealfalfa tea: You canfind Epsom salts at your local pharmacy or garden center. Fish emulsion andiron chelate may be found in garden centers, or online. Alfalfa can been foundat most animal feed stores. We recommend that you purchase a 50 lb. bag. Itshould cost no more than $10. The other ingredients are also quite inexpensive,especially when purchased in bulk from a garden center or animal feed store.
A summary on the use of alfalfa tea: Alfalfa tea is a natural and inexpensivefertilizer. It is a fast-acting source of nitrogen and growth stimulant. If youdo not have time to make the tea, you can scatter the pellets or spread themeal directly on the garden beds; however, dry alfalfa is a good slow-releasingsource of nitrogen. The tea goes to work the moment you apply it, and you don’thave to worry about weed seeds sprouting from the fertilizer. Once you haveused alfalfa tea you will never use commercial fertilizers again. The benefitsof the tea are that dramatic. If your garden is large and you do not think youhave the time to cover the entire garden with alfalfa, why not treat one or twobeds this season and compare the results with those plants denied this magicbrew. Of course those plants that are denied this organic treat may have theirown way of telling you that they would have enjoyed this magic potion, too. J
Ted White, Minot, Maine, USDA Zone 5a, AHS Region 4
