On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 21:12:31 GMT, "Gail Futoran"
wrote:

"clancy" wrote in message
...
how do you mix this - and it's really good for roses? I have so many rose
bushes around the property and would really love to make sure they live a
good long time.

Clancy

"ed" wrote in message
m...
I had to stop myself from going to the store to get my alfalfa meal,
cotton
seed meal, fish oil, and epsom salts....if I got it, I'll be tempted to
use
it.......gotta wait another month.....aaarrrgghhhh....

ed in winston salem nc

Everybody has different recipes, some use the alfalfa
meal dry mixed into the soil, some mix it with water. I do
alfalfa tea, which is basically 10-12 cups alfalfa pellets in
30 gallons of water (I use garbage cans), about a cup of
Epsom salts, and I think about a half cup of chelated iron.
Let it sit until it gets stinky (depends on weather), then
put about 1 gallon on each plant. I put two gallons on
climbers, less than a gal. on minis and small or new roses.

That's twice a year, spring and fall. I have 150 roses
and it takes time to get all the roses fed. In between I
spray with seaweed and even use Peters or Miracle Gro.
The beds get compost at least once a year, and that's
an easy source of nutrients for roses.

Gail
near San Antonio TX USA Zone 8

I remember if it was Gail or Sunflower that got me started using
Alfalfa a few years back, but I am definitely a believer.

I do not use Epsom salts, or Iron because I have not had a
professional soil test (only those cheap kits) and I water with well
water that has a ph of 6.2(acid).

At first I did much as Gail does, except, not with the precision she
recommends. I simply dumped a couple gallons of Alfalfa pellets into
a trash can, ran it about 2/3 full of water, put the lid on it and
left it out side. At first the pellets sank in the water, then they
swelled and floated, the second or third day they sank again and a
thick foam formed on top, and a "bad" odor.

Last year I simply mulched twice with the Alfalfa pelets. Over time
they simply dissolve and blended in with the other mulch. (I would
definitely recommend the first application be Tea though

One CAUTION about Alfalfa pelets. There are some that have molasses
added. The ones that are formulated for Rabbits and Horses. Make
sure they are 100% Alfalfa. The Molasses will attract every kind of
insect you can think of including ants and others.

Have a good day: Rogerx