On Fri, 27 May 2005 13:10:36 -0500, "cat daddy"
wrote:

snip


What's your take on alfalfa tea with epsom salts?

I started using it on some severely stressed 75 year-old pecan trees in
our park this Spring. They had languished for years and suffered limb end
die-off and sick looking leaves. The top soil had all washed away leaving
high PH limestone rock and sand and several trees had died over the past few
years.
Last Fall, we ringed the trees with leaves (about 12' diameter) that
eventually composted to a 6" layer, and spread composted wood chips over the
whole area and had one of the wettest Novembers on record.
In February, we spread about 200 lbs. of Starbucks coffee grounds per
tree under the drip line and then about 12 gallons of alfalfa tea with Epsom
salt twice per tree in early March.
We've had one of the driest Springs on record here in central Texas, yet
the pecans look great so far, and have even blossomed and are making little
pecans for the first time I've seen in 10 years.
Taken as a whole, the results have been better than expected. Whether
the mulching and Fall rain alone would have achieved the same result is
debatable, although I feel the added nutrients (including Triacontanol in
alfalfa, a growth stimulant) and Epsom salt allowing their uptake
contributed. We'll have another go at it starting next week and also feed
the bermuda grass with it.
I intend to have the leaves tested in July for nutrient deficiencies.

Here's a good site, although I make aerobic tea with aquarium air pumps.

Alfalfa Tea, the natural flower booster
http://www.nurserysite.com/clubs/peninsular/tea.html



Thanks for the info. I just saw a posting about alfalfa tea a bit ago
and thought I'd try it on the plants in the yard. So far, the first
test plants, Inca Lilly, have shown an improvement. Stem
growth and increased number of flowers in less than a week.

Used three cups of alfalfa and 3 oz of epsom salts in a
5 gallon bucket. It was foaming after two days in this
Carolina sun. I'm interested how it will do on the roses
and tomato plants.

I was tempted to add some fish fertilizer but thought better
of it. Thought it may over do things, ha!

Spent a little time in west Texas and Dallas area,

Thunder