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Do any of you use alfalfa meal as a soil admendment or fertilizer??

I have found that my roses love it, as well as my chickens. I also make an alfalfa meal "tea" (stinky stuff) that I sprinkle on my other flowers.

Interested to see if alfalfa meal has any applications in growing big pumpkins!

:-) Michele

10/13/2002 8:04:13 PM

Commack, NY

i used about 45lbs of it this year in my patch, but i cant honestly say that it was responsible for any increased growth, or yields.... but i dont think it hurt either.

scott

10/13/2002 10:30:05 PM

Tacoma, WA

I can tell you what the alfalfa pellets will bring to your site....rabbits....and lots of them!!

Stan

10/14/2002 3:11:04 PM

These aren't alfalfa pellets...not like the food...but rather a ground meal that breaks down very rapidly in water. I suppose, though, with a rabbit's sense of smell, it could at least attract them and get them digging. I haven't found it posing a problem near my house...but my pumpkins won't be near my house and the wild ones just might take a gander at what I'm growing!

Food for thought :-) Thanks Stan & Scott!

Michele

10/14/2002 3:27:50 PM

Tacoma, WA

Those pesky rabbits have a nose for alfalfa! Last year(01), they would dig under the edges of my hoophouse in order to get those pellets! Of course, the fact that I also added some "Puppy Chow" or something similar probably didn't help matters. Yes, after having a disasterous year in 2000, I was willing to add anything to have a successful year. I read here(BP.com)that some were suggesting it's use as a growth stimulant. I have since learned that NONE of the "heavy hitters" use either product. Even though I did not use either of them this year, I still managed to "blow up" several pumpkins! I would probably benefit from a "grow retardant"!

10/14/2002 3:53:29 PM

LOL!!! Your bunnies had a smorgasbord at their disposal :)
The alfalfa meal is supposed to contain a growth hormone....I can't think of it right now, but it starts with a *T* Perhaps it just isn't something that is as effective for pumpkins as it is for flowers.

Puppy chow, huh?? Well, I'm sure I am about to learn all kinds of interesting things as I embark on this adventure!

Michele

10/14/2002 7:16:29 PM