Alfalfa as an amendment?

[Brycec]

I have about half a bale of alfalfa hay for my compost tumbler, but I'm getting ready to start building my soil for the next grow. If I chop a bunch of the hay up in a food processor, can that be used as "alfalfa Meal" and be added to my soil mix?

 

[MustangStudFarm]

I have about half a bale of alfalfa hay for my compost tumbler, but I'm getting ready to start building my soil for the next grow. If I chop a bunch of the hay up in a food processor, can that be used as "alfalfa Meal" and be added to my soil mix?

You can even use it as a cover mulch. I let my rabbits eat the hay and whatever falls through their screen floor gets used in compost and mulch layers.

 

[Brycec]

Thanks. Do you think a hand full would make my worms happy?

 

[Northwood]

Thanks. Do you think a hand full would make my worms happy?

My worms love it.

 

[hillbill]

AFALFA IS MAGIC

 

[cherrybobeddie]

If you live in a farming area you can pick up rained on Alfalfa for free. The farmers have no use for it and are happy to get rid of it.

 

[seymour b]

I have a 1000lb block outside, this is good info!

Horse shit is solid compost too, just really hot? Said horse shit is full of alfalfa, too.

 

[hillbill]

I have a 1000lb block outside, this is good info!

Horse shit is solid compost too, just really hot? Said horse shit is full of alfalfa, too.

Not so much, horses can only eat so much Alfalfa, cows with multiple stomachs eat more Alfalfa, almost as much as deer.

 

[cherrybobeddie]

Horses are fed grass hay, mostly. I never use animal products in my compost. Be careful what you put in your compost pile as you can attract vermin.

 

[hillbill]

For indoors, Alfalfa Meal is very usable in form and works for both teas and growing mixes.

 

[Bignutes]

Alfalfa best left for veg and I would stop at 1/2 week of flower

 

[hillbill]

I have run weak Alfalfa teas over 10 years all through flowering. Not a single complaint from any of the girls. 1/2 T per gallon along with 1/2 T Kelp Meal and a squirt of molasses.

 

[youraveragehorticulturist]

I agree that Alfalfa-Kelp tea is great, and is OK to use throughout flower. If anyone is taking a poll.

But it's not mandatory, and there is plenty of other stuff to use during flower.

 

[gokartsrb]

an excellent locally sourced for most in the US is horse food aka alfalfa pellets. Same things as the meal only compressed in pellets. Top feed and water in or soak in tea. They expand and blow right up with moisture. 50lbs is $15-$17 at Tractor Supply etc as opposed to horticultural alfalfa being a few bucks per pound.

 

[SupraSPL]

Down to Earth sells big bags that are organic certified. I would assume the cheap version is GMO/petrochemically grown/herbicide fields etc?

 

[hillbill]

I bought big bags of meal or pellets for many years for Cannabis and everything else, but then I had a Bran Beetle invasion that I didn’t discover til way late. Now I get 5# or 10# bags (Down To Earth right now) and store in Folgers plastic cans like all my other non mineral amendments. 315 cup to 400 cup size, 380 and 400 cup size are very close to 1 gallon capacity for measuring stuff. They seal well and the seals are excellent for frisbee! No pests allowed!

 

[MidwestGorilla219]

I buy the 40# bags and dump it into a 5 gallon bucket with a lid.