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Re: Alfalfa Meal

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

At 10:48 AM 7/3/99 -0400, Frank Teuton wrote:
>Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
>
>Your local feed store (as in for horses, cattle, agriculture generally)
>should be able to get you alfalfa either in a meal form or in pellets...be
>careful not to get something with evil additives in it, like pass thru fly
>control and stuff like that...
>
>Or buy alfalfa hay and shred it up....lawn mower with bag will do
>that....then either dig it in lightly or just mulch with it, then mulch over
>it with some inexpensive 'brown' mulch, like straw or leaves or
>what-have-you....
>
>Hoping I'm Helping,
>
>Frank
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Mary Thorp <maribou@infocom.com>
>To: Patricia J. Santhuff <psanthuff@mindspring.com>
>Cc: sqft@listbot.com <sqft@listbot.com>
>Date: Saturday, July 03, 1999 10:37 AM
>Subject: Alfalfa Meal
>
>
>>Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
>>
>>I noticed that Frank recommends alfalfa meal as a good balanced fertilizer.
>My
>>first compost pile is still months away from being able to use it, and I'd
>like
>>to get some alfalfa meal for the interim.  I've never seen it in
>stores...where
>>would I find it and what kind of quantities should I use?
>>
>>Mary Thorp
>>Richmond, IN
>>Zone 6
>>
>>"Patricia J. Santhuff" wrote:
>>
>>> Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
>>>
>>> At 09:18 AM 7/2/99 -0400, Frank wrote:
>>> >Patricia posted a *few* questions...:-)
>>>
>>> Frank, thanks so much. Very helpful (but then I KNEW I could count on
>>> someone on the list).
>>>
>>> >Personally I don't use blood meal and bone meal, preferring compost or
>>> >alfalfa meal as an N source and rock phosphate as a P source if I need
>one;
>>> >alfalfa meal at 5-1-2 is a balanced fertilizer and compost is also.
>>>
>>> >Blood meal is a fast acting N source and bone meal carries some risk of
>the
>>> >evil bovine spongioform encephalopathy, aka 'Mad Cow Disease'; I prefer
>slow
>>> >and steady in the N-delivery department, and not to support factory
>farming
>>> >of animals by buying their by-products.
>>>
>>> Yes, I did read all that discussion, and definitely plan to be very
>careful.
>>> You raise a very good point about not supporting that industry, too.
>Thanks.
>>> I've already bought a bunch, so will go ahead and use it -- especially
>until
>>> I can use compost more exclusively.
>>>
>>> >Cottonseed meal is a fertilizer, primarily an N source and useful for
>acid
>>> >loving plants like blueberries and azaleas. In my opinion, it is
>worthwhile
>>> >to pay extra for organic cottonseed meal, as the other stuff is laden
>with
>>> >pesticide residues...
>>>
>>> Oh, pooh. Well, thanks for the heads up on that.
>>>
>>> >A good general book on soil is Fertile Soil by Robert Parnes (sorry I
>don't
>>> >have the ISBN).
>>>
>>> Great -- I'll definitely add that to my library.
>>>
>>> >For sources of greensand in Georgia,. I know of Hastings in the Atlanta
>>> >area, and there must be others including places that will ship it to
>you....
>>>
>>> >Frank---formerly of Maryland, he believes humans have been known to
>survive
>>> >and garden south of there, even if he wouldn't consider it....:-)
>>>
>>> Well, the red Georgia clay definitely offers its challenges (tho we are
>>> somehow blessed with some actual non-clay topsoil on our new property),
>but
>>> we have a longer growing season that you!   Nahna nana nana. <g>
>>>
>>> Thanks again, Frank. I really appreciate the help.
>>>
>>> Patricia
>>> Zone 7b, West Georgia
>>>
FWIW, Dave Barry spells it "neener, neener, neener." Some places may offer
you alfalfa pellets. Be advised that, once watered, they look like dog doo,
and don't easily break up to fertilize an area. Margaret L


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