Re: TB:use of alfalfa

Hi Lynn,

>Does anyone use alfalfa pellets in their garden on a regular basis?

I use alfalfa meal as an amendment, tilling it in well when renovating a 
bed.  I prefer meal over pellets because it distributes more evenly 
throughout the soil (and it's cheaper), but it is very dusty if applied 
on a windy day. I also till it into the soil between the planted rows to 
keep the soil well fed.  

I garden in extremely heavy clay, so I use all the organic amendments I 
can to improve tilth.  I'm very generous with alfalfa meal in my beds, 
and it does improve soil texture noticeably.

>If so, in what ways? and successes? improvements of fans?

From what I have read, alfalfa contains elements that stimulate root 
growth.  I think I also remember reading a report somewhere on alfalfa 
substantially reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. 

>less leaf spot?

Posts made to this list in the past have reported increased leaf spot 
when alfalfa is topdressed rather than worked deeply into the soil.  In 
addition to leaf spot problems, topdressed alfalfa becomes very slimey 
when it gets wet and then tends to dry into a crusty mass across the top 
of the garden.
>
>If applied around the
>plants, just on top of the soil, I would guess that my deer are going to have
>quite the meal.

I assumed the same thing with my local deer, which is one more reason why 
I always till alfalfa into the soil.  I also mix it with aged horse 
manure as another amendment to reduce its palatability even more.

Even if alfalfa didn't provide all the nutritional benefits it does, I'd 
use it just for the deliciously rich, earthy aroma it imparts to my 
garden soil.  Alfalfa amended soil smells absolutely heavenly to my nose.

Laurie


-----------------
laurief@paulbunyan.net
http://www.geocities.com/lfandjg/
http://www.angelfire.com/mn3/shadowood/irisintro.html
USDA zone 3b, AHS zone 4 - northern MN
normal annual precipitation 26-27"
slightly acid clay soil

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