Alfa-Bits and odds and ends
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Alfa-Bits and odds and ends
- From: R*@aol.com
- Date: Mon, 7 Jul 1997 21:23:37 -0600 (MDT)
about 3 years ago I read about them in the MEDIANITE (and THAT is not
yelling, but maybe it should be to give them - it - credit for letting the
world know - I think the article was by Terry Aitken - or at least giving him
credit - and I understand he gets the pellets by the TONS (those caps are to
emphasise (where IS my speller??) Anyhow, I alerted everyone in this area;;;
and we are now devotees. MANY (to emphasis at least 20 some) years ago, when
I complained to Ben Hager that my irises were not receiving the accolades
that they had and he politely indicated that my soil had lost its virginity
--- Well , I tried all kinds of things superphosphate, minerals, trace
elements, etc and the garden limped along - but NOW --- the answer is
alfa-bits . As a friend pointed out, after all the farmers plow under their
alfalfa ;;to improve their crops. I talked to the manufacturer and he said
that rabbit pellets had a different formula and that the horse feed is what I
should use. I get it
at a country feed store - Maryland is horse country - and it comes in 40 or
50 lb bags and I put 2 bags in a 6' x20' plot when it is to be tilled/plowed
in when doing a plot over -- more bags on large plots - I don't really
measure it - I get about l0 bags at a time , and I'm not stingy with it,
after all it is cheaper than regular fertilizer -- when I first started it
was about 4.50 a bag, now it is a couple of dollars more depending or where
you get it - Southern States is more and they have the pellets about the size
of the first joint of your finger --- that's too large, I get the kind that
is about the size of a pencil eraser -- it also comes granular like a powder
(Sterling Innerst uses that) but if it's a windy day it will blowaround.
And AFTER (again
emphasis) the garden is in (such as this year) I just go around with a bucket
and drop a handful around each planting - or two handfuls if a big imcvrease
(I have 6 to
700 irises plus other things - I'm gradually cutting back because I can't do
it myself anymore -- anyone want to come and help weed, etc - no meals) Don't
worry about rain (tho I guess you have to this year) it will just sit there
until the rain waters it in making its own tea! The soaker hoses will help
to dissolve it gradually - like a time-release affair. I have the soaker
hoses for the beardless and the rebloomers
(RAH-rah for rebloomers~~!!! I have to be patriotic, so excuse this
commercial!)
Now, that you know mooore than you wanted to know - what have I left out
---oh, yes -- when you are planting something after the bed has been made , I
adfd a little to the hole in a new bed, -- my beds were all done over last
year (THANK Goodness) so THIS year (I'm really not yelling, just emphasising
- where is THAT speller -- are you noticing I'm capping different words each
time - that is to keep you alert) Anyhow, this year I just add a handful (and
I do not have a real dainty hand) to the hole with a little peatmoss and
super phosphate -- afterall alfa-bits are a GOOD
thing -----of course different areas have different needs, you'll have to
judge your own. I hope everyone gets this message that wants it - I also
hope it will not be repeated in full whenever it is referred to - I find
those long repeats very boring
Maybe I shoud add there is a silhouette of horses running - on the bags, so
you KNOW it is for horses. .
AND I think everyone show bow three times in the direction of Washington
State and thank Terry Aitken for letting us in on such a wunnerful; secret!
Writing this was hard work, and I'm dodging the shots coming my way
----don't be too hard on a new transgressor -- some of us have tender
feelings -- AND you may have to some dodging on your own! To dosplay how
naive I am, I have just learned that every time I send a message, I get
charged for it by the telephone company! I thought aol was all the bill I
had to pay, but I have a second line - someone said it was a "dedicated" line
for my fax;, and this thing is hooked up to it too, and that is for
"luimited" service I found out - my regular phone line is unllimited except
for long distance. GOODNIGHT - time for bed = Rosalie Figge of Baltimore
area where it is too hot for me, but fine for JIs if they had more rain,
ryf@aol
