Alfalfa pellets as fertilizer??

[Libera]

As I was looking into the best way to restore my pastures, I found some interesting articles. Apparently planting alfalfa will improve the nitrate in the soil, and can increase the stocking capacity of a pasture by being more nutrient dense.
so as I started to look for place that sell alfalfa seed, I found some information about using alfalfa pellets as a fertilizer… Anyone ever heard of this? Apparently you just sprinkle alfalfa meal or pellets en dan sprinkle them or wait for rain to break them down and let them soak into the ground??

Really curious if this works… I may have to test it out on a little area and see if it really makes things grow faster!

[Simkie]

That seems like a really expensive way to go :lol:

I think most of the nitrogen fixing in an alfalfa plant is in the roots, right? Sure, you’ll get some nitrogen back out of the leaves/stems but nothing like actual fertilizer on the fields. Maybe if you had access to some free alfalfa rounds or something, but buying pellets wouldn’t make a whole lotta sense. If you’re spending $$, better to spend it on the right stuff.

[jbonifas]

Have you soil tested to see what it needs and proceed from there.

[csaper58]

Organic matter, and nitrogen are wonderful soil amendments. but as others have said alfalfa pellets would be a very expensive way to amend a large piece of land.

I do know community gardens that incorporate alfalfa pellets into their compost with good results, and my rose bushes love to be top dressed with alfalfa pellets early in the spring.

If you did spread the pellets on your pasture, how would you prevent the horses from eating them? Likewise the deer and rabbits?

Perhaps you could make ‘alfalfa tea’ and spray that on the pasture?

[Marla_100]

Alfalfa pellets are known to be a great fertilizer for roses especially when planting. You just put them in the planting hole and mix in soil. So yes, pellets are good for building up lousy soil.

[roseymare]

Daylilys love alfalfa pellet fertilizer also.

[Guilherme]

First, soil test.

Then, do what the soil tests indicate for what crops you wish to plant.

You should also check with your county agent for your specific needs.

Using alfalfa pellets for fertilizer is a wildly expensive proposition.

G.

[hoopoe]

when I worked with rabbits we used alfalfa based pellets for soaking urine and feces in rabbit hutches. One of my co-workers would take soiled pellets ( with rabbit feces mixed in) and soak them in large 5 gallon buckets to make a “tea” slurry. He used this are periodic watering for his flower beds. The most amazing flowers;mums azaleas I have ever seen.

A little went a long way

[OneTwoMany]

@Guilherme

First, soil test.

Then, do what the soil tests indicate for what crops you wish to plant.

You should also check with your county agent for your specific needs.

Using alfalfa pellets for fertilizer is a wildly expensive proposition.

G.

This! Especially the part about the county agent (or cooperative extension as they are called in our area). They are quite useful and a wealth of free information.