Alfalfa tea

3hounds · 10-03-2002, 10:50 AM

The past two groups of seedlings I've raised have been given an alfalfa tea that has made some great things happen. Besides the nitrogen in the tea, it also contains growth hormones that are duplicated synthetically in Superthrive.... but alfalfa has them naturally. I am seeing increased lateral growth with shorter internodes, and that ain't bad.

You can buy alfalfa tablets at any health food store- just make sure it is 100% alfalfa tablets, not capsules. My brand is Solaray, and I got 250 tablets, each 600 mg. for something under $10US.
You just crush one 600 mg. tablet into one gallon of water, and let it sit for at least 24 hours, then water with it. I usually dilute it further, making two gallons of watering solution out of the one gallon of tea. This is a 4-1-1 food, but it is the minerals and hormones that make it great for seedlings and vegging plants.

I had always been under the impression that the hormones were contraindicated during flowering, but a recent conversation with GTHerer has caused me to doubt my info... anyone know??
Google on "triacontanol" (the hormone in alfalfa) and read about it.... I'm all searched out.

I can tell you that the seedlings I've used it on have been the most vigorous and fastest maturing I have ever raised. It might be helpful for yours, too.

GTHerer · 10-03-2002, 03:01 PM

hey 3hounds, sorry if i'm going off topic but i thought i would mention i've notice alfalfa tea seems to work well as a wetting agent, i've been using it as a foliar spary on my seedlings and noticed it makes no little bubbles of water it just spreads out over the leaves straight away. this is good no?
i've only just starting using it resintly but the seedling i'm using it on look great, three onle 2 weeks old just started with feeding and only giving them tea.
i'm not sure about the flowering thing i just figured cause its such good stuff it would a good way to get a little nitrogen and i figure it will promote growth well.

by the way if ya were putting alfalfa into your soil mix could you dried and ground alfalfa sprouts? i can't find the meal, i can find tablets and the sprouts.

3hounds · 10-04-2002, 02:35 AM

Don't know about sprouts- I bought "real" pet shop alfalfal to make tea with once....... it worked. But the smell was unbearable, and it attracts rodents like nobodies business..... I found a fruit rat swimming in my tea bucket!
Foliar feeding is good unles you grow under HID lights- then water flying around is not good.

GTHerer · 10-04-2002, 01:21 PM

smells yuck eh! my partner likes the smell.
if i foliar feed i do it when the light goes out.
and once i burn seedling by foliar feeding under compact fluro so its not only hid

GreenLeafs · 10-05-2002, 11:26 PM

Hey, I am sorta in a situation where the stores around here don't sell "GOOD" ferts. I have fish emulsion that is 2-4-0.5, I need more N for vegging and this sounds like a great idea since we have a few health stores around here like GNC etc.

3hounds>"This is a 4-1-1 food, but it is the minerals and hormones that make it great for seedlings and vegging plants."
Does it work 1. Great for vegging? 2.Average for vegging? 3.Good enough?

or better for just seedlings? Thanks.

Ps: Sorry for asking this even though you said it but it sounded more like better for seedlings ,and I don't wanna waste my money again even though I can still use the fish emulsion.

3hounds · 10-06-2002, 03:57 AM

GreenLeafs- I think alfalfa is a great supplement, but I would not want to use it all alone- I am finding that more K is needed in veg as well as in flower. But I have been using it on everything that is vegging, and things are looking real good.

GTHerer · 10-07-2002, 03:09 PM

i use it (alfalfa) with a teaspoon of blood and a small pinch of sulphate of potash . is this this cool for a first feed?
in a soil less mix

smelly · 10-22-2002, 10:36 PM

i found alfalfa meal - 3-2-2- i was going to water with it ever wate at the rate of .5 Tablespoons per gallon - what do you guys think - i heard not to mix it in soil cuz it will burn - i guess it decoposes -- peace

GTHerer · 10-23-2002, 12:25 AM

i have been told its very good, but not to use during flowering

smelly · 10-23-2002, 08:51 PM

ok - i got a 50# bag of this comeing - dont use dureing flowering ??? why - cuz the N is higher then the P-K - dont know if that is a good reason - well - what i am really looking for is how much to use per gallon - i plan on takeing anything i use to make a tea - cut the recipe in half and water most of the time - mabey even go to 3rd's with it - or delute it later - i am thinking
alphapha meal
kelp meal
guano 11-13-3

anyone know any good soluable K sources - all mine are doing ok with the amount of k - but i still want a little more - is sul-po-mag water soluable - ?? - greensand isent at all --

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