Feeding with Alfalfa

[jaykush]

River water by nettles = now you're talking! Beautiful stuff. For dirt plants there is no risk of cross contamination provided you do not splash the water on the plants. Some ducks carry botulism...

the key is to collect from healthy locations. look around before you just collect what you see first. you can do harm picking from bad spots, ive never had problems but i don't pick from still ponds or lakes. if collected right, i foliar spray river water on plants all the time and they love it. again its all about the location. good thing its easy to spot a place that looks nice vs. one that looks dead, crappy, and anaerobic.

 

[MrFista]

The brew containing blended alfalfa sprouts was finished after 3 days. It had a healthy (3 mm) bio-film on the sides of the bucket, a smell of clean wet laundry.

Most of the organic material was gone, in that, I added 2 handfuls of compost/alfalfa when setting the tea up (though the alfalfa was liquified for the most part) and strained 1 back out.

My garden, my potted plants, my compost, and a new maturing dirt pile, all got innoculated. My plants got drenched in most of it.

PITA timing teas with dry pots! But very close, 1 more days drying out would have been nice.

Now, I'll just go down and check the girls...

(sounds of feet retreating, doors open and shut, a gate hinge squeaks, scuffling sounds, another door, silence....)

Sweet! Happy plants. 3 strains all pricked up their ears. Now to wait a few more days and see if it grows faster/slower/the same as I'm used to.

All plants about to finish 2nd weeks stretch.

Bubblegum still looks like it could eat some more. hungry strain?? -> Not familiar with this strain except smoking it - yummy taste going to put it back across an old school sativa and hopefully lengthen the high while retaining the taste.

Back to subject - the alfalfa blended seemed to vanish but the small green flecks left in the liquid remained intact. This was strained and added to compost. While brewing I had a few ideas cross my mind....

What if you brewed for 2 days, then added some alfalfa seed. The enzymes would go nuts in the tea while seeds are cracking and any fungal hyphae would have an immediate home to attach to. Then strain the tea and mulch some of the sprouts around your plants. This could lengthen the life of fungi in teas for a week while the sprouts sprout.

CT guy, Tim? Anyone? Thoughts?

 

[MrFista]

This is a very good tea. The plants are most happy and so am I.

Two strains not yet fruit setting did so in the last 2 days. All three strains growing very well and first stage fruit fattening faster than I've seen before.

Light feeding strain just going yellow on some leaf tips - so it's a strong brew. I added a handful of blended sprouts to 2 gallons - it probably would be enough for 5.


Next time it'll be half a handful for me to eat, and half a handful for the tea. Definately be doing this again 2 waters from now.

 

[NickMode]

i used 1 cup of alfalfa meal in water. let it soak for a week. watered my plants with it and it burned the shit out of them.

 

[Kalifornia]

Great Post Von,.
I'm looking into it,.

I'd give you some Rep, If I only could.. :smile:

 

[tnhndecapper]

alfalfa.....huhmm???? theres fields full of it around here......i think i may try some ....

i bet the sprouts would be a waste of money....too young itd probably be like making hash from seedlings....

 

[MrFista]

"i bet the sprouts would be a waste of money....too young itd probably be like making hash from seedlings...."

Maybe do some reading before placing the next bet...

"in the sprouting process starches are converted to simple sugars"

"sprouts retain the B-complex vitamins present in the original seed, and show a big jump in Vitamin A and an almost unbelievable amount of Vitamin C over that present in unsprouted seeds"

"Sprouts are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, chlorophyll and protein"

"Alfalfa sprouts are abundant sources of vitamins A, B, C, E and K, the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Also carotene, chlorophyll, amino acids and trace elements."

My results are now what I'd call outstanding. The buds are definately fattening faster than I've seen before.

I'd recommend the following compost tea brew pre-flower to early flower.

5 gallons water
1 handful good compost
5 mls molasses
1 handful of alfalfa sprouts blended.

(optional 5 ml liquid kelp if you want a bit more stretch according to your grow style I wanted stretch for training...)

This recipe to do around a dozen small shrub size plants.

Now, as I go into flower, what might be added for the heavier feeders?

I'm still trying to figure how to compost fish while maintaining good neighbourly relationships....

 

[vonforne]

"i bet the sprouts would be a waste of money....too young itd probably be like making hash from seedlings...."

Maybe do some reading before placing the next bet...

"in the sprouting process starches are converted to simple sugars"

"sprouts retain the B-complex vitamins present in the original seed, and show a big jump in Vitamin A and an almost unbelievable amount of Vitamin C over that present in unsprouted seeds"

"Sprouts are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, chlorophyll and protein"

"Alfalfa sprouts are abundant sources of vitamins A, B, C, E and K, the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Also carotene, chlorophyll, amino acids and trace elements."

My results are now what I'd call outstanding. The buds are definately fattening faster than I've seen before.

I'd recommend the following compost tea brew pre-flower to early flower.

5 gallons water
1 handful good compost
5 mls molasses
1 handful of alfalfa sprouts blended.

(optional 5 ml liquid kelp if you want a bit more stretch according to your grow style I wanted stretch for training...)

This recipe to do around a dozen small shrub size plants.

Now, as I go into flower, what might be added for the heavier feeders?

I'm still trying to figure how to compost fish while maintaining good neighbourly relationships....

That is why people.....namely me eat Alfalfa sprouts.

And a good way to make fish emulsions are to poke a hole in the top of the bucket lid and add PVC for a breather and then poke another hole in it for the air tube. Add 3 cans of sardines with a few gallons of water and 1 cup sugar or less. Now comes the fun part. Open daily and stir. After about a week or so you will have nice smelly fish emulsions. Also you can use an enzyme digester. But I like the stinky way the best.....it separates the men from the boys.

V

 

[MrFista]

Yes, that's the beauty of sprouts for me too. High nutrition and low calories is always a winner in my book. The only other way to produce quality protein so fast is black soldier fly and I just can't bring myself to eat maggots.

Did you know? Caloric restriction experiments with rabbits and hampsters have shown a threefold increase in life expectancy.

Things like brix rating take on a whole new meaning when you see evidence like this.

Similarly this train of thought - high nutrition low calories, is why I switched from simpler sugars to blackstrap molasses when brewing tea. Blackstrap has the added nutrition.

Here's more on alfalfa sprouts...

"Alfalfa sprouts are sources of another compound, saponins. Saponins lower bad cholesterol and fat but not the good HDL fats. Animal studies prove their benefit in arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Saponins also stimulate the immune system by increasing the activity of natural killer cells such as T- lymphocytes and interferon. The saponin content of alfalfa sprouts multiplies 450% over that of the unsprouted seed.

Sprouts also contain an abundance of highly active antioxidants that prevent DNA destruction and protect us from the ongoing effects of aging. It wouldn't be inconceivable to find a fountain of youth here, after all, sprouts represent the miracle of birth."

But, it always pays to be objective...

"Numerous claims are made about alfalfa sprouts, especially in the health food community. Many of these claims have yet to be substantiated, because there is incomplete evidence. "

And for those planning to buy them pre sprouted, read this first...

"Commercially produced alfalfa sprouts have also been identified as a source of potential foodborne illness by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Unless the sprouts are cultivated very carefully and handled well, they can become a breeding ground for bacteria. This becomes especially true once alfalfa sprouts leave the grocery store, where they may sit in a fridge for several days before being eaten. When grown at home, however, alfalfa sprouts are fine, and a healthy addition to the diet"

Now, I doubt much of what FDA says but the previous makes perfect sense.

 

[NickMode]

You used one cup to how much water?

1 gallon of water

 

[BurnOne]

NickMode-
You dilute that, right???

i used 1 cup of alfalfa meal in water. let it soak for a week. watered my plants with it and it burned the shit out of them.

Never mind.

I used 1 cup alfalfa meal in 5 gallons of water and it burned my plants. They recovered though.
I'd say use 1/2 cup in 5 gallons of water.

Burn1

 

[tnhndecapper]

"i bet the sprouts would be a waste of money....too young itd probably be like making hash from seedlings...."

Maybe do some reading before placing the next bet...

"in the sprouting process starches are converted to simple sugars"

"sprouts retain the B-complex vitamins present in the original seed, and show a big jump in Vitamin A and an almost unbelievable amount of Vitamin C over that present in unsprouted seeds"

"Sprouts are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, chlorophyll and protein"

"Alfalfa sprouts are abundant sources of vitamins A, B, C, E and K, the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Also carotene, chlorophyll, amino acids and trace elements."

My results are now what I'd call outstanding. The buds are definately fattening faster than I've seen before.

I'd recommend the following compost tea brew pre-flower to early flower.

5 gallons water
1 handful good compost
5 mls molasses
1 handful of alfalfa sprouts blended.

(optional 5 ml liquid kelp if you want a bit more stretch according to your grow style I wanted stretch for training...)

This recipe to do around a dozen small shrub size plants.

Now, as I go into flower, what might be added for the heavier feeders?

I'm still trying to figure how to compost fish while maintaining good neighbourly relationships....

a fifty lb bale of high quality alfalfa hay from a feedstore will cost no more than 12 bucks....at a farm you may get one for 4 bucks.....alfalfa seed is $4/lb for 50lb...or $200 (about 2 acres worth)

so in my ignorant conclusion........ using sprouts is still going to be a waste of money for using on plants...considering the sprouts are probably about 90% water (i didn't research this)

try not to overdo the sprouts in your tea you could burn the shit out of them lol...

hell go buy a hundred lbs....and let us know how it works out....

i'm going to try some from a bale for $4.....and i'll let you know...

 

[tnhndecapper]

Alfalfa 1 cup sprouts
calories--10
protein--1.3 grams
fiber--3 %DV
vitamin C--5 %DV
iron--2 %DV
folate--3 %DV

 

[tnhndecapper]

Alfalfa meal from first site i found

Guaranteed Analysis:
Total Nitrogen (N)
0.6% Water Soluble Natural Nitrogen
1.9% Water Insoluble Natural Nitrogen 2.5%
Available Phosphoric Acid (P2O5) 1.0%
Soluble Potash (K2O) 1.0%

 

[NickMode]

NickMode-
You dilute that, right???



Never mind.

I used 1 cup alfalfa meal in 5 gallons of water and it burned my plants. They recovered though.
I'd say use 1/2 cup in 5 gallons of water.

Burn1

i know!

but they recovered tho. i took them out to my spots and they are growing bigger

 

[JackTheGrower]

Interesting advance in this thread.

I grew a green manure crop of alfalfa in the thread "the green manure" here in organic soil.







Also one method not mentioned is fresh alfalfa in a blender.

It makes a nice liquid.

add some water and some fresh alfalfa and blend.
The green liquid drains off and the fiber goes to the compost pile.

 

[sophisto]

Just started brewing my first alfalfa tea today, tuesday morning the ladies are gonna get a anice drink of the fresh brew......

I'll let e-body know how it turns out......

 

[MrFista]

Also one method not mentioned is fresh alfalfa in a blender.

Ahem!

This fresh blended alfalfa tea is superior to any other tea i've used for going into the stretch. The Bubblegum buds are already 1cm plus fat lil nugs and they've only just stopped stretching. The rest of the strains are following close behind.

The potted plants I innoculated (only got a tiny bit) have not shown any marked results. The plants that got a 1/2 gallon or so each LOVE it.

Again - 1 handful sprouts to 5 gallons. Though I've not burnt anything with a stronger mix (1 handful to 2 gallons then diluted to 3) it's obviously close to a burn on the sativa with barely noticeable but slightly yellowing leaf tip..

 

[MrFista]

A wee note to those who read this thread and think this is a magic bullet - the alfalfa is only as effective as the raw materials the enzymes and bacteria have to work with.

In my case - Terra Preta mix soil with charcoal, bones, pottery, blood meal, bone meal, dolomite lime, EWC, 3 types of compost, molasses, kelp...

I tried to do everything right according to OFC but also added char and pottery and bones as Terra Preta has proven it gets results not only here, but in my vege patch, and many scientific experiments worldwide.

Will be doing more teas shortly, one alfalfa, one alfalfa and bones. Test some more theory out in the field (wish it was a field! )

 

[Dignan]

Nice, Fista. Thanks for posting about your results!