I used alfalfa as a mulch in my raised garden bed. As it dried it turned into a hard lump, impenetrable to water! I had to break it up before it smothered my vegetables. I did notice underneath it had started breaking down and was making tons of mycorrhizae! So my earthworms should be feeding right now!
yeah, I did that as well but didn't have all those issues. It was a haven for microorganisms and I loved it. try cutting up your alfalfa at the beginning or using the pellets from TSC. thanks for the feedback.
I noticed that alfalfa bale has a prop 65 label on it, leading to concern that it is possible heavy metals from the alfalfa could be making it into the soil and into your grow.
I looked into that and there are numerous studies that go both ways. Could not find anything that convinced me to sway either way and in a case like that I just use it. Thanks for noticing that........haven't had any indications and just did a soil sample in August. Plenty of time to see the metals if present. Have a great week.
@@StewartFarmApiary thanks for reading my comment! I feel that, generally I disregard prop 65 labels, but for growing food where I'm already trying my best to control the environment I don't want to introduce an unknown variable like this one. It does seem like alfalfa is the best mulch, given that other hays seem to leave seeds in them which is a big problem to deal with. It may be worth contacting the manufacturer to find out more about the reasoning for the label.
Alfalfa is harvested before it goes to seed . Stale bed method completely eliminates this issue and weed seeds are forced to germinate and die back. Literally had no weeds last season afterwards.
@@howardryburn9646 Trying to find out if it's true that alfalfa hay is the only hay NOT sprayed (with grazon, etc) because it's a broadleaf hay? Would you happen to know?
@hope4lisaanne 93% of alfalfa grown isn't sprayed with herbicide. If it is sprayed with anything it needs to be done before the spring shoots come up. Most fields get 1st and 2nd cuttings with a third light crop if irrigation is sufficient. I grew up watching my neighbors growing it & they never spent a dime more than they had to produce those crops for their angus cattle.
I have never had any problems but as you can see the alfalfa is not fresh out of the field. It has been on the shelf a while at tractor supply. I wouldn't be too good with using fresh alfalfa because it will surely have bugs. I really think this is a great way to mulch and raise the nitrogen level at the same time. I tried the pellets this year and they worked out well, but you
I used alfalfa as a mulch in my raised garden bed. As it dried it turned into a hard lump, impenetrable to water! I had to break it up before it smothered my vegetables. I did notice underneath it had started breaking down and was making tons of mycorrhizae! So my earthworms should be feeding right now!
yeah, I did that as well but didn't have all those issues. It was a haven for microorganisms and I loved it. try cutting up your alfalfa at the beginning or using the pellets from TSC. thanks for the feedback.
I noticed that alfalfa bale has a prop 65 label on it, leading to concern that it is possible heavy metals from the alfalfa could be making it into the soil and into your grow.
I looked into that and there are numerous studies that go both ways. Could not find anything that convinced me to sway either way and in a case like that I just use it. Thanks for noticing that........haven't had any indications and just did a soil sample in August. Plenty of time to see the metals if present. Have a great week.
@@StewartFarmApiary thanks for reading my comment! I feel that, generally I disregard prop 65 labels, but for growing food where I'm already trying my best to control the environment I don't want to introduce an unknown variable like this one. It does seem like alfalfa is the best mulch, given that other hays seem to leave seeds in them which is a big problem to deal with. It may be worth contacting the manufacturer to find out more about the reasoning for the label.
Probably just from all of the Roundup used when growing the alfalfa
Did you have issues with seed with this bail ?
I did not. The hay has little if any seed. It’s my second year doing it and no issues to date. Great question. Thanks for reaching out.
Alfalfa is harvested before it goes to seed . Stale bed method completely eliminates this issue and weed seeds are forced to germinate and die back. Literally had no weeds last season afterwards.
@@howardryburn9646 Trying to find out if it's true that alfalfa hay is the only hay NOT sprayed (with grazon, etc) because it's a broadleaf hay? Would you happen to know?
@hope4lisaanne 93% of alfalfa grown isn't sprayed with herbicide. If it is sprayed with anything it needs to be done before the spring shoots come up. Most fields get 1st and 2nd cuttings with a third light crop if irrigation is sufficient. I grew up watching my neighbors growing it & they never spent a dime more than they had to produce those crops for their angus cattle.
Do you have any issues with rodents or squirrels with this bay? This is my only hesitation with using alfalfa.
I have never had any problems but as you can see the alfalfa is not fresh out of the field. It has been on the shelf a while at tractor supply. I wouldn't be too good with using fresh alfalfa because it will surely have bugs. I really think this is a great way to mulch and raise the nitrogen level at the same time. I tried the pellets this year and they worked out well, but you