I have tried the way we fertilize when i was a child at home. Using two year old hay feeding spot of cow manure. Our sweet corn was huge and the tomatoes were a literal jungle after three month growth. May not be considered organic but it was free to use and enjoy the benefits.
Travis! Greetings from New Mexico! I put about 100lbs of horse alfalfa pellets in about 100 square feet before I planted my chili. I also used about a pound of calcium nitrate with about a pound of triple phosphate. My chili (we don't call them peppers here) are doing amazing this year. I will do my first picking this weekend. I got the idea of using triple phosphate and adding nitrogen prior to planting from New Mexico State University, Chili Pepper Institute.
Travis, I too have started with the organic fertilizers. I like your way of thinking, that it basically builds up a reserve of nutrients in the soil. Thanks again for your time in putting these videos together.
This is an excellent evolution in your gardening philosophy. Chemichal fertilizers feed the plant, but organic fertilizers feed the soil--which then nourishes the plant. I occasionally use 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer in case of emergencies to quickly revive plants--but only as an extraordinary method. I use organic fertilizers and compost to build my soil biome and nourish my plants. I frequently place kitchen scraps at the base of my fruit trees and cover it with hay or straw to provide an attractive mulch. The results have been incredible: massive amounts of earthworms congregate there and prodigious amounts of worm casting in the areas that build a nutrient rich soil that retains moisture, feed my plants, and accelerate growth with minimal input.
I'm a small backyard gardener and I am using alfalfa pellets for the first time this year. I used it two ways - a few pellets around the planting hole and also I've soaked some in water and made a mush. We're early yet in the season where I am but my plants are all looking good, especially the broccoli and brussel sprouts
I follow several YT garden channels and yours is my go to for well balanced content. Thanks a ton for all your hard work in putting out these wonderful videos.
We are for sure all here to learn. We really are more of soil developers than we are farmers. One of the things Noel and I discuss is gradually improving our soil. Because if our poor soil it's important that we use some conventional fertilizers. At the same time we are constantly amending our soil with natural items like chicken manure, alpaca manure when we can get it, and some of the rich compost we are producing here. Keep it up!
this is exciting! I'm really looking forward to your analyses of how your plots behave with the change in fertilizers. good on you for being willing to try new things. can't wait to see how it all goes :-)
We use a lot of alfalfa on our gardens. The plants do really well, and the produce tastes so much better on the alfalfa. We have liked the results so much that I started growing patches of alfalfa here to produce it for ourselves going forward. The only drawback to fertilizing with alfalfa is that the local groundhog LOVES it 😂.. that bugger digs everywhere we put out the alfalfa for a good few days until it starts to break down some. I introduced the groundhog to cayenne pepper recently 😂 fixed that problem!
We have used the Alfalfa pellets for composting, but we haven't tried directly side-dressing the plants yet. So far it made for much better "green" stuff for the compost when we didn't have enough of it from the yard. I think we will continue to use it, especially in the winter months. Zone 8A, between Atlanta and Macon.
Great video again! I just got my bag of Nature 7-7-7 about 2 weeks ago. Love how it mixes and runs through the injector. From my limited research, the nitrogen is fast to the plants…for an organic fertilizer. The watermelon, cantaloupe and strawberries seem happy with their first feeding of it. Haven’t been able to get it to the sweet corn or pumpkins yet due to the amount of rain lately. Making the switch like you from the synthetic stuff (although will keep some around for those “emergency” applications). Keep on keepin on!
Very useful considerations that I can put to good use as well. I've been mostly organic, homemade compost, etc., but also use a little synthetic. Always learning. Really like how neat and consistent your rows are, I never seem to achieve that. 16:40
Hi Travis, I put the alfalfa in the soil about 14 days prior to planting. I also add azomite trace minerals, bio-char, kelp meal, microrizzal fungi, to a bucket make the mix wet stir well, then when planting add a big trowel full in the bottom of the hole add more water the plant transplants. My cabbages are huge, my Celebrity tomatoes are producing huge red maters (I've never had big maters prior to July 4th before this year), all the plants are growing well too. I only use the 20-20-20 as a rescue thru my drip tape. Fish emulision is another staple for my plants via drip tape. Sometimes I'll add alfalfa to my flower beds in spring to give them a boost, alot of my flowers are grown from saved seed. God bless.
The Rusted Gardener has a great video on synthetic vs "organic" fertilizers that I think should be mandatory for all gardeners to watch. He was also the first I saw who recommended alfalfa pellets, which we then tried and love. Super cheap and effective, but the thing to know is that its slow release. If you add to a bed or plot now, it'll likely be your next sowing that will benefit the most. We use it now as part of our bed flip process or at planting for things that are heavy feeders. I'm in GA too, but about an hour northwest of ATL. The only garden space I have is an area created after our swimming pool was dig out and the clay soil that was pulled out was leveled. Its pure clay and rock, so we started out growing in raised beds and fabric pots, some of which are 150 gallon sized. All this to say that we are having to work to establish better soil, both in containers and where we are this year trying to grow in ground. We basically removed clay in trenches and replaced it with soil, and plan on continuing in different areas every season until we have replaced the top 10" of soil in the whole garden. We experimented with cover crops a little in the fall/winter as I think its all about soil biology. Eager for the book from Farmer Jessie from No Till Growers to come out next month as its big on the science behind soil. Thanks for sharing about the Potash for sweet potatoes. I've grown Beauregard for a couple years in containers without hilling or fertilizing and got decent results but growing 4x the amount this year as we really needed to ramp up production of my most used crop. Will try the potash for sure and will double check to see if all varieties benefit from hilling.
@@LazyDogFarm It would be easier if it were a more traditional garden plot like you have where you could till compost and soil into the clay. But we're homesteading under the radar of the neighborhood HOA so we're hiding some of our edibles into the landscaping and the raised bed area is designed to look like a patio garden. I'm hoping to pick up another property to garden on once the price of land settles back down again!
Alright Alright Alright! You nailed it with the a continual buildup of organic matter/fertilizer to feed the soil so that the soil can feed the plants. One thing I do to keep the heat up in the winter time is add lots of coffee grounds to the soil. It definitely has improved my organic breakdown activity in the winter time. I back off of the coffee grounds in the summer. Keeps my works alive in the winter too. Works great for me!
Hi Travis, I order a lot from 7 Springs, I live in Savannah and if you order by truck freight you'll save a big amount on shipping. For me it was $150 for up to a 1,500 pound pallet shipped to your local freight depot. Last year ordered about thirty 50 pound bags of various goodies.
I'm in love with the company "down to earth" they have an amazing selection of ferts and all organic. And the fish fertilizer I use is "Alaskan fish fertilizer"
I used both Agrothrive liquid fertilizers this year for the first time. The results have been my most healthy garden ever!! Less pest and disease pressure with incredible yields. First time I have not used ANY chemicals in 35yrs of gardening. Also used epsom salt, garden lime, Jobe's Tomato& Veg organic granular fertilizer, and Myco Bliss mycorrhizal inoculant. I garden in zone8a in Greenville,S.C.
The organic strategy makes sense to me. When I was in college for agriculture, an example was given of a ton of manure for corn production, and naturally it worked well, but the kicker was the additional production for several years gradually declining over time. From everything I've been able to glean from multiple sources it works but, takes several years or longer to reach maximum effect.
I made the mistake on potato’s of using fertilizer, even though high in potash, I think had too much Nitrigen and potassium.. tons of flowers and foliage with a smaller tator harvest. Switched to Hi-yield 0-0-48 I think, worked much better.
What helped me the most over the years is constantly adding organic material i.e. leaf mulch, compost, etc. My soil tends towards acidic so I add lime and wood ash early spring. During growing season I fertilize with fish emulsion and nettle or comfrey tea. I do use an organic homemade tomato fertilizer where I add epsom salt and bonemeal among other things.
I have this grown some the best tomatoes I have grown in years. Two things I did different. A little aspirin and water hack found on the internet and created my own biochar and soaked it in water with my compost soil and then planted my plants in it. They are still loaded with tomatoes that are starting to blush and turning red.
@@LazyDogFarm I not really sure either had anything to do with it because I remember you saying recently that everyone seems to be having a good tomato crop year and I am in SE GA.
Your mention of fish emulsion gave me a question. I mentioned before that I live right on the Ocmulgee with all the deposited silt from centuries of floods. Four years ago, my neighbors yard looked like a beach when the flood receded. About a foot deep and had to bulldozed off. Anyway, he saves the waste from his fishing trips for me. A supposed 'no no' but I want to add it to my compost pile. Well, I had a half filled five gallon bucket, covered with water and the lid on TIGHT. Kinda put it off for about three weeks, terrified of opening the mess from Hades. When I did, it was like soup, barely smelled and virtually completely dissolved. Bones, heads and all. It's in the pile now but, apart from adding it to biochar with all the other goodies to charge it, I wonder how useful it might be, heavily diluted as a fertilizer?
I like where you're headed fertilizer wise and an open mind is a good thing. Personally I am coming from the other direction and no till, but still evolving my fertilizing choices. My lawn and ornamentals have gone from organic to mostly synthetic, but my edibles remain organic except for sweet corn which I find benefits from an occasional shot of 20-20-20 and ammonium sulfate. If I could amend the corn plot heavily and then till one time I would have more faith in organics there too. IMHO do whatever works for you and learn from whoever you think may have some insight you may lack. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
This is my first year using alfalfa pellets. I like to put a bunch in a bucket and full it with water and let it ferment for a couple days before I use it. I think it helps break it down faster. Then I just scoop it out, sprinkle it around on the top of the soil and water it in. I see a difference in my plants after they get a dose. If it's applied dry it takes a month or so to break down enough for the plants to absorb it. I've also been experimenting with making my own fermented plant juice for fertilizer. Pretty cool!
Travis, since you are working with Seven Springs, they are now carrying a pre-mixed organic blend inspired by Conor Crickmore of Neversink Farm. It is called Neversink Blend. The current blend is 30% Feather Meal, 15% Fish Meal, 15% Alfalfa Meal, 15% Thorvin Kelp, 12% SOP Granular, 12% BioChar. I haven't ordered any yet, but have been making a similar blend myself from local sources and from some homemade biochar I made where we cleared some land. I may try the pre-mixed Neversink blend when I begin to run low on my amendments. It costs $1.20 per pound and comes in a 50 lb bag.
I'm not exactly "working" with them, just purchasing stuff from them. I haven't talked to them, but I did meet them years ago at a trade show. Let me know how you like the Neversink blend.
Ref: Alfalfa Pellets I get it from the feed store. It costs about $12 for 50 lbs. Since there are a lot of rabbits where I live, and they are grazers, they will eat the pellets if I just lay them out on the ground. So I make a tea. (I also like to mix Epson salt and Fish fertilizer with it.)
I'm considering getting a soil sample (lsu ag center extension office right next door to where I work) so I can get my onion plot ready for this fall. I really appreciate this content. You've been able to see the synthetic effects and looking forward to seeing how your organics will help. Although you have sandier soil, where mine is more clay. This is definitely noteworthy to try on my plots. I've only grown tomatoes, peppers, cucumber and 2-3 watermelon plants. Now that I'm branching with more crops, I am seeing from your videos what does make sense on how to treat our soil not just the crops. As the old saying goes an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Thank you again for a great video and content.
You'd like watching David the Good. I'm glad to see you're going more organic. Incorporating chop and drop can help also. I put the alfalfa pellets down pre plant.
Our local rosarians suggest using alfalfa pellets for roses, they said it seems to encourage new breaks from the bud union and more vigorous long new structural canes. I've used it on fruit trees the same way I'd use a higher nitrogen feed. Last few years I've started adding some real wood lump charcoal (when I find it on sale) to the compost pile to inoculate it before it goes into the soil. With my clay I may not need extra nutrients, but it helps soil microbes. Folks with sandy soil really like it for improving soil micro-life and holding onto nutrients. Just this morning on my container tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, used Neptune's fish in water with same-size dollop of unsulfured molasses, I figure the sugar in it will help feed soil microbes.
@@LazyDogFarm btw. I'm Glad I found your Channel because I really enjoy your style 😎. Plus I was wondering where you went after the sudden disappearing off the other guys channel. Hope no bridges got burned but it is what it is.
The direction of this channel is 💯 awesome! It does seem like you spend a lot of money on fertilizer, but hey this direction with organic/natural is just what the soil needs. I live on a sand bar in the Mid-Atlantic so I can relate. What's helped me is getting goats, chickens and using any resource from the pine forest next to house. Limbs/branches turned to bio char, and pine needles for mulch. Keep up your endeavors, Travis and family!!
When you consider the number of plots we have and how long that fertilizer will last, I don't think it's really that bad. $200-$300 for a bunch of fertilizer that should last us through the end of the year is not a bad investment for 10 garden plots that are at least 1,000 sq. ft. each.
@@LazyDogFarm wow!! $2-300 ain't too bad then!!. Guess I do spend that much in feed/fencing/caretaking so yea at what you spend, you're ahead of the game. I also direct sow some food waste like coffee grounds, banana peels, shrimp(shell/tails), panfish, and citrus scraps from everyday use in the kitchen. Shrimp is sposed to be good for potato plants. Anyways thanks for the response. I enjoy the content and it always seems youre always on point with the garden plans and experiments. I hope this channel grows as much as your garden!!
Travis, you sold me on the 20-20-20 a good while back yonder... now here ya are changing it up... I got a bunch of "the blue stuff" i gotta use up, before i can follow you here. Mite use it like a super booster 3 or 4 times per season, and try to swap over to the slower release organic gradually.
The blue stuff works well and we still have some we will use on occasion if plants need a quick boost. But we're trying to maintain a sustainable fertility nowadays, and it's been working well so far.
I think the same as you do and started last year to use less of the blue stuff (20-20-20) and more blood meal, bone meal, etc and muriate of potash but it like the triple 20 is a problem. The biggest reason those fertilizers are bad is the salt content they leave behind which I’m turn hurts nutrient uptake by our plants while killing our beneficial fungi and bacteria within our soil, several of those big name brands also contain heavy metals which can’t be good for our soil, plants or us. I, like you use what I call the shotgun method and hit it with a wide variety of fertilizers, making sure it will feed the beneficials in the soil and adding micronutrients and trace minerals and mycorrhiza throughout the growing season!! I know this is a great time with the size of your pumpkins to start pushing them with that sulfate of potash and some calcium nitrate or calmag!!! It’s looking good though!!!
@@LazyDogFarm oh man I’m telling you if you hit them with that and the calcium right now you’ll see some huge gains!! Just be careful cause if you push to hard you’ll explode them!! I just pollinated my first two the past 3 days so you’ll get to see some nice ones grow on my channel hopefully!!
I started using alphalfa pellets this spring. I soaked them in water then casted them all over my little garden. A little tilling and I was finished. I grew huge cabbage, beautiful lettuces, everything did the best I have ever grown. I plan to add more this fall after my summer stuff is done. I may have to add some to my corn patch too.
Add fertilizer to the soil when ur not growing anything, let it build up the soil or in the spring planting, it takes about 3 years for the organic fertilizer to take place to see a difference so don't get in a hurry, ur doing great job.
Great video Travis. I’ve been putting together an order with Seven springs too. We really like when you share your fertilizing schedule for different crops. Well wishes to you and your family from ours here in Baton Rouge.
Your new title is the "Progressive Gardner". I tend to agree with you on soil health and the organic route of fertilization. Soil is very biologically diverse and the only way to improve soil is to amend with organic compounds for long term health.
I fed our onions that 5-1-1 fish emulsion fertilizer this year on a weekly basis until they started bulbing and they are looking good so far. I have two 8 foot rows of long day, red onions and am waiting for the tops to die back to harvest
I have used Alfalfa pallets before I just took hand fulls and speeded it around, puts a lot of nitrogen in your ground and your plants, one thing I noticed is that, I more Aphids than normal, and this was just on a pepper plot. But the growth was unreal.
That potassium (potash) works well hilling up regular potatoes too... Mix 1/3- 10-10-10 with 2/3- 0-0-50, Grows some mighty big potatoes here in east Tennessee mountains...
I watched a guy here on youtube make a slurry in 5 gallon buckets with alfalfa pellets and water and then pour it all over his plot and then cover it with cardboard about a month before he tilled it in. I personally love the smell of alfalfa pellets.
Hey Travis, I am trying the alfalfa pellets this year too. I used them and chicken compost in one plot which had broccoli cauliflower and cabbage in it and I have been getting a ton of broccoli and got my first cauliflower head last week it weighed 3.6 lbs so I’m pretty happy with the results so far.
Gosh I’m so confused about fertilizer. I literally today watched a video about 20 20 20 with micro nutrients and thought I must buy this as I’ve been using slow release organic and fish fertilizer, chicken compost. I was thinking I don’t have enough micro minerals as it were. Your video has stopped me in my tracks. I realize there is so much I don’t understand. I will follow you to see how it goes with you. I think one of the most important things people need to know is how to build the best soil to get the most nutrients from their harvest and do it in a way that is compatible with Mother Earth. This early spring I used alfalfa pellets on ornamentals and veggie seedings. I really loved it. It had an added benefit of acting like a mulch as well. I will use it again. Thank you
It's all parts of a whole. Will be interested to see what your experimenting leads to. Building soil health can certainly be done in more than one way. You're growing in the right direction.
@@LazyDogFarm An open mind is a good start and I applaud you for it. I don't comment to say one is right or wrong. Don't mind the naysayers. The only way anyone gets better is through study, application, observation and effort. You have the right to change your mind and methods as you take in more knowledge. I am constantly learning and changing. Take care.
That's awesome that you got to use that machine for the peas. Big time and labor savings. Your fertilizer plan makes sense to me. I'm using alfalfa pellets (and bloodmeal) this year on my corn and onions. Seems to be working. I give it a good watering after I put it down so it starts breaking apart. That way the wildlife doesn't go after it.
I use alfalfa pellets all the time,I’m not sure how much though. I just throw it on. I usually order alfalfa meal instead,easier to use on single holes or small rows.
I put alfalfa pellets on my raised beds, and in my pots last year at the end of my growing season in October. My raised beds are about 60% "dirt" and 40% peat (they're were built in 2020). I did not turn the pellets into the soil until March, and when I planted summer crops in late May I didn't see evidence of the pellets, they seem to have broken down well. I fertilized once so far with 5-1-1 fish emulsion, everything looks really good. I like that this is a more sustainable way to garden, I'm not against synthetics, but I like that the organic stuff leads to lots of soil life, and since it's all low level in percentages of N-P-K, you can't over do it as easily (I over do it pretty easily, go hard or go home kind of guy). One thing about the chemicals, don't breath in that dust. My grandpa was a farmer all his life, and developed farmer's lung(lungs hardened and had trouble absorbing oxygen), probably from breathing in dust from feed, seeds, and chemical pesticides and fertilizers. No issues with animals eating the pellets. The rabbits suffer from lead poisoning if they venture into my yard.
I also think a wide variety of organic fertilizer types / sources is best to feed the soil, microorganisms, and plants. I love to add alfalfa pellets to my garden and compost too. I enjoy your channel. Just found it a few weeks ago.
Good for you for trying something different. I agree with not using synthetic fertilizers wholeheartedly and feeding your soil with organics which will produce healthier food to eat.
I’ve never been one that could taste a difference in food I grow depending on the fertilizer being used. Have heard other folks that claim they can. I can tell a difference in the grocery store stuff though.
In eastern NC alot of farmers use vegetable 6-6-18 from Royster Clark for sweet potatoes. I have noticed more sweet potatoe fields this year than in previous years.
I noticed agro thrive was 4 oz/ gallon. For the price, that's pretty expensive, as I can only do 16 watering cans worth (almost $2/watering can everytime I fert) Do you use 4oz/gal or do you use less with good results? Thanks.
I just put espoma garden-tone in a broadcast spreader before I cultivate/rototill (I can get the 36lb bags for $1/lb) then use 20-20-20 or 4-18-38 (plus some calcium nitrate and epsom salt) through the drip as needed. Corn gets urea for nitrogen because it's cheap and organic enough for me.
Love the direction you've been headed this season...if you want to try your hand at "old world" micro-organics grow some equisetum (horsetail), it can be made into a tea that is a great fungicide especially with our humidity here in GA. Yarrow, chamomile (German), stinging nettle, oak bark, valerian root and dandelion are all great compost heap additives when dried and crushed...the microbes will eat and multiply like crazy which is a plus when having to continually add to a sandy soil. It will also greatly reduce the amount and potency of the fertilizers you need over time. The downside is it takes much more time to grow and concoct these yourself, but it's all free once you get them up and growing and you don't need garden space for these plants they grow great anywhere. Keep it up with all the knowledge from planting to harvesting to cooking to camp sites it's greatly appreciated.
@@LazyDogFarm you could do before and after labs on your pile and it's been done, but like any pre-lab ancient agriculture methods we are at the mercy of time and observations...yarrow for trace nutrients, chamomile for nitrogen stabilization in the pile, nettle is a microbial stimulant, oak bark attracts beneficial microbes, dandelion helps microbes balance certain nutrients especially silicon and potassium, valerian allows the phosphorus to be used efficiently by the microbes...plenty of variables to consider and can get a bit arbitrary under certain conditions. You probably don't need to do any of this but if your into pre industrialized methods it may be fun to experiment. Cover crops are your bulk feed and this is for fungicides and inoculation mostly, like a natural amplifier for the productivity you already have going in your soil
A "road to Damascus" type epiphany. Sounded like me talking to myself, except for the accent. I'd say you're finding the right answers and, more importantly, the right questions. That 7 Springs outfit is a good one and the only retail outlet I've found for that new 7-7-7. I need to work through my Symphony 5-4-3 +9% Ca that they sell first though. Good stuff for pre-plant and side dress. Alfalfa pellets are dandy for pre-plant. My season is so short that I can't grow a cover crop so I use the alfalfa pellets instead. Just hand broadcast it around until it just feels like about the right density. Travis, your instincts are so good that I just can't see you getting too far off track at this point. Carry on and we'll be watching.
Organic methods are about maintaining healthy soil. You may not have great results your first year you switch, but once you've established healthy soil networks and are constantly top dressing with high quality compost, you will start to see way better results.
I love watching your videos because they help me with my gardening especially since you're so close by here in Georgia. However, I do have a small suggestion....when you hold the product you use for us to see....can you hold your hand still for a few seconds so I can see the product and buy it? lol
I have 3 different buckets of homemade organic fertilizer. They are comfrey, compost tea, and worm tea, I rotate them. Seems to work well, it is definitely low cost
I’ve never made tea because I’ve always wondered how do you know that you’re actually multiplying the organisms without doing a microscopic analysis? Any ideas?
Just discovered your channel. Great quality! My first year at farming. Disked half acre, ripped sod off another half and doing a no till in another half! Figured let’s try different ways to skin that cat! Also making compost and fish emulsion. I hear there’s more nutrients in it. Will see! Take it easy!
So have you stopped using synthetics all together now? Also what’s the difference in cost? Are you spending a lot more or less to feed the plants? The argument is if you stay completely organic then your soil will be much healthier and you won’t need to fertilize much at all, but I’m curious what someone who used to use synthetics and stopped has to say
I wouldn't necessarily agree with that argument about not needing to fertilize much at all. But it does help maintain more long-term soil health and a more steady nutrient supply. We use a lot of cover crops and graze them with our chicken tractor which helps us to reduce fertilizer inputs as well.
@@LazyDogFarm okay I probably worded that poorly. If you don’t use synthetics then your soil will be much healthier and “alive” thus you won’t need to fertilize as much as you would if you were using synthetics. I appreciate the reply. Have you noticed a difference in cost and have you mostly cut out synthetic fertilizer or do you still use it? I’m also trying to lean more to the organic side, but I’m not sure if I’ll stop using synthetics as well.
Dude alfalfa pellets did wonders to my garden. I put it in one of my 1200' plots last November and tarped it. My flowers and vegetables are bigger than they ever been. I have marigolds the size of shrubs. With that growth hormone in the alfalfa I'll always keep it in my arsenal.
Maybe a stupid question- By alfalfa pellets, are you referring to the animal feed/forage (as bought at a place like TSC) or is it processed differently for use as fertilizer?
I tried the Alfalfa pellets on some of my potted plants after I saw you use them in a video. What I first noticed was a lot of swarming flies shortly after I applied them. they may be a good source of Nitrogen b ut they are an excellent fly attractor.
I have used alfalfa pellets, but mulching with alfalfa hay is much cheaper as long as you have a feed grinder. 1 ton on 1500 sqft was enough to cause a crust of alfalfa on top though. A mix of manure compost for K, poultry manure for P, and some other source of calcium makes for a good mix for sandy soils.
I have been using the slow organic and random boost of synthetic (as needed) for a while. It works well and I don't have to use the synthetic that often, and I use it less each year. I have not used alfalfa pellets, so I don't know about the rate --- but I saw lots of people recommend putting it down in the fall when you normally put your new layer of compost.
Hey! I am really loving your garden shows now. I do have another suggestion for you. You can try this and just see what results you get. Espoma... and it's for organic. They're main thing is the biotone they have in the bag.. it does the micros and such in the ground. Or, you could use BIO-SI ( even in the no dig) I've been following Garden Answers for some time now. I thought to myself, can it really be just that easy? Low and behold, it can be. I have put her video in here so you can see. She doesn't hill.... she only side dresses MAYBE once. Many times, she digs her hole.. puts some land and sea compost in the hole, then she puts some bio tone starter in and plants. Do you know how much money I've been saving and TIME by doing it that way.. and I'm getting results pretty close to hers. My problems is - We had 9 or more inches of rain in less than 3 weeks. ( I live 20 miles west of Denton, Tx) Our tomato plants were either doing the back-stroke or in desperate need of a life jacket. Now that things have leveled out... WOW-WEE! It all looks good. Please consider this and just take a look at the results she's getting. I've seen others that are getting the same results using these products. Can't hurt to try. Oh.. and they are NOT heat activated.. I love that about it. When you see her strawberries, pepper and basil.. they are all proven winners. By the way... I can't make Charles Dowding - Across the pond work for me either. He just is in a class all his own as far as I can tell. Have a super great day.. keep up the good work... love the show! ua-cam.com/video/1jLTTh3fH38/v-deo.html
Versatility in your fertilizing plan is always worthwhile. Combining the hard rock types and the softer, pelted organic types with water soluble and fast-acting synthetics can cover your plants short and long tern nutrient needs. Many of my local gardening pals were shocked to learn I used the dreaded "blue stuff." I explained that most vegetables only live 60 to 90 days, and the only reason I grow them is to get a specific harvest. How disheartening is it to spend time, money, and effort and not get a stellar crop? Your outcomes are outstanding. That stunning pea crop required the evil Sevin intervention. Exercise your freedom to mix it up.
Any information on blackeyes vs pink eyes vs creame peas, we planted coronet, Mississippi purple hulls, Texas creme 40, and zipper peas. All have grown well and produced, some a little more upright that others. I really like the mix of content between and within shows, thanks.
Blackeye peas are usually left to dry on the plant before harvesting. For the others, wait until the pods start turning a different color (other than green) and they should be ready. When they're easy to shell, that usually means they're ready to harvest.
I try to always mix organic fertilizer (composted chicken manure) with the regular. Get the cost advantage of regular and the slow release of organic. Doubt I could ever spend enough to go all organic. Or even know how. Interested to see how it works for you. If I can find an affordable way heck yeah. Alfalfa has a strong scent. Used it in winter compost piles for nitrogen and drew deer etc. Supposed to have magical enzymes that make plants grow.
I’m in my second year of gardening. Starting out I needed an inexpensive source of organic matter and fertilizer to add to my clay soil. I got large bags of alfalfa pellets meant for horses at the feed store. After watering, the pellets expanded and broke down and were easily incorporated into the beds. I also used it as a nitrogen source for my compost bin. Thank you for the information you share. I especially like that you show how you preserve, store and cook the produce you harvest.
Alfalfa works pretty good. I just throw it down before a rain. I put it in the hole with the tomato plant too. There is a guy called "David the Good" that has a lot of really good info on organics. He's funny too.
@@LazyDogFarm Cool. I guess while we are talking about it another channel is Charles Dowding. He has some good videos on no dig beds. You might have watched him as well. I use the blue stuff occasionally too but growing in compost is awesome. I just don't have enough of it.
Great show and great info . I've been organic gardening for a few years . I like to incorporate the alfalfa pellets into the soil , gets crusty if I just broadcast on top . Love your set up going forward and your fertilization tips . Organics can get expensive due to the package sizing on some products. Keep it up 🇱🇷👨👩👧 .
Yeah if you're buying small bags, I think the organic products can certainly be more expensive. But buying in 50 lb bags seems to be about the same price as using synthetics for us.
Wish u would.of put links for these.....i havent purposely grown.sweet potatoes for 2 years..i was digging around where another long line of leaves popped up and dang there potatoes down there...im gonna grow some more next year on purpose...but.changing to one i know the name of..but those others even went thru texas snowmageddon!!! And the drought.
I have tried the way we fertilize when i was a child at home. Using two year old hay feeding spot of cow manure. Our sweet corn was huge and the tomatoes were a literal jungle after three month growth. May not be considered organic but it was free to use and enjoy the benefits.
Travis! Greetings from New Mexico! I put about 100lbs of horse alfalfa pellets in about 100 square feet before I planted my chili. I also used about a pound of calcium nitrate with about a pound of triple phosphate. My chili (we don't call them peppers here) are doing amazing this year. I will do my first picking this weekend. I got the idea of using triple phosphate and adding nitrogen prior to planting from New Mexico State University, Chili Pepper Institute.
Wow! That should be some pretty fertile soil!
Travis, I too have started with the organic fertilizers. I like your way of thinking, that it basically builds up a reserve of nutrients in the soil. Thanks again for your time in putting these videos together.
This is an excellent evolution in your gardening philosophy. Chemichal fertilizers feed the plant, but organic fertilizers feed the soil--which then nourishes the plant. I occasionally use 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer in case of emergencies to quickly revive plants--but only as an extraordinary method. I use organic fertilizers and compost to build my soil biome and nourish my plants. I frequently place kitchen scraps at the base of my fruit trees and cover it with hay or straw to provide an attractive mulch. The results have been incredible: massive amounts of earthworms congregate there and prodigious amounts of worm casting in the areas that build a nutrient rich soil that retains moisture, feed my plants, and accelerate growth with minimal input.
Glad to see you go organic. I’ve been growing organic since my first garden in 1973.
I don't know that it is completely organic -- the micronutrients aren't -- but it's close.
I'm a small backyard gardener and I am using alfalfa pellets for the first time this year. I used it two ways - a few pellets around the planting hole and also I've soaked some in water and made a mush. We're early yet in the season where I am but my plants are all looking good, especially the broccoli and brussel sprouts
Good to know. I was thinking of broadcasting them on the plot and following with a good douse of water with the tripod sprinkler.
I follow several YT garden channels and yours is my go to for well balanced content. Thanks a ton for all your hard work in putting out these wonderful videos.
We appreciate it!
We are for sure all here to learn. We really are more of soil developers than we are farmers. One of the things Noel and I discuss is gradually improving our soil. Because if our poor soil it's important that we use some conventional fertilizers. At the same time we are constantly amending our soil with natural items like chicken manure, alpaca manure when we can get it, and some of the rich compost we are producing here. Keep it up!
Yeah it definitely can't be done overnight.
this is exciting! I'm really looking forward to your analyses of how your plots behave with the change in fertilizers. good on you for being willing to try new things. can't wait to see how it all goes :-)
Our popcorn is responding very well so far. We’ll have to see how some other stuff does.
I'm so glad I bought that huge bag of Hoss Tools 20-20-20 and Micro Boost you and Greg talked me into.
It's good stuff and will do wonders for your garden. Just don't depend on it completely to feed your plants.
🤣😂
We use a Mr. Pea pea sheller with a drill. We can do a bushel in about an hour
We use a lot of alfalfa on our gardens. The plants do really well, and the produce tastes so much better on the alfalfa. We have liked the results so much that I started growing patches of alfalfa here to produce it for ourselves going forward. The only drawback to fertilizing with alfalfa is that the local groundhog LOVES it 😂.. that bugger digs everywhere we put out the alfalfa for a good few days until it starts to break down some. I introduced the groundhog to cayenne pepper recently 😂 fixed that problem!
Can't wait to use the alfalfa on our gardens this fall!
I'm so glad that I found you again. Love what you have to tell us. Thanks so much
Glad you found us too!
We have used the Alfalfa pellets for composting, but we haven't tried directly side-dressing the plants yet. So far it made for much better "green" stuff for the compost when we didn't have enough of it from the yard. I think we will continue to use it, especially in the winter months. Zone 8A, between Atlanta and Macon.
I like the way your going with this! Can't wait to follow you along with the results!
More to come!
Great video again! I just got my bag of Nature 7-7-7 about 2 weeks ago. Love how it mixes and runs through the injector. From my limited research, the nitrogen is fast to the plants…for an organic fertilizer. The watermelon, cantaloupe and strawberries seem happy with their first feeding of it. Haven’t been able to get it to the sweet corn or pumpkins yet due to the amount of rain lately. Making the switch like you from the synthetic stuff (although will keep some around for those “emergency” applications). Keep on keepin on!
Yeah I’ve noticed the 7-7-7 is relatively fast for an organic source too. Liking it so far. A 50 lb bag of it will go a long way.
I'm going to order some too! Thanks for you're comment.
Glad to see you are diversifying and getting away from the chemical fertilizers. I’m enjoying your new channel!
Thanks Tracy. Hopefully the diversity will pay off.
Very useful considerations that I can put to good use as well. I've been mostly organic, homemade compost, etc., but also use a little synthetic. Always learning.
Really like how neat and consistent your rows are, I never seem to achieve that. 16:40
Hi Travis, I put the alfalfa in the soil about 14 days prior to planting. I also add azomite trace minerals, bio-char, kelp meal, microrizzal fungi, to a bucket make the mix wet stir well, then when planting add a big trowel full in the bottom of the hole add more water the plant transplants. My cabbages are huge, my Celebrity tomatoes are producing huge red maters (I've never had big maters prior to July 4th before this year), all the plants are growing well too. I only use the 20-20-20 as a rescue thru my drip tape. Fish emulision is another staple for my plants via drip tape. Sometimes I'll add alfalfa to my flower beds in spring to give them a boost, alot of my flowers are grown from saved seed. God bless.
Sounds like a very solid plan you have.
@@LazyDogFarm its' subject to change as my soil grows more diversity.
The Rusted Gardener has a great video on synthetic vs "organic" fertilizers that I think should be mandatory for all gardeners to watch. He was also the first I saw who recommended alfalfa pellets, which we then tried and love. Super cheap and effective, but the thing to know is that its slow release. If you add to a bed or plot now, it'll likely be your next sowing that will benefit the most. We use it now as part of our bed flip process or at planting for things that are heavy feeders. I'm in GA too, but about an hour northwest of ATL. The only garden space I have is an area created after our swimming pool was dig out and the clay soil that was pulled out was leveled. Its pure clay and rock, so we started out growing in raised beds and fabric pots, some of which are 150 gallon sized. All this to say that we are having to work to establish better soil, both in containers and where we are this year trying to grow in ground. We basically removed clay in trenches and replaced it with soil, and plan on continuing in different areas every season until we have replaced the top 10" of soil in the whole garden. We experimented with cover crops a little in the fall/winter as I think its all about soil biology. Eager for the book from Farmer Jessie from No Till Growers to come out next month as its big on the science behind soil. Thanks for sharing about the Potash for sweet potatoes. I've grown Beauregard for a couple years in containers without hilling or fertilizing and got decent results but growing 4x the amount this year as we really needed to ramp up production of my most used crop. Will try the potash for sure and will double check to see if all varieties benefit from hilling.
Thanks for the great information Karen! Good to hear your'e on the way to getting that soil in better shape.
@@LazyDogFarm It would be easier if it were a more traditional garden plot like you have where you could till compost and soil into the clay. But we're homesteading under the radar of the neighborhood HOA so we're hiding some of our edibles into the landscaping and the raised bed area is designed to look like a patio garden. I'm hoping to pick up another property to garden on once the price of land settles back down again!
Alright Alright Alright! You nailed it with the a continual buildup of organic matter/fertilizer to feed the soil so that the soil can feed the plants. One thing I do to keep the heat up in the winter time is add lots of coffee grounds to the soil. It definitely has improved my organic breakdown activity in the winter time. I back off of the coffee grounds in the summer. Keeps my works alive in the winter too. Works great for me!
Sounds like a good plan! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Travis, I order a lot from 7 Springs, I live in Savannah and if you order by truck freight you'll save a big amount on shipping. For me it was $150 for up to a 1,500 pound pallet shipped to your local freight depot. Last year ordered about thirty 50 pound bags of various goodies.
Great tip!
I'm in love with the company "down to earth" they have an amazing selection of ferts and all organic. And the fish fertilizer I use is "Alaskan fish fertilizer"
Used to see that company on the trade show circuit back in the day. Seemed like good folks.
I used Acid Mix for my blueberry bushes and my indica plants. Everything has done very well, so far.
I used both Agrothrive liquid fertilizers this year for the first time. The results have been my most healthy garden ever!! Less pest and disease pressure with incredible yields. First time I have not used ANY chemicals in 35yrs of gardening. Also used epsom salt, garden lime, Jobe's Tomato& Veg organic granular fertilizer, and Myco Bliss mycorrhizal inoculant. I garden in zone8a in Greenville,S.C.
Good to hear of your excellent results. Thanks for sharing Scott.
The organic strategy makes sense to me. When I was in college for agriculture, an example was given of a ton of manure for corn production, and naturally it worked well, but the kicker was the additional production for several years gradually declining over time.
From everything I've been able to glean from multiple sources it works but, takes several years or longer to reach maximum effect.
Definitely takes some time to "get there."
Your analysis of soil bio organisms diversity makes plenty of sense, seems like the way nature does it . I like it 👍
We shall see what happens …
I made the mistake on potato’s of using fertilizer, even though high in potash, I think had too much Nitrigen and potassium.. tons of flowers and foliage with a smaller tator harvest. Switched to Hi-yield 0-0-48 I think, worked much better.
What helped me the most over the years is constantly adding organic material i.e. leaf mulch, compost, etc. My soil tends towards acidic so I add lime and wood ash early spring. During growing season I fertilize with fish emulsion and nettle or comfrey tea. I do use an organic homemade tomato fertilizer where I add epsom salt and bonemeal among other things.
We couldn't do any of this without the addition of compost every year. That's a crucial part of the entire strategy.
I have this grown some the best tomatoes I have grown in years. Two things I did different. A little aspirin and water hack found on the internet and created my own biochar and soaked it in water with my compost soil and then planted my plants in it. They are still loaded with tomatoes that are starting to blush and turning red.
Thanks for sharing that trick. Seems like I might have heard that but never have tried it.
@@LazyDogFarm I not really sure either had anything to do with it because I remember you saying recently that everyone seems to be having a good tomato crop year and I am in SE GA.
Yes the aspirin on tomato plants surprised me. I'm a skeptic but it does seem to work.
Your mention of fish emulsion gave me a question. I mentioned before that I live right on the Ocmulgee with all the deposited silt from centuries of floods. Four years ago, my neighbors yard looked like a beach when the flood receded. About a foot deep and had to bulldozed off. Anyway, he saves the waste from his fishing trips for me. A supposed 'no no' but I want to add it to my compost pile. Well, I had a half filled five gallon bucket, covered with water and the lid on TIGHT. Kinda put it off for about three weeks, terrified of opening the mess from Hades. When I did, it was like soup, barely smelled and virtually completely dissolved. Bones, heads and all. It's in the pile now but, apart from adding it to biochar with all the other goodies to charge it, I wonder how useful it might be, heavily diluted as a fertilizer?
I'd give it a try. Hard to burn anything with fish emulsion. Pick a row and test it.
I absolutely love this! You’re very informative you know what works for you. Thank you! I’m new to you channel and truly enjoy you!
Thanks Andrea! Welcome to the channel!
I like where you're headed fertilizer wise and an open mind is a good thing. Personally I am coming from the other direction and no till, but still evolving my fertilizing choices. My lawn and ornamentals have gone from organic to mostly synthetic, but my edibles remain organic except for sweet corn which I find benefits from an occasional shot of 20-20-20 and ammonium sulfate. If I could amend the corn plot heavily and then till one time I would have more faith in organics there too. IMHO do whatever works for you and learn from whoever you think may have some insight you may lack. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
This new technique will definitely require more planning.
This is my first year using alfalfa pellets. I like to put a bunch in a bucket and full it with water and let it ferment for a couple days before I use it. I think it helps break it down faster. Then I just scoop it out, sprinkle it around on the top of the soil and water it in. I see a difference in my plants after they get a dose. If it's applied dry it takes a month or so to break down enough for the plants to absorb it. I've also been experimenting with making my own fermented plant juice for fertilizer. Pretty cool!
Good to hear about the comparison of wet vs. dry. Thanks for sharing.
Travis, since you are working with Seven Springs, they are now carrying a pre-mixed organic blend inspired by Conor Crickmore of Neversink Farm. It is called Neversink Blend. The current blend is 30% Feather Meal, 15% Fish Meal, 15% Alfalfa Meal, 15% Thorvin Kelp, 12% SOP Granular, 12% BioChar. I haven't ordered any yet, but have been making a similar blend myself from local sources and from some homemade biochar I made where we cleared some land. I may try the pre-mixed Neversink blend when I begin to run low on my amendments. It costs $1.20 per pound and comes in a 50 lb bag.
I'm not exactly "working" with them, just purchasing stuff from them. I haven't talked to them, but I did meet them years ago at a trade show. Let me know how you like the Neversink blend.
Ref: Alfalfa Pellets
I get it from the feed store. It costs about $12 for 50 lbs.
Since there are a lot of rabbits where I live, and they are grazers, they will eat the pellets if I just lay them out on the ground.
So I make a tea.
(I also like to mix Epson salt and Fish fertilizer with it.)
Good to know. But I’ve got something for those rascally rabbits.
I'm considering getting a soil sample (lsu ag center extension office right next door to where I work) so I can get my onion plot ready for this fall. I really appreciate this content. You've been able to see the synthetic effects and looking forward to seeing how your organics will help. Although you have sandier soil, where mine is more clay. This is definitely noteworthy to try on my plots. I've only grown tomatoes, peppers, cucumber and 2-3 watermelon plants. Now that I'm branching with more crops, I am seeing from your videos what does make sense on how to treat our soil not just the crops. As the old saying goes an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Thank you again for a great video and content.
Thanks for watching Cynthia!
Fixing the soils health is the key to great plants
Yep. Trying to do better with that.
You'd like watching David the Good. I'm glad to see you're going more organic. Incorporating chop and drop can help also. I put the alfalfa pellets down pre plant.
That guy knows his stuff!
Love David The Good 👍
...and he provided musical entertainment. What’s not to love?! :D
Our local rosarians suggest using alfalfa pellets for roses, they said it seems to encourage new breaks from the bud union and more vigorous long new structural canes. I've used it on fruit trees the same way I'd use a higher nitrogen feed. Last few years I've started adding some real wood lump charcoal (when I find it on sale) to the compost pile to inoculate it before it goes into the soil. With my clay I may not need extra nutrients, but it helps soil microbes. Folks with sandy soil really like it for improving soil micro-life and holding onto nutrients. Just this morning on my container tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, used Neptune's fish in water with same-size dollop of unsulfured molasses, I figure the sugar in it will help feed soil microbes.
We certainly have sandy soil, so I look forward to trying it!
Great video! Glad to hear you're getting away from the 20-20-20 crack.
It's a slow transition, but hopefully for the better.
@@LazyDogFarm btw. I'm Glad I found your Channel because I really enjoy your style 😎. Plus I was wondering where you went after the sudden disappearing off the other guys channel. Hope no bridges got burned but it is what it is.
The direction of this channel is 💯 awesome! It does seem like you spend a lot of money on fertilizer, but hey this direction with organic/natural is just what the soil needs. I live on a sand bar in the Mid-Atlantic so I can relate. What's helped me is getting goats, chickens and using any resource from the pine forest next to house. Limbs/branches turned to bio char, and pine needles for mulch. Keep up your endeavors, Travis and family!!
When you consider the number of plots we have and how long that fertilizer will last, I don't think it's really that bad. $200-$300 for a bunch of fertilizer that should last us through the end of the year is not a bad investment for 10 garden plots that are at least 1,000 sq. ft. each.
@@LazyDogFarm wow!! $2-300 ain't too bad then!!. Guess I do spend that much in feed/fencing/caretaking so yea at what you spend, you're ahead of the game. I also direct sow some food waste like coffee grounds, banana peels, shrimp(shell/tails), panfish, and citrus scraps from everyday use in the kitchen. Shrimp is sposed to be good for potato plants. Anyways thanks for the response. I enjoy the content and it always seems youre always on point with the garden plans and experiments. I hope this channel grows as much as your garden!!
@@bobbybusche2716 Thanks Bobby. We appreciate the support!
Travis, you sold me on the 20-20-20 a good while back yonder... now here ya are changing it up... I got a bunch of "the blue stuff" i gotta use up, before i can follow you here. Mite use it like a super booster 3 or 4 times per season, and try to swap over to the slower release organic gradually.
The blue stuff works well and we still have some we will use on occasion if plants need a quick boost. But we're trying to maintain a sustainable fertility nowadays, and it's been working well so far.
I think the same as you do and started last year to use less of the blue stuff (20-20-20) and more blood meal, bone meal, etc and muriate of potash but it like the triple 20 is a problem. The biggest reason those fertilizers are bad is the salt content they leave behind which I’m turn hurts nutrient uptake by our plants while killing our beneficial fungi and bacteria within our soil, several of those big name brands also contain heavy metals which can’t be good for our soil, plants or us. I, like you use what I call the shotgun method and hit it with a wide variety of fertilizers, making sure it will feed the beneficials in the soil and adding micronutrients and trace minerals and mycorrhiza throughout the growing season!! I know this is a great time with the size of your pumpkins to start pushing them with that sulfate of potash and some calcium nitrate or calmag!!! It’s looking good though!!!
Didn’t think of using the sulfate of potash on the pumpkins, but might give it a go.
@@LazyDogFarm oh man I’m telling you if you hit them with that and the calcium right now you’ll see some huge gains!! Just be careful cause if you push to hard you’ll explode them!! I just pollinated my first two the past 3 days so you’ll get to see some nice ones grow on my channel hopefully!!
I started using alphalfa pellets this spring. I soaked them in water then casted them all over my little garden. A little tilling and I was finished. I grew huge cabbage, beautiful lettuces, everything did the best I have ever grown. I plan to add more this fall after my summer stuff is done. I may have to add some to my corn patch too.
Nothing wrong with those results!
I tried it but didnt see a difference..but then on a.scale of one to 10 where he is a 10...im 4 maybe..lol.
Add fertilizer to the soil when ur not growing anything, let it build up the soil or in the spring planting, it takes about 3 years for the organic fertilizer to take place to see a difference so don't get in a hurry, ur doing great job.
Glad to hear your going more organic. 👍🏻👍🏻
It's a slow transition, but giving it a shot.
@@LazyDogFarm I think you will be pleased.
Great video Travis. I’ve been putting together an order with Seven springs too. We really like when you share your fertilizing schedule for different crops. Well wishes to you and your family from ours here in Baton Rouge.
Thanks Jay! Hopefully they’ll ship your order as fast as they shipped mine.
Geaux Tigers
Your new title is the "Progressive Gardner". I tend to agree with you on soil health and the organic route of fertilization. Soil is very biologically diverse and the only way to improve soil is to amend with organic compounds for long term health.
I fed our onions that 5-1-1 fish emulsion fertilizer this year on a weekly basis until they started bulbing and they are looking good so far. I have two 8 foot rows of long day, red onions and am waiting for the tops to die back to harvest
Nice!
I have used Alfalfa pallets before I just took hand fulls and speeded it around, puts a lot of nitrogen in your ground and your plants, one thing I noticed is that, I more Aphids than normal, and this was just on a pepper plot. But the growth was unreal.
That potassium (potash) works well hilling up regular potatoes too... Mix 1/3- 10-10-10 with 2/3- 0-0-50, Grows some mighty big potatoes here in east Tennessee mountains...
I like that idea! Might try that next year.
I watched a guy here on youtube make a slurry in 5 gallon buckets with alfalfa pellets and water and then pour it all over his plot and then cover it with cardboard about a month before he tilled it in. I personally love the smell of alfalfa pellets.
Interesting. I guess wetting them speeds up the breakdown process.
Hey Travis, I am trying the alfalfa pellets this year too. I used them and chicken compost in one plot which had broccoli cauliflower and cabbage in it and I have been getting a ton of broccoli and got my first cauliflower head last week it weighed 3.6 lbs so I’m pretty happy with the results so far.
Brassicas -- especially broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower -- love some chicken manure based fertilizer!
Gosh I’m so confused about fertilizer. I literally today watched a video about 20 20 20 with micro nutrients and thought I must buy this as I’ve been using slow release organic and fish fertilizer, chicken compost. I was thinking I don’t have enough micro minerals as it were. Your video has stopped me in my tracks. I realize there is so much I don’t understand. I will follow you to see how it goes with you. I think one of the most important things people need to know is how to build the best soil to get the most nutrients from their harvest and do it in a way that is compatible with Mother Earth. This early spring I used alfalfa pellets on ornamentals and veggie seedings. I really loved it. It had an added benefit of acting like a mulch as well. I will use it again. Thank you
There are lots of different ways to feed your soil and/or plants. A lot of it has to do with the resources you might have available.
Well said. I'm in the same boat. I want a good haul on my garden,but not at the risk of it being the only one and having to feed it anymore "crack".
It's all parts of a whole. Will be interested to see what your experimenting leads to. Building soil health can certainly be done in more than one way. You're growing in the right direction.
Might take us a while, but maybe we'll get there eventually.
@@LazyDogFarm An open mind is a good start and I applaud you for it. I don't comment to say one is right or wrong. Don't mind the naysayers. The only way anyone gets better is through study, application, observation and effort. You have the right to change your mind and methods as you take in more knowledge. I am constantly learning and changing. Take care.
That's awesome that you got to use that machine for the peas. Big time and labor savings. Your fertilizer plan makes sense to me. I'm using alfalfa pellets (and bloodmeal) this year on my corn and onions. Seems to be working. I give it a good watering after I put it down so it starts breaking apart. That way the wildlife doesn't go after it.
Yeah I’ve noticed the cats and dogs like to scratch a little on the Nature Safe stuff, but nothing too problematic.
I use alfalfa pellets all the time,I’m not sure how much though. I just throw it on. I usually order alfalfa meal instead,easier to use on single holes or small rows.
I put alfalfa pellets on my raised beds, and in my pots last year at the end of my growing season in October. My raised beds are about 60% "dirt" and 40% peat (they're were built in 2020). I did not turn the pellets into the soil until March, and when I planted summer crops in late May I didn't see evidence of the pellets, they seem to have broken down well. I fertilized once so far with 5-1-1 fish emulsion, everything looks really good.
I like that this is a more sustainable way to garden, I'm not against synthetics, but I like that the organic stuff leads to lots of soil life, and since it's all low level in percentages of N-P-K, you can't over do it as easily (I over do it pretty easily, go hard or go home kind of guy).
One thing about the chemicals, don't breath in that dust. My grandpa was a farmer all his life, and developed farmer's lung(lungs hardened and had trouble absorbing oxygen), probably from breathing in dust from feed, seeds, and chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
No issues with animals eating the pellets. The rabbits suffer from lead poisoning if they venture into my yard.
Rabbits around here get the same diet.
How do the rabbits suffer from lead poisoning? We use the barrier method but not always fool proof.
Choot’em
High protein diet anyone?
@@LazyDogFarm I read choot'em in Troy's voice from swamp people lol
Travis I don't use alfalfa pellets I use alfalfa hay in my garden and I love it.
Alfalfa hay is like gold around here. Haha. The pellets are a much more affordable way for me to get into the alfalfa fertilization program.
I also think a wide variety of organic fertilizer types / sources is best to feed the soil, microorganisms, and plants. I love to add alfalfa pellets to my garden and compost too.
I enjoy your channel. Just found it a few weeks ago.
Welcome!
Good for you for trying something different. I agree with not using synthetic fertilizers wholeheartedly and feeding your soil with organics which will produce healthier food to eat.
I’ve never been one that could taste a difference in food I grow depending on the fertilizer being used. Have heard other folks that claim they can. I can tell a difference in the grocery store stuff though.
In eastern NC alot of farmers use vegetable 6-6-18 from Royster Clark for sweet potatoes. I have noticed more sweet potatoe fields this year than in previous years.
Seems like that would be a good blend for them.
Sounds good changing things up and learning some new and different things.
Never hurts to experiment. We’re lucky to have enough plots so that we can.
I noticed agro thrive was 4 oz/ gallon. For the price, that's pretty expensive, as I can only do 16 watering cans worth (almost $2/watering can everytime I fert) Do you use 4oz/gal or do you use less with good results? Thanks.
I use less than that with good results. I use about 1 oz/gal on seedlings and usually 8-12 oz in the injector for a 1,000 sq. ft plot.
I just put espoma garden-tone in a broadcast spreader before I cultivate/rototill (I can get the 36lb bags for $1/lb) then use 20-20-20 or 4-18-38 (plus some calcium nitrate and epsom salt) through the drip as needed. Corn gets urea for nitrogen because it's cheap and organic enough for me.
Urea works great on corn as long as you're careful with it.
Love the direction you've been headed this season...if you want to try your hand at "old world" micro-organics grow some equisetum (horsetail), it can be made into a tea that is a great fungicide especially with our humidity here in GA. Yarrow, chamomile (German), stinging nettle, oak bark, valerian root and dandelion are all great compost heap additives when dried and crushed...the microbes will eat and multiply like crazy which is a plus when having to continually add to a sandy soil. It will also greatly reduce the amount and potency of the fertilizers you need over time. The downside is it takes much more time to grow and concoct these yourself, but it's all free once you get them up and growing and you don't need garden space for these plants they grow great anywhere. Keep it up with all the knowledge from planting to harvesting to cooking to camp sites it's greatly appreciated.
Thanks for the suggestions Matthew! How do you confirm that the microbes do indeed multiply?
@@LazyDogFarm you could do before and after labs on your pile and it's been done, but like any pre-lab ancient agriculture methods we are at the mercy of time and observations...yarrow for trace nutrients, chamomile for nitrogen stabilization in the pile, nettle is a microbial stimulant, oak bark attracts beneficial microbes, dandelion helps microbes balance certain nutrients especially silicon and potassium, valerian allows the phosphorus to be used efficiently by the microbes...plenty of variables to consider and can get a bit arbitrary under certain conditions. You probably don't need to do any of this but if your into pre industrialized methods it may be fun to experiment. Cover crops are your bulk feed and this is for fungicides and inoculation mostly, like a natural amplifier for the productivity you already have going in your soil
A "road to Damascus" type epiphany. Sounded like me talking to myself, except for the accent. I'd say you're finding the right answers and, more importantly, the right questions. That 7 Springs outfit is a good one and the only retail outlet I've found for that new 7-7-7. I need to work through my Symphony 5-4-3 +9% Ca that they sell first though. Good stuff for pre-plant and side dress. Alfalfa pellets are dandy for pre-plant. My season is so short that I can't grow a cover crop so I use the alfalfa pellets instead. Just hand broadcast it around until it just feels like about the right density. Travis, your instincts are so good that I just can't see you getting too far off track at this point. Carry on and we'll be watching.
We love testing and comparing methods. Thanks for joining us along the journey.
Interesting to see how the organic stuff will stack up against the synthetic.
Our popcorn is looking fantastic right now. So far so good.
Organic methods are about maintaining healthy soil. You may not have great results your first year you switch, but once you've established healthy soil networks and are constantly top dressing with high quality compost, you will start to see way better results.
I love watching your videos because they help me with my gardening especially since you're so close by here in Georgia. However, I do have a small suggestion....when you hold the product you use for us to see....can you hold your hand still for a few seconds so I can see the product and buy it? lol
I think you're headed in the right direction for fertilizers. Feed the soil and the soil will feed the plants.
Excited about the new direction!
I have 3 different buckets of homemade organic fertilizer. They are comfrey, compost tea, and worm tea, I rotate them. Seems to work well, it is definitely low cost
I’ve never made tea because I’ve always wondered how do you know that you’re actually multiplying the organisms without doing a microscopic analysis? Any ideas?
Just discovered your channel. Great quality!
My first year at farming.
Disked half acre, ripped sod off another half and doing a no till in another half! Figured let’s try different ways to skin that cat!
Also making compost and fish emulsion. I hear there’s more nutrients in it. Will see! Take it easy!
Sounds like a fun experiment(s). Keep us updated!
Loving your stuff Travis. You have become one of my favorite channels to watch. 👍
We are certainly blessed to have great viewers like you!
So have you stopped using synthetics all together now? Also what’s the difference in cost? Are you spending a lot more or less to feed the plants? The argument is if you stay completely organic then your soil will be much healthier and you won’t need to fertilize much at all, but I’m curious what someone who used to use synthetics and stopped has to say
I wouldn't necessarily agree with that argument about not needing to fertilize much at all. But it does help maintain more long-term soil health and a more steady nutrient supply. We use a lot of cover crops and graze them with our chicken tractor which helps us to reduce fertilizer inputs as well.
@@LazyDogFarm okay I probably worded that poorly. If you don’t use synthetics then your soil will be much healthier and “alive” thus you won’t need to fertilize as much as you would if you were using synthetics. I appreciate the reply. Have you noticed a difference in cost and have you mostly cut out synthetic fertilizer or do you still use it? I’m also trying to lean more to the organic side, but I’m not sure if I’ll stop using synthetics as well.
Dude alfalfa pellets did wonders to my garden. I put it in one of my 1200' plots last November and tarped it. My flowers and vegetables are bigger than they ever been. I have marigolds the size of shrubs. With that growth hormone in the alfalfa I'll always keep it in my arsenal.
Maybe a stupid question-
By alfalfa pellets, are you referring to the animal feed/forage (as bought at a place like TSC) or is it processed differently for use as fertilizer?
@@trentroadcap833 the tractor supply feed for horses.
Thanks for sharing your results!
@@gmcvay4 thanks for the info! I never knew…
Excited to see the results of this strategy. This might be a good option for my garden.
We’ll be sure to keep you updated. Thanks for watching.
Travis, I like this experimental direction.
👌
Completely agree with feed the soil and the soil will feed your plants.
That's the plan!
I tried the Alfalfa pellets on some of my potted plants after I saw you use them in a video. What I first noticed was a lot of swarming flies shortly after I applied them.
they may be a good source of Nitrogen b ut they are an excellent fly attractor.
Interesting. I haven't noticed any flies with ours, but I also haven't used it on potted plants either.
I have used alfalfa pellets, but mulching with alfalfa hay is much cheaper as long as you have a feed grinder. 1 ton on 1500 sqft was enough to cause a crust of alfalfa on top though. A mix of manure compost for K, poultry manure for P, and some other source of calcium makes for a good mix for sandy soils.
I don’t have a grinder, but good to know.
I think you’re on to something. Interested in seeing the results. Pest and production wise. Thanks fog the info!
Not sure it will do anything for our pest pressure, but we shall see ...
I think your on the right track. I'm trying no till this year and things are going well. I'm getting away from synthetic fertilizer as well. Great job
Thanks!
Thats awesome !!! You're one of my favorite gardeners , but I didn't agree with the use of synthetic fertilizers. Organic is the way to go .👍✌
We appreciate you watching Mike!
I have been using the slow organic and random boost of synthetic (as needed) for a while. It works well and I don't have to use the synthetic that often, and I use it less each year. I have not used alfalfa pellets, so I don't know about the rate --- but I saw lots of people recommend putting it down in the fall when you normally put your new layer of compost.
Sounds a lot like my plan.
Love seeing the new experiments! I’ll be following suite!
More to come Sarah!
Travis you almost was able to pull your Bible out on this one 😂👍🏻 great information always
Haha! Preach!
Hey! I am really loving your garden shows now. I do have another suggestion for you. You can try this and just see what results you get. Espoma... and it's for organic. They're main thing is the biotone they have in the bag.. it does the micros and such in the ground. Or, you could use BIO-SI ( even in the no dig) I've been following Garden Answers for some time now. I thought to myself, can it really be just that easy? Low and behold, it can be. I have put her video in here so you can see. She doesn't hill.... she only side dresses MAYBE once. Many times, she digs her hole.. puts some land and sea compost in the hole, then she puts some bio tone starter in and plants. Do you know how much money I've been saving and TIME by doing it that way.. and I'm getting results pretty close to hers. My problems is - We had 9 or more inches of rain in less than 3 weeks. ( I live 20 miles west of Denton, Tx) Our tomato plants were either doing the back-stroke or in desperate need of a life jacket. Now that things have leveled out... WOW-WEE! It all looks good.
Please consider this and just take a look at the results she's getting. I've seen others that are getting the same results using these products. Can't hurt to try. Oh.. and they are NOT heat activated.. I love that about it. When you see her strawberries, pepper and basil.. they are all proven winners. By the way... I can't make Charles Dowding - Across the pond work for me either. He just is in a class all his own as far as I can tell. Have a super great day.. keep up the good work... love the show! ua-cam.com/video/1jLTTh3fH38/v-deo.html
Thanks for sharing that info Steffanie!
Versatility in your fertilizing plan is always worthwhile. Combining the hard rock types and the softer, pelted organic types with water soluble and fast-acting synthetics can cover your plants short and long tern nutrient needs. Many of my local gardening pals were shocked to learn I used the dreaded "blue stuff." I explained that most vegetables only live 60 to 90 days, and the only reason I grow them is to get a specific harvest. How disheartening is it to spend time, money, and effort and not get a stellar crop? Your outcomes are outstanding. That stunning pea crop required the evil Sevin intervention. Exercise your freedom to mix it up.
Well said. For some short-term crops, there’s not enough time for organic breakdown unless you planned ahead.
Any information on blackeyes vs pink eyes vs creame peas, we planted coronet, Mississippi purple hulls, Texas creme 40, and zipper peas. All have grown well and produced, some a little more upright that others.
I really like the mix of content between and within shows, thanks.
Blackeye peas are usually left to dry on the plant before harvesting. For the others, wait until the pods start turning a different color (other than green) and they should be ready. When they're easy to shell, that usually means they're ready to harvest.
Anxious to hear how the alfalfa pellets work out. Never heard of using the feed for that. Hope someone chimes in about it.
We're going to try it if it will ever stop raining. lol
I try to always mix organic fertilizer (composted chicken manure) with the regular. Get the cost advantage of regular and the slow release of organic. Doubt I could ever spend enough to go all organic. Or even know how. Interested to see how it works for you. If I can find an affordable way heck yeah. Alfalfa has a strong scent. Used it in winter compost piles for nitrogen and drew deer etc. Supposed to have magical enzymes that make plants grow.
Excited to try it just to see how "magical" it is.
Thank you for sharing Travis ❤Have a blessed day🌄🌻🐝🦋
You are so welcome Kelly!
I’m in my second year of gardening. Starting out I needed an inexpensive source of organic matter and fertilizer to add to my clay soil. I got large bags of alfalfa pellets meant for horses at the feed store. After watering, the pellets expanded and broke down and were easily incorporated into the beds. I also used it as a nitrogen source for my compost bin. Thank you for the information you share. I especially like that you show how you preserve, store and cook the produce you harvest.
Thanks for sharing Gloria. Can't wait to try the pellets!
Nice pea sheller
"If you always do what you have always done, you will always be what you have always been."
Well said Larry!
Yessir, you've got that right.
P.S. I have also "drunk the kool-aid" and begun to "no till, low-till" garden. Used alfalfa pellets for the first time this year. Lok good!
Glad it's working well for you. I'm slowly getting there.
Alfalfa works pretty good. I just throw it down before a rain. I put it in the hole with the tomato plant too. There is a guy called "David the Good" that has a lot of really good info on organics. He's funny too.
David has a great channel. I enjoy the way he approaches gardening.
@@LazyDogFarm Cool. I guess while we are talking about it another channel is Charles Dowding. He has some good videos on no dig beds. You might have watched him as well. I use the blue stuff occasionally too but growing in compost is awesome. I just don't have enough of it.
i love your direction but for me i still love the hoss fertilizers and i agree that 20 20 20 is crack but it sure works.nice video.
It definitely works. No doubt about that.
Great show and great info . I've been organic gardening for a few years . I like to incorporate the alfalfa pellets into the soil , gets crusty if I just broadcast on top . Love your set up going forward and your fertilization tips . Organics can get expensive due to the package sizing on some products. Keep it up 🇱🇷👨👩👧 .
Yeah if you're buying small bags, I think the organic products can certainly be more expensive. But buying in 50 lb bags seems to be about the same price as using synthetics for us.
Wish u would.of put links for these.....i havent purposely grown.sweet potatoes for 2 years..i was digging around where another long line of leaves popped up and dang there potatoes down there...im gonna grow some more next year on purpose...but.changing to one i know the name of..but those others even went thru texas snowmageddon!!! And the drought.