Where do you get your alfalfa

There are several people on this forum within a short drive from me that have mentioned using alfalfa in the past. Where do you purchase your alfalfa? I would like to try it to spread among the garden, as well as make some tea.

Have you tried Southern States? I'm sure there's a store somewhere near you. http://www.southernstates.com/

The closest Southern State for me is in Vienna. They actually aren't a real Southern State. They are more of a partial dealership, where they carry some of the products, but not alfafa. I tried them about a month ago.

You're not coming to the swap are you? There's a Southern States in Front Royal on the way here that I'm sure would have it.

There's a big Southern States in Manassas and there's one in Chantilly but I've never been there so I don't know what they carry.

I periodically go to one in, I think, Frederick. If you are interested, I can pick you up some. Dmail me . . . .

No, I'm not coming to the swap meet. June 9 is my wedding anniversary, the Peter Pan puppet play my son has been talking about for a month, and the Girl Scout sing along at the national mall that my daughter is attending. I don't think that I could possibly jam another thing into this day!

I'm probably going to have to break down and drive to a decent Southern State. I need to make some phone calls before I start. I was just hoping that someone would say a location that is really close to me. I've heard so many positive things about alfalfa, that I would really like to give it a try.

Happy, thanks for the offer.

My pleasure.

I have purchased alfalfa pellets at the TSC (Tractor Supply Store) in Leesburg...it is up to about $12 for a 50 lb bag. Just a "quick" drive down Route 7 from McLean!

- Brent

Brent thank's a bunch!

Another quick question - when you add alfalfa to the soil as an amendment, do you end up pulling out alfalfa seedlings?

I never saw one... and if I did, I'd eat it! Our agway has alfalfa meal and pellets, I don't think it matters much which one you use except some pellets have something added for the livestock. Was it salt? I don't remember. I'm sure the bag would say what's in it.

I have never seen a sprout. I suspect that it is harvested before it goes to seed. I have never made alfalfa tea but from the reading I have done it really stinks! My primary use is as a lawn fertilizer but I also throw handfuls in my garden at the same time. When used this way I notice a bit of an "earthy" smell but nothing objectionable.

- Brent

Brent,

I did go out to tractor supply today to get the alfalfa. Unfortunately, they only had cubes - no pellets, no meal. I bought them anyway since I do want to use some for alfalfa tea. I am also going to see if there is anyway that I can grind these large cubes down so that I can just broadcast it in the garden as well. If not, then I may just try soaking them until they are soft - alfalfa mush.

Sounds like good and bad news...they have always had pellets the 3 or 4 times that I have stopped in to purchase them.

- Brent