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Sat, Mar 22, 14 at 18:31
| I just bought a 50 lb bag of alfalfa pellets at the horse feed store. I was there to pick up some meal to feed my grass and I remembered reading that alfalfa pellets help roses convert food, so I grabbed some.Then I read someone warning another person off the pellets that contain molasses. Is it true? Is molasses in alfalfa pellets bad when used for roses? I have a hard time believing it since its good to spray molasses on the garden -- in fact I did so today in order to encourage the good nematodes! And if it is bad, why? And how bad is it? This bag is 50 lbs! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Salt is the problem, not molasses. Molasses might encourage ants, but they are all over Southern California anyway. |
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| Thanks Hoovb. That makes more sense to me. So is the logic (about the molasses-free pellets) that the version without molasses will also be without salt? I'm so darned confused about it. I don't want to use them if they are going to be harmful -- I was thinking about putting them on my avocado trees too, and if it contains salt it will be a biiiiig problem there! |
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- Posted by kstrong 10 So Cal (kathystrong@gmail.com) on Sat, Mar 22, 14 at 23:33
| Actually, I've done that -- the molasses draws little flies. A kind of little mini fly that I don't usually have around my home, and are they ever annoying. Try to bury the pellets a little -- that should cure the flies. Or else maybe put some mulch over the alfalfa pellets. |
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- Posted by thonotorose FL 9 (My Page) on Sun, Mar 23, 14 at 0:37
| Molasses is commonly added to manure and compost teas. It helps the micro herds to multiply. Micro herds = soil life = soil probiotics. |
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| After I spread the pellets around the rose, I turn the hose on to a stiff strong spray and water in the pellets thoroughly. They will start to disintegrate as a result--speed up the process and keeps the hard pellets from just laying there and attracting who knows what kind of critters (including ants?). Then I put mulch on top of the pellets--helps protect them and discourage the critters--and obviously is good for the future retention of moisture when the weather heats up. Just make sure there is no salt in the alfalfa--that iwould be a recipe for garden disaster! Kate |
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| Ask the feed store if there is salt in there. Return it if there is, or donate to a hungry horse. |
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