alfalfa meal for reptiles...safe to use it ??

[sicoltiva]

hello growers...i recently bought a bag of alfalfa meal in pellets that i wanted to use to make a tea.
The brand is ZILLA...like godZILLA.premium reptile bedding

On the bag it says 100% natural , which could means nothing.
Then says , Guaranteed Analysis : crude protein 14.7 %,Crude Fat 3.9 %,Crude Fiber 24.7%, Ash (max) 13.0%.
Ingredients :Suncured alfalfa meal, rice bran.

I've been reading post regarding alfalfa saying that some products may contains sodium residues.
Is it usually indicated in the analisys list or not ??

did anyone used it before ??

thank a lot for any help or advice.

peace

sicoltiva

 

[Clackamas Coot]

hello growers...i recently bought a bag of alfalfa meal in pellets that i wanted to use to make a tea.
The brand is ZILLA...like godZILLA.premium reptile bedding

On the bag it says 100% natural , which could means nothing.
Then says , Guaranteed Analysis : crude protein 14.7 %,Crude Fat 3.9 %,Crude Fiber 24.7%, Ash (max) 13.0%.
Ingredients :Suncured alfalfa meal, rice bran.

I've been reading post regarding alfalfa saying that some products may contains sodium residues.
Is it usually indicated in the analisys list or not ??

did anyone used it before ??

thank a lot for any help or advice.

peace

sicoltiva

sicoltiva

It looks like it's okay to use as a soil amendment. 'Generally' these type of alfalfa products are bound using a livestock molasses which is a good thing, IMHO

HTH

CC

 

[ColBatGuano]

I saw what may be the same Zilla-brand product at PetSmart one day. If I remember correctly, the meal is treated with a bacteriostatic agent. Wouldn't this agent disrupt proper microbial growth? I know bacteriostatic doesn't mean anti-bacterial, only that it interferes with growth. Would introducing the meal to water eliminate the agent, or render it ineffective?

 

[Clackamas Coot]

I saw what may be the same Zilla-brand product at PetSmart one day. If I remember correctly, the meal is treated with a bacteriostatic agent. Wouldn't this agent disrupt proper microbial growth? I know bacteriostatic doesn't mean anti-bacterial, only that it interferes with growth. Would introducing the meal to water eliminate the agent, or render it ineffective?

ColBatGuano

Don't get me wrong - using pure organically-grown, non-GMO alfalfa is my preferred route. 50 lbs. is about $16.80 at the farm supply company up the road a couple of miles.

One has to deal with the ingredients for a good grow with what is locally available.

HTH

CC

 

[ColBatGuano]

The reason I do not use alfalfa or kelp meals is that I cannot find them locally, or even in the tri-county area. I also stick mainly to what comes easily and organically around here. I was lucky when I moved here to find a "sympathetic" worm guy in my neighborhood. I know it's not easy for everyone to find some things.

I have to say, C.C., that since I started growing organically, your input around here has been very helpful in my development. I'm on my first organic grow, and I haven't really needed to ask many questions at all. I think this is one of the more informed sections of ICMAG. Looking back, I wish I had studied botany or horticulture, instead of biology in college. I've never done much with that . . .

 

[sicoltiva]

thanks to everybody for the comments.
MY idea was to grind it fine and soak it for a day to make a non aerated tea.
I don't have all the tools for an aerated tea yet.

Then add some EWC , molasses and a little bit of liquid seaweed from neptune harvest stir it strongly for a little bit ad then serve...as far as quantities i'm following some of the recipes found in the forum.
I have to do some math with the proportions since i'm going to use 1 gal of water and the recipes i found hare usually for bigger volumes ( 5 galor so..)
Plants are showing the 3rd internode so i thought i may start with some light fertilization and see how they react.
I'll post the quantities and results ...


thankx again for all the great job done in this forum!!

 

[jaykush]

if your going to do a liquid soak. just do the alfalfa by itself. soak for a few days and dilute because it will be too hot direct. apply the castings and molasses separately.

if the plants are that young a simple wormcastings tea is all they need, then top dress the leftovers.

 

[sicoltiva]

if your going to do a liquid soak. just do the alfalfa by itself. soak for a few days and dilute because it will be too hot direct. apply the castings and molasses separately.

if the plants are that young a simple wormcastings tea is all they need, then top dress the leftovers.

thankx jayK ..i'll follow your advice.
what diluition ratio should i use?

 

[Clackamas Coot]

jaykush

I have a 5# bag of an alfalfa & linseed (flax) meals.

Any thoughts on using this vs. straight alfalfa?

Thanks!

CC

 

[jaykush]

thankx jayK ..i'll follow your advice.
what diluition ratio should i use?

well this really depends on the amount you put in and how long you let it sit. for example if i took one gallon of water, and a handful of alfalfa meal/pellets( preferably a meal/powder) let that sit for 2 days or so. you can dilute that at about 1:2 alfalfa liquid:water. if you let it sit a week dilute about 1:5-1:10, 2 weeks do about 1:20 at 3-4 weeks dilute about 1:30-1:40. and of course dilute even more for foliar sprays. take in mind this is an anaerobic process and some smell will occur after a few weeks. this will NOT hurt your plants or soil, UNLESS you dont dilute it properly for its stage/age. take in mind heat makes this process a lot faster. in the cold its slower.

CC not sure the properties of flax meal. this is what we know alfalfa has in it, is it flax seed or just the plant?

nutrients:
* Triacontanol (growth stimulant)
* Vitamin A (high concentration)
* Thiamine
* Riboflavin
* Pantothenic Acid
* Niacin
* Pyridoxine
* Choline
* Bentaine
* Folic Acid
* co-enzymes
* Crude proteins (16 - 25% in dry alfalfa)

Amino acids

* Tryptophan,
* Aspartic Acid,
* Threonine,
* Serine,
* Glutamic Acid,
* Proline,
* Glycine,
* Alanine,
* Cystine,
* Valine,
* Methionine,
* Isoleucine,
* Leucine,
* Tyrosine,
* Phenylalanine,
* Histidine,
* Lysine,
* Arginine,

Minerals (contained in dry alfalfa)

* Nitrogen
* Potassium
* Phosphorus
* Calcium
* Magnesium
* Sulphur
* Manganese
* Iron
* Boron
* Copper
* Zinc

 

[Clackamas Coot]

jaykush

The flaxseed meal that is sold as a soil amendment is what remains after the flaxseed oil is pressed out.

Like alfalfa it contains a number of phytochemicals, amino acids, etc.

I'll try and find something a bit more concrete.

CC

 

[sicoltiva]

well this really depends on the amount you put in and how long you let it sit. for example if i took one gallon of water, and a handful of alfalfa meal/pellets( preferably a meal/powder) let that sit for 2 days or so. you can dilute that at about 1:2 alfalfa liquid:water. if you let it sit a week dilute about 1:5-1:10, 2 weeks do about 1:20 at 3-4 weeks dilute about 1:30-1:40. and of course dilute even more for foliar sprays. take in mind this is an anaerobic process and some smell will occur after a few weeks. this will NOT hurt your plants or soil, UNLESS you dont dilute it properly for its stage/age. take in mind heat makes this process a lot faster. in the cold its slower.

CC not sure the properties of flax meal. this is what we know alfalfa has in it, is it flax seed or just the plant?

nutrients:
* Triacontanol (growth stimulant)
* Vitamin A (high concentration)
* Thiamine
* Riboflavin
* Pantothenic Acid
* Niacin
* Pyridoxine
* Choline
* Bentaine
* Folic Acid
* co-enzymes
* Crude proteins (16 - 25% in dry alfalfa)

Amino acids

* Tryptophan,
* Aspartic Acid,
* Threonine,
* Serine,
* Glutamic Acid,
* Proline,
* Glycine,
* Alanine,
* Cystine,
* Valine,
* Methionine,
* Isoleucine,
* Leucine,
* Tyrosine,
* Phenylalanine,
* Histidine,
* Lysine,
* Arginine,

Minerals (contained in dry alfalfa)

* Nitrogen
* Potassium
* Phosphorus
* Calcium
* Magnesium
* Sulphur
* Manganese
* Iron
* Boron
* Copper
* Zinc

clear and perfect !

thakx JK

sicoltiva

 

[jaykush]

jaykush

The flaxseed meal that is sold as a soil amendment is what remains after the flaxseed oil is pressed out.

Like alfalfa it contains a number of phytochemicals, amino acids, etc.

I'll try and find something a bit more concrete.

CC

oh ok, thats what i was thinking it was. i would first go about looking what its made up of, whats in it, etc.. that always helps when trying to figure out how to use it best.

that being said, experiments are really fun, i would give it a go with half water and half lacto B culture. start with high dilutions and work your way to higher concentrations find that "Sweet" spot on some non cannabis plants because numbers are not an issue, then go from there. or it might simply be a nice foliar spray who knows. there are a few plants i only foliar with and skip the soil drench.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

jaykush

It took a bit of digging but I finally found something on flaxseed meal (6-3-2) here

Thanks for looking.

CC

 

[trichrider]

waxitaxi, you do know those guys will not respond...they be gone.

 

[Coba]

BUMP

I will grab a small bag and soak in water for 2 days, then strain, and add to my hydro res to start...

Alfalfa? to your rez? I would not do that! Wait until after the 2 day soak and let me know what that smells like. Boiling hot horse throw-up comes to mind. I have a feeling that putting this stuff in a rez would be a bad idea.

 

[I wood]

I agree it is a bad idea in a resevoir.
Don't you have to worry about ph and other balancing acts in that scenario?
Stinking might be the least of your problems doing that.
To get the benefits without messing up reservoir, try a weak tea dumped on top of whatever medium you use or just foliar feed.

Be careful, alfalfa is the only thing I've hurt my plants with in the organic category.
Less is more for sure with this one.