Topic: Alfalfa Tea

[Dianna]

With all the buzz that is around here about alfalfa lately, I have found I have a couple of questions. How would I make alfalfa tea? And how often would I use it? I am sure we could all benefit with the answers....

[barleychown]

This is a great site for one method:

http://www.dixieroseclub.org/alfalfa_tea.html

The thing to remember is that there are hundreds of different ways to do it, and no one way is right.

I personally do mine in a 15 gallon bucket, and add whatever stikes me that day. Sometimes it's epsom salts, sometimes kelp meal...the list goes on.

[Tina]

I had to go back and look at what subject this was in. I thought you were making tea for human consumption. Epsom salts and kelp can be for people too but........
I have only ever made compost tea and also used the stuff that drains off of my worm farm.

[patches]

I had to go back and look at what subject this was in. I thought you were making tea for human consumption. 

I'm with you on that one, Tina, because I thought the same thing!   I guess the first thing that made me do a double-take was Sarah's comment about making fifteen gallons since that's a lot of tea. Of course, when she mentioned adding Epsom Salts to the tea all I could think of was never leaving my bathroom, since Epsom Salts is also used as a Laxative!!!    

[Patty S]

I use alfalfa pellets EVERYWHERE... even on the lawn.  Sarah-bc turned me on to it, & now I swear by it.  I've never tried the tea though, but plan to get some started. I also use the liquid from the bottom bin of my worm farm (but I've learned to dilute it, or it can turn into a thick mud, when it dries).

Tina, my daughter, Shelly, eats Seaweed... (I think that's the same thing as Kelp), & so does Lil'.  It's VERY strange to see that baby chewing on what looks like a piece of dark green paper! As for the Epsom Salts, I sure hope a person NEEDS it before they ingest it, cuz they could find themselves "sitting" for a long time!  

[barleychown]

I started my first batch of alfalfa tea for this season a few days ago. This is what it looks like right now:



I'll let it sit today in the sun, and it should be ready to use tonight, maybe tomorrow. I'm waiting for the foam to start, and the yeast like smell.

[patches]

Actually, Sarah, I have a great container that would work for this     and I might even try it sometime; but, right now, I figure I'm in pretty good shape with my compost tea and worm tea.   
   

[Tonya]

Can you make a "tea" with pig poo? or chicken poo?  My compost got neglected and is just a pile of grass at this point.....

[barleychown]

Tonya, I must have missed this question! I'm sorry.

You sure can...that would make it a manure tea, and I know of several people who use it. Bunny poo is very popular for that.

You can also make tea out of finished compost, should you ever have some. That's a great way to make a little bit of compost go a long way.