uncle.duke
Member
If I top my soil with alfalfa hay (mulch) will it fertilize my soil or I would have to steep it into water.. or grind it up and top the soil? +Rep
top soil with alfalfa hay?!! +REP!
- Thread starter uncle.duke
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hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
Uncomposted hay would be considered green manure. I know it's not used yet but . . .. It should be well composted first. If not, when it gets wet and begins to decompose (into compost) it can generate internal temperatures over 165 F. It's enough to kill weed seed and, with alfalfa, or any hay, you mos def want that. Every frigging weed growing in that crop is in there.
Then after you mulch with your composted hay, put a container of earthworms under it. And all of this will fertilize your plants in a good and healthy way.
Oh yeah - leaf mold, from plain old tree leaves in your yard, sport the best leaf mold. It is one of the absolute best agents to help breakdown a compost heap pronto. The heat generated will kill any all leaf mold spores which are harmless to pot anyway.
Then after you mulch with your composted hay, put a container of earthworms under it. And all of this will fertilize your plants in a good and healthy way.
Oh yeah - leaf mold, from plain old tree leaves in your yard, sport the best leaf mold. It is one of the absolute best agents to help breakdown a compost heap pronto. The heat generated will kill any all leaf mold spores which are harmless to pot anyway.
uncle.duke
Member
hotrod
Thanks for the reply.. I am completely lost.. I already top the soil with alfalfa hay.. should i take it out? I was thinking alfalfa meal is basically grind up hay and it would probably act the same if i was going to topped it with alfalfa meal, wouldn't it?
Thanks for the reply.. I am completely lost.. I already top the soil with alfalfa hay.. should i take it out? I was thinking alfalfa meal is basically grind up hay and it would probably act the same if i was going to topped it with alfalfa meal, wouldn't it?
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
How cold is it where you are? Are there plants in the ground right now? How deep is the mulch? Are the stems still stems or broken to bits?
OK you must have hit the hay yourself. So, if your mulch is green and less than 6" deep you should be okay. If green you really should compost it as the nutrients will still be there and fortified by beneficial microbes. Biggest danger zone is Spring through Summer full sun on uncomposted thick mulch.
uncle.duke
Member
im planting indoor, I bought a bag of alfalfa hay from the pets store, brought it home, put the hay in a plastic bag, used it as a punching bag..bamm bammm bamm and topped it about one inch. currently 80F lights on, 70F lights off.. will it be instances nutes? or will it take time till the mulch break down into the soil??
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
1" is no problem. It will keep the topsoil moist. As it rots mix it in the dirt in small amounts.
imchucky666
Well-Known Member
Not to mention, uncomposted material often becomes 'hot' or very high in N while decomposing.
I have also been told, that wood chips are also undesireable unless composted before applying.
It will act as an excellent mulch and you will reap the benefits of alfalfa sloooowly as it breaks down, great for the long run, as in recycling your soil to the next run, almost nothing for the current run other than acting as mulch and maybe 5% breakdown for current cycle. Mix it up in the soil for the next run and re mulch with new hay, or whatever, and the cycle will continue, if you plan on tossing the soil out, you're not really going to benefit from what the alfalfa has to offer and in that case you might as well compost it and use it on the next run....
fiverivers
Active Member
It will breed pest! IMO NEVER use "organic Substrate " straight into your soil indoors. Nothing should break down indoors...it should be readily accessible to your plants (or shortly-delayed for time release).
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