Rabbit food (alfalfa pellets) makes a wonderful, inexpensive, natural fertiliser. Simply sprinkle several handfuls around established plants and scratch into the soil, then water well. In a few minutes, it will 'melt'.
You can also mix a handful or 2 into the soil at the bottom of a planting hole when setting out transplants. I always add some water to help it break down more quickly.
A 25 pound bag of alfalfa pellets costs me approx. $4.50. Alfalfa is high in nitrogen and the pellets also contains molasses, calcium and other nutrients that plants really seem to appreciate. I've been using it for about a year and have seen marvelous results in my sandy, TOO-well-draining Florida soil. I've used it mainly on my veggies, herbs and flowering plants.
By Carolb
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I've never heard of that before....How interesting! I sure like the price! I'm going to tell my friend, she has a large flower garden.
When we had rabbits I also put the droppings of the rabbits straight onto the garden. No waiting years and years like you have to for cow or chicken manure to "age". The alfalfa pellets are about $9 to $10 per large bag here in Canada at the farm supply companies. Never buy the little bags at the pet stores. Yes, and I have used it for my perennials and it works great whether you have sandy soil or not.
Note: I have heard "experts" in their talks say that there is something added into the rabbit pellets that is some sort of a plant growth inhibitor but in my searching through my notes of years past I could not find that article. Personal experience...plants still love it and do better with it than without even if the alfalfa has something else in it.
Does anyone else have any info as to what it could be?
Would this also improve clay-based soils?? The soil here in Eastern Kansas is full of clay--even though the earthworms seem to like it.
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