Ken and I have this ongoing issue -- he likes to present things in terms of absolutes ("NOTHING NEEDS TO BE FED ... !!!!") and my contention is that there are very few absolutes when it comes to gardening and plant care :-) To state that nothing needs to be fed is a gross oversimplification. It depends on the existing soil conditions, the type of plant being grown and the ongoing soil management. First, applying a fertilizer is not "feeding" a plant. Plants are autotrophic - that is, they manufacture their own food through the process of photosynthesis. But to successfully complete the photosynthetic process they must have access to a range of soil nutrients. And these nutrients can be/often are depleted over time. Or just lacking to begin with. Fertilizing is just an easy and efficient way of replacing or replenishing depleted nutrient levels although it is not the only way. An annual or semiannual application of a good organic mulch - like compost - often (but not always) provides all the additional nutrients plants require for productive growth and overall health. It is usually recommended that fertilizing be done only after a soil test to determine what nutrients may be lacking or deficient and that is generally a very sound practice. However, a modest annual application of an all-purpose or balanced (all 3 numbers the same) fertilizer with a full range of trace elements, especially if using an organically-sourced one, will not hurt and can ensure your plants are receiving what they need. And since different plants have different nutrient requirements, fertilizers are often formulated to specifically address these differing needs - like Espoma's RoseTone, HollyTone, CitrusTone or TomatoTone. The all-purpose formulations will typically work well for any type of plant but perhaps not as efficiently as those more specific mixes. Building the soil is always an excellent idea but it is not a one-off proposition. It needs to be maintained on an ongoing basis and if the applications of mulches, organic matter or other amendments are not done repeatedly and at frequent enough intervals, it is quite possible that fertilizers will be required to make sure nutrient levels are maintained for optimum plant growth. And to state that established plants don't need watering is just silly. Like any other living organism, plants require water to survive and if that water from natural sources is deficient, then the gardener must supply it. Even so-called drought tolerant plants will experience stress in extended dry periods. To be sure, plants should not be treated like children, but in a cultivated garden setting they DO require some basic care that must be provided by the gardener. And that may very well be supplemental fertilization and irrigation.

Interesting responses to the original question. In my less than humid climate, I put down a handful of pellets per bush, water them, and scratch them in the next day or two. The water causes the pellets to break apart, so that bunnies aren't interested. Besides, the rabbits are much more eager to eat the blooms off my verbenas and snapdragons. Buford, your present reminded me of the Siamese we had many years ago. She caught a mouse in our apartment in the middle of the night. She placed it, half eaten, in my hand while I was asleep, then woke me up. I flushed it. Whew! She was so mad that she marched down the hall, plopped herself with her back to me, and wouldn't speak to me for several days. But offering her liver wooed her back! Years ago, alfalfa was the primary ingredient in vitamins because of its high vitamin content. I don't know about alfalfa pellets, but too much raw alfalfa fed to barnyard animals is a no-no for several reasons. Bloating severe enough to require surgery on cattle is one of the reasons. Wonder if alfalfa would work the same way on mice and rats? For a long time I thought mice were eating some of my strawberries, and later, ripe tomatoes a foot or more off the ground. But then DW said it was probably the squirrels. Gary

Have you tried any local nurseries? The organically-minded west coast seems to offer a pretty wide selection of organic fertilizers and amendments and alfalfa meal is typically included in the mix. It is packaged and sold by a fair number of fertilizer manufacturers and is pretty easily found online or by mail order if not available locally. Alfalfa meal (or pellets) is made from fermented alfalfa and is considered a slow release low nutrient source with an NPK of 3-1-2 (generally). Its biggest plus is the naturally occurring growth hormone it contains, tricontanol, as well as the microbes that are present as a result of the fermentation process - these factors are reputed to encourage larger, more profuse flowering and increased cold and disease resistance. Rosarians do swear by it, especially if applied in the form of alfalfa tea. Other than a compost mulch, alfalfa - or rather its partially digested presence in the form of rabbit manure - is the only fertilizer I use in my garden and primarily only on roses and clematis (and other so-called "heavy feeders"). I'm not sure if it can be attributed to only the bunny poo, but my roses and clematis thrive and bloom heavily and are pretty well disease-free. Humus is the ultimate end product of a composting process - adding alfalfa meal or pellets will have little effect on the quantities of measurable humus in your soil.

The biggest difference between the meal and pellets is spread-ability when using a broadcast spreader. The meal is very light/dusty. It must be applied on a calm day, Otherwise it will blow all over the place. Pellets on the other hand spread perfectly in any condition. Pellets are a great choice for using a broadcast spreader on your lawn. Meal is great for apply by hand to your landscape plants and working into the soil. Im sure the meal will breakdown a bit faster but its not an advantage. I am also able to get soybean meal -- would there be benefits to alternating fertilizations between alfalfa and soybean Yes and Yes. Both are excellent but you will get more bang for your buck with Soybean Meal. The protein content in Alfalfa is approx 14% whereas SBM is approx 46%. You would have to apply approx three times as much Alfalfa to get the same affects as SBM. Both have there time and place. Alfalfa is a bacterial food with lots of vitamins and micro-nutrients and they contain trianconatol, a natural fatty-acid growth stimulant. Soybean Meal is a fungal food with a high protein content. You want to have a good combo of both in your soil. SBM is a great choice when you grass is actively growing. Some cool season grass experts should be able to give you a plan when to apply what.