13.75 for 50# is more economical than 4.23 for 40#?? maybe you mistyped!
I think they'd have different effects and uses - the alfalfa would be much more of a nitrogen fix, appropriate for a lwan, but maybe not as desireable for flowers, where excess N will increase foliage growth but prolly decrease blooming

I'd go w/ the manure, as a light top dressing, and count on the yearly compost additions to supply the overall fertility of the beds soil

Bill

Hi Bill, Thanks for the reply.

The reason that the cow manure would be more expensive is because I usually put it down pretty heavily, about 1" thick, and so need about 20 bags or so (total cost of over $80). The alfalfa meal I'd sprinkle much more lightly, and need less than a bag.

Do you think I'm applying the manure too thickly? Or do I need it at all - is the annual compost enough?

Thanks again! Lori

oh, of course!
I think the manure is not really necessary if you're able to use a fair quantity of a good compost - or some manure could be used in making the compost instead, or applied at the same time

I find that in a healthy soil that's been fed compost for years, very little fertilizing is required during the season - w/ flowers you do want to go easy on extra nitrogen anyway, maybe just a small amout of the alfalfa around between the plants would be as much boost as you need

Bill

Why do you think you need to add "fertilizer" to your soil?
How much compost did you add last fall?
What is your soil like now?

Hi Kimmsr, Well, that's a good question. I've been wondering about that myself. I'd love to go without fertilizer and just use compost. I've heard people say that they've only used compost on their garden for years. I watched the "Gardener Guy" on HGTV and he made a comment that made sense to me - he said to fertilize lightly because why should we be forcing plants to grow faster than nature intended - all that tender new growth is more susceptible to pests and diseases. I also read somewhere that when the bugs in the soil die, they provide the protein that those soil microorganisms like so much.

But then other people tell me that compost is a "soil amendment" but not a fertilizer.

Are there any guidelines to know when fertilizer is needed?

My soil is mostly a crumbly light-grey, with clay down deeper (below 6" or so). Most of my beds also have lots of tree roots or old roots from long-gone plants. The beds that I have mulched tend to stay loose and crumbly. I have a few beds that I need to mulch, and the rain has compacted those soils more. I tend to find earthworms in all of my beds, though. My plants appear to be happy and healthy and growing well. I'm rarely troubled by pests and diseases, and usually manage them by removing the affected foliage.

I put down about 1" of compost on my flower beds last fall.

I'd love to hear your opinion/advice. Thanks!

compost is a 'soil amendment' - to build the health of the soil so the micros can do the 'fertilizing' they were designed for, which is converting the organic compounds in the compost to the mineral compounds the plants need, as they need it - specific 'fertilizing' may be needed at times, and the condition of the plants will show that - if they're fairly vigorous looking and flowering well, nothing is lacking

from your description, you don't need fertilizer - if anything, use more compost in the fall, and get the whole thing well mulched [well composted manure can be used for that too] - presence of worms everywhere shows you're doing it well

Bill

Thanks, Bill, that makes sense to me. Plus it saves me a lot of work! :-)

I have started using the Ruth Stout method this summer in my vegetable garden with heavily mulching with straw. I find it is working very well so far. I had read that she encouraged the sprinkling of alfafa meal and that it would 'work through' to the plants.

This weekend on Cable Northwest News Network, a great Northwest garden expert, Ciscoe, talked about alfafa meal for someone whose roses weren't flowering. He recommeded putting a cup on each rose bush. He said it will help anything flower and produce more. He recommended only getting it at a feed store due to the lower cost. I went and got 80lbs yesterday for 10.99 at our local grange store. In the same store a 2 1/2Lb box in the garden section cost $5.00! I have used all of the 80lbs in my vegetable garden and around my English flower and rose beds. I will try to remember to tell post here if I see much change in the coming 2 months. Next spring I plan on planting aproximately 1 cup with each plant when transplanting.