Dr. Earth sells an alfalfa meal in a 3 pound box. It also contains mycorrhizae.

I've bought it online, but you might find it locally in CA.

I have about half left over from my 50 bag. I'm going to put it around my azaleas, hydrangeas and forsythia. Buff

E. B. Stone also sells alfalfa meal in several size options...

BettyN

If you do have some left over and are saving it for later, be sure to put it into a secure container of heavy plastic or metal. Otherwise rodents will get into it.

Ask me how I know.

Rosefolly

I believe organic fertilizers like RoseTone (or HollyTone or PlantTone) also have some alfalfa in them--and your roses will LOVE RoseTone. My complaint about getting RoseTone (or related product--any will do)at my local stores is that they only carry small packages. I could use a somewhat larger one.

Kate

I think you could ask the feed store people to split the bag for you into manageable sizes...feed stores often sell certain grains/seeds from bulk which they bag to order.

Robert

Yes I would try to get them to split the bag. If not, they will load it in your car and you can get someone to help lift the bag out once you get home. Then scoop into a lidded bin (I used one of those plastic storage bins). Keep a small pail handy in the bin to scoop what you need. Even if the alfalfa has to stay in the bin 2-3 years, it will still be good.

Like stated above, it can also be used on other plants/lawn. I use it on irises and daylilies. You can also add it to a compost pile as a green layer. 50 lbs can be used quicker than you think.

I would buy a bag of rabbit food, which is largely alfalfa.

Rabbit food may contain molasses or other materials that will make it even MORE attractive to rodents, I hear.

My local nursery has alfalfa meal in bulk, where you can buy one scoop or many. You might want to call around and see if any of your places do, too. Be sure to scratch it in - it forms a water-resistant mat if just dumped on the surface. (As Rosefolly says, ask me how I know!).
Anita

Dr. Earth's Organic 3 Rose and Flower Fertilizer has alfalfa. It looks like all of the Dr. Earth "blended" fertilizers have alfalfa. Oh, wait, Organic 10 (for tropicals) does not.

There is a "Where to Buy" link on the page.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dr. Earth

I like the Dr. Earth Rose Food. In addition to the alfalfa, it contains microbes.

Alfalfa is a good general purpose fertilizer. You can use it on your lawn.
barbara

the rabbit food with molasses shouldn't be a problem, as i have bags of branfields organic fertilizer made of alfalfa with molasses. The mice didn't eat that but did prefer the sunflower seeds that was sitting next to it.

Rodents may or may not eat organic fertilizer, depending on what else is in it, but they'll definitely eat rabbit food. A little bit of blood meal seems to be pretty efficient at driving them off.

Blood meal may attract dogs, which then lick it off the soil. What you are talking about here is fertilizing, as with any fertilizing there really should be indications that your particular soil will be enhanced by using applications of a particular product before much money, time or trouble is devoted to it. If you have not sampled your soil and had it tested and then you do have it checked you may find out that a rather different approach is indicated. Soils vary, it is not true that all roses everywhere benefit from the same fertilizing regardless of what soils they are planted in.

I've bought alfalfa cubes at my grocery store in the pet food section. I've crumbled 'em up to make alfalfa tea, suppose you could do the same if you want to just mix it straight into the soil around roses.

Thanks everyone! That's a lot of information, and all good. I have (after a LOT of searching on the internet) found a nursery in a neighboring town that carries the E.B. Stone products. So I think I'll take a little trip next week up to Modesto and get some of that. They have it in a 3-Lb. box and also in a 10-Lb. bag.
I did consider the sharing-with-the-neighbor idea, because our neighbor has a large lawn, in front and back, (we have none) - but he also has back trouble, and he's so nice that I know he would try to help with that 50-Lb. bag and probably hurt himself. Good idea, though. In fact, all these ideas are good. We are moving to Sacramento sometime this year, and I'm clipping some of these answers for future reference (who knows what young and helpful neighbors may await us?).
Thanks again!

bboy, of course commercially prepared organic fertilizers need to be handled in accordance with all of the usual rules regulating the smart use of fertilizers. My point was that you can't assume that rodents aren't attracted by any of the individual ingredients they contain just because they find the entire mix to be unpalatable.

The nicest thing about our local chapter of the Amer.Rose Society is that they go in together to buy in bulk and then divide up the goods-- alfalfa, 20/20/20 etc. No soil testing is needed for alfalfa; essentially it is a source of organic matter with the added benefit that it has a growth stimulant effect. At the feed store read the label; the horse formula tends to be much less adulterated than the rabbit formula. The advantage of the alfalfa tea is 1) no critters and 2) a really instant effect on growth. Many times plants that have stopped growing with throw multiple new basals after being fed with alfalfa. Great stuff!

I can't speak for antique roses at this point as I left my beauties when I left the East Coast. But I do use alfalfa pellets.

My first bag was the rabbit food from Wal-mart - 10# for $4.95, I believe, and the ingredient list was free of molasses and less than 1% salt. I do buy the 50# bags from a feed store for $10 and, yes, wrestling it from the car trunk is no mean feat! But as far as excess goes - whatever doesn't go on/around your plants, use on your lawn in the spring and again in the fall. I just fling it and I've not seen squirrels, chipmonks, rabbits, deer, etc. eat it - much preferring other things in my yard and gardens. I agree "Great stuff!"

Tosca, when you get to Sacramento, be sure to get in touch. I can tell you about the nursery which has the bulk organic materials, and whatever else you might need. We cemetery volunteers have been sharing alfalfa pellets amongst us, too.
My email is anitac@ surewest.net (no space). I rarely check my GW email.
Anita

Anita - Thank you so much! That will be great! I'm really looking forward to being up there (I have lived there before, but not as a gardener, only a poor apartment dweller with a few house plants), and of course my little roses are coming with me!
Laura

And thanks again to all who chimed in on my alfalfa problem.