This is a great thread. I've learned about alfalfa pellets to try. I don't use any fertilizers but I often mulch with manure. When you are at you local feed store buying alfalfa pellets, also pick up a bag of corn gluten. I had heard about this on gardenweb, and gave it a try last year in my new peony beds. With a fresh coat of mulch, it worked well with just a few weeds. This year my peony beds had so many more weeds, and I was wondering why until I realized that despite a new layer of mulch, this year I had NOT used the cg. I'm now a believer! It was about $14 for a very big bag. Compare that to the chemical Preen and it's waaaay cheaper and also organic. I also get woodchips from tree companies to use on my paths. From a tree trimming company I think they are too big to use as mulch, unless it is for trees or shrubs. They will not rob nitrogen from your soil if they are spread on the TOP. (If you mix it into the soil, then it will steal N) The best way to get woodchips is to stop and talk to them when they are working in your neighborhood. They would rather dump the chips locally than drive them somewhere else. But be sure you want them in a large quantity! (Sometimes I take over a box of donuts or fresh cookies and they are more than happy to give me woodchips.) Also, I get manure from a local horsefarmer, many pickup truck fulls every year. It's my fertilizing mulch. I drive over in a pickup truck and he loads it with a skidster. His wife loves gardening, so I swap perennials for manure. I offered to pay him, but he says his wife would rather get the flowers. (She's smart when you consider the price at the nurseries!) I have always been daunted by the idea of starting all those perennials from cuttings, but your setups look very doable. Maybe I will this year, but next year certainly! Here is a link that might be useful: corn gluten FAQ on gardenweb

It should be the same stuff, and I would think it would be just as easy to apply in pellet form. I'd try 'em & see how they work in the spreader, then water 'em in. When I wanted to use alfalfa pellets, they didn't work so well in the drop spreader, but they work fine in my rotary spreader. I can't imagine the CG pellets would be much different. Good day, Dan

dchall and I have had this argument before. He feels that organic fertilizer is all you need, while I believe you need a combination of compost (to add microbes, worms, life) and organic fertilizer to feed microbes. Grains are very beneficial, but without soil that is teaming with life, it won't do much good. The way to fix it is by adding a thin layer of compost (top-dressed) year after year. In addition, spraying your yard with compost tea will speed up that process even faster, as the microbes will get absorbed right down into the soil. Get a soil test, logan labs is good. Make sure you pay extra to have your organic matter levels tested. The most important things you will get from the test to start are Ph levels and Organic Matter. Compost is the great equalizer, so whether you have high ph or low ph, compost does an excellent job of getting it back in check, but if it's really low, you will need to add lyme and I think it's sulfer or something if it is too high (it's never high in new england)... The soil test will give you a good benchmark for next year or the year after to retest. In the meantime, water 1 inch per week, mow high, get a weed hound to pop out weeds, and apply as much compost tea as you can. Also, starbux gives their used coffee ground away for free, this is a great source of OM... It can be a bit acidic, so it's best to throw it in a compost pile for a couple months to neutralize it. Also, don't just go on cost per lb. Soybean meal for example is 7% nitrogen or about 3x as valuable as alfalfa... It's good to mix it up anyways, as each one has different benefits. If you want to go with a pre-mixed organic Ringer Brand is exception, although a bit expensive and hard to find. Finally, that $700 you spent on synthetics would go a long way in organic lawn care. It's a little expensive up-front, but the difference is that you are improving the structure of your soil and lawn, so it only gets cheaper every year, as your lawn becomes an oasis for life. I think of synthetics like steroids... you look strong and healthy on the outside, but your insides are dying and the second you stop taking them, you body falls apart on the outside as well. Here is a link that might be useful: Organic Fertilizer Comparisons

. . . and now it begins I had SPECIFICALLY insisted that the carpet be power stretched. It was written on my order. It was written on the installers' job sheet. So what do I find when I check on their progress? A stinger. Which punches holes in the carpet and is explicitly prohibited by the CRI. I took a picture of it and emailed it to Lowes, and told them that the installer had violated the Mohawk warranty requirements. And hopefully didn't take chunks out of my subfloor in the process, but probably did. The installation team manager called Mohawk to confirm what I told him, and they said yes, stingers are a no go. So, I told them they are going to have to do it all over again, with new fresh materials, and do it right. more fun.