Roselee, there is a guy on the radio here in Houston, who recommends a slow release 3-1-2 ratio applied in late June or early July.
Jim

Alfalfa pellets with NPK of 3-1-2... Apply at the rate of 25 lbs per 1000 sqft. Much cheaper and much better than compost....

Thank you Jim. It's good to know fertilizer can be applied this time of year.

Lou, I can get alfalfa pellets at the feed store for around $10 for a 50 lb bag if I remember correctly. The price may have gone up some recently though. Thank you for giving me the rate of application.

Lou - I used alfalfa pellets for the first time in May, and I have a question. In the bag it reminded me of rabbit food. Once we applied and watered it in, it swelled up and after a week finally disappeared into the lawn, but it didn't seem like there was really good coverage because the swelled up pellets were so long and large and blobbed (blobbed?) in lumps. Did I use the right stuff? Is there a type that is smaller pellets and would be a better choice?

you can use an organic fertilizer (like Ladybug or Hastagro) and it helps. It won't burn like the non-organic types.

Deb,

They are rabbit food. I know they swell up when they get some moisture so I tend to let my grass grow tall, fertilize it, water them in (I always try to time it with coming storms so I don't have to water). When grass is dry and alfalfa pellets have "puffed" up, I mow and they're chopped up to tiny pieces and get filtered down to the ground.

Roselee,

The reason that it's better to use protein based grains like alfalfa, corn, soybean, cottonseed, etc is that they are easier to apply and a lot cheaper compared to compost. You get the same effect from fertilizing with organic fertilizer as you get from compost. They are FOOD for soil microbes, the very same stuff found in compost so they will multiply and help improve the soil. Also alfalfa pellets have all kinds of nutrients not found in synthetic fertilizer. I usually alternate soybean meal and alfalfa pellets every 3 months.

Lou and everybody, right now our yard getting the first significant rain in months! So far I measured 3/4 an inch on the rain gauge. So I put on a shower cap, went out in the rain and put alfalfa pellets on two thirds of the yard. It ran out before I got it all covered, but what is not treated will serve as a kind of a control area to gauge the effectiveness.

The drizzel should moisten and puff up the pellets and I'll water them in before dark so they will disintegrate and won't give the rodents a feast.

Thanks loads everyone for the advice. And thanks to the nekkid turtles for all the dancing :-)

Lou - That is good to know about alternating the alfalfa and soybean pellets. Someone once told me that alfalfa has a hormone that encourages plant growth. Have you heard that?

Roselee - We need soem nekkid turtle dancing up here in the northern part of the state. Send some of those tropical depressions this way, please!

Hello R.H. ! go to your nearest Starbucks and ask for the coffee grounds. They save them for people who want them to compost.

Throw the coffee grounds onto the lawn as you would a fertilizer. I have been told that it's best to take the wet grounds, open the bag,let them dry out, then throw around. don't let it stay in bag wet.

tried to call you yesterday. but couldn't find you in phone book. Went to Schumachers spur of moment with plant swap friend from Dallas and couldn't remember the back way you told me about. But we found it !!

patty

Where do you buy the alfalfa and soybean pellets?

I've seen alfalfa pellets in a local farm and ranch store in their "feed" section - can be used to feed rabbits.

I buy soybean meal (can also get the alfalfa pellets there)at a local feed store. The feed store is kind of a hole-in-the-wall place but it has just about any grain product one could want and their prices are excellent. Might check your Yellow Pages.

Water. (snork!) PJ

Right PJ! LOL! I almost forgot how much rain helps and I've got a long memory!

We got about two inches last week, but still leaves my yard with less than than the yearly average most deserts get! But it was 'shore' a welcome relief for the plants and it greened things up.

The alfalfa pellets didn't hurt any either -- that's for sure. Denise, you're right. They do contain a growth factor and rosarians use it a lot. I've used it on the plants for years, just never had used it on the lawn before, but I will now.

Patty, there's a Starbucks near me. I'll have to check it out and see if anyone else is getting their 'black gold' coffee grounds. My little one cup a day of coffee grounds isn't that much.