Possibly a new fertilizer?

5 years ago

So I wanted to add some alfalfa pellets to my yard and was doing a little research on certain animal feed product. While on Tractor Supply's website I looked through horse feed which is primarily alfalfa and timothy grass. I also looked at the rabbit feed section because I'm sure the pellets are probably smaller. There's a product for show rabbits that has a lot of great things and possibly offer more than other fertilizer blends. There is an array of grains, probiotics for the soil, molasses, yucca and amino acids. I was hoping someone could look through in case I passed something but most everything looks solid for the lawn. I'll put a link and a copy of the ingredients.

Dehydrated alfalfa meal, wheat middlings, soybean hulls, soybean meal, feeding oatmeal, cane molasses, vegetable oil, dried whey, wheat germ meal, brewers dried yeast, saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation solubles, dl-methionine, l-lysine, calcium carbonate, monocalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, sodium bentonite, salt, ferrous carbonate, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, copper amino acid chelate, manganous oxide, manganese sulfate, manganese amino acid chelate, zinc oxide, zinc sulfate, zinc amino acid chelate, cobalt carbonate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, niacin supplement, choline chloride, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus plantarum, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, papaya extract, yucca schidigera, natural and artificial flavor

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/manna-pro-select-series-sho-formula-rabbit-food-50-lb?cm_vc=-10005

Featured Answer

Nevermore44 - 6a

5 years ago

My "soil" under the originally sodded lawn is all fill dirt and quite alkaline (8)... so all the amendments would help to barely push it to neutral. Though I believe most amendments will even out to neutral once they decompose ... including pine needles, oak leaves, etc.

For "fertilizer" equivalent.... you need to look at the protein content. There's some equation to convert protein to nitrogen... but I'm not too technical in regards to that. That's why I do more often then not use the catfish food, because of the high protein amount... vs lets say cracked corn is quite low. There is no need to add chemical ferts if you go this route. The highest protein you would find (at a feed store) is soybean meal. The only drawback is it can stink after a rain for a bit.

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Comments (16)

Joe BigBlue
5 years ago
Well I guess my concern would be every animal in your neighborhood will be having a smorgasbord on your lawn.
Jim W
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Yeah, I’d agree, but if you core aerated and through this down with a compost top dressing then I couldn’t see anything wrong with doing that. In fact I’d bet it would be extremely beneficial.

I’d think that the copper sulfate and the other copper amino acid would be great for combating fungus.
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z t
Original Author
5 years ago
I’ve thrown down soybean and alfalfa in the past and just watered it in and animals haveybeen an issue. Maybe a few bunnies here and there. My yard is big spreading compost is oit of the question. If I could spread compost there really wouldn’t even be a need for a fertilizer.
Nevermore44 - 6a
5 years ago
That has a lot of "good looking" stuff in it. I might have to try to add it to the mix.

Though I am wondering... when they were formulating this stuff .... who at the very end said "Hey guys... you know what I think will really round this out and make it a great product? Papaya Extract!"

From TSC I've used the sweet horse feed, alfalfa pellets, cracked corn, and what I used the most are the catfish pellets since they have high protein and a lot of other vitamins and minerals added in. In regards to neighborhood fauna getting dinner in your lawn… I’ve only had birds come for the cracked corn. But as with any of the fertilizer, I put it down when it’s going to rain in the next day or so… so the fauna issue is short lived.
z t
Original Author
5 years ago
I’m going there today and see if it’s in stock. I mihht get some blood meal to spread too just to scare away the weak. Here in Michigan we’re supposed to get rain Friday and Saturday so I’ll plan to put it down tonight leaving a window for advantageous animals.
Nevermore44 - 6a
5 years ago
even if you get a random herd of rabbits.... they are just leaving there own fertilizer anyway. It's the circle of life.... and manure
Jim W
5 years ago
Do you all see good results from using this animal feed?
Nevermore44 - 6a
5 years ago
I assume it's doing it's job. Compared to the surrounding lawns in my neighborhood... my lawn is greener then most. Plus I don't mind my kid running around and playing all over the lawn.

I just stick with using a wide variety of stuff to feed the lawn/soil/bacteria. So besides the random stuff from TSC... I also mulch mow tons of neighborhood leaves into the lawn in the fall and spring.... and I take all my perennial bed cuttings and just toss them out on the lawn to be chopped up if I'm mowing that day.

Just as an FYI on some of the TSC items. For the sweet feed.. I'll get oats growing here and there. For the cracked corn... I'll get random corn growing from kernels that slipped through. It's not a problem.... the mower gets them. And I stopped using alfalfa since it seemed like I got some weeds grown after it.
Jim W
5 years ago
Do these products help maintain the PH in the soil? What about any need for adding fertilizer through the year or do these product just keep everything going so there isn’t a need?
dchall_san_antonio
5 years ago
In the wild animals will only eat alfalfa when there is no alternative. They eat it in captivity only when they have no alternative for fresh food.

Papaya extract is a digestive aid enzyme.

Jim W, if you look at the ingredients for most organic fertilizers you will see a list including corn, alfalfa, soybean, wheat, flax, cottonseed, and animal byproducts. The animal byproducts usually include feather meal, fish meal, hydrolyzed fish, poultry litter, and sometimes blood meal. If you'll notice these are all protein sources of one type or another. So we have, for the past 13 years, been using the raw materials directly from the feed store and saving a lot over the commercially bagged organic fertilizers. The application rate is 15 to 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. The way these work is that the 100,000 or so species of microbes in the soil decompose the foodstuffs and then decompose each other until there is a byproduct called plant food. This process takes 3 weeks to occur. Once it does you should see results like this...
This was taken by mrmumbles several years ago. It's a zoysia lawn fertilized with a handful of alfalfa pellets in mid May. The picture was taken in mid June the same year. You can see the improved color, density, and growth.
Jim W
5 years ago
Thank you for that explanation and example.
z t
Original Author
5 years ago
I just spread it out today and I like the way it spreads. The pellets are small enough that it seems like they will be break down into a more usable form for the soil. The alfalfa pellets I used in the past were pretty large.
Jim W
5 years ago
Apologies for all the questions. How often do you all have to feed the lawn with this? I’m really interested in incorporating this into my fall rehab.
z t
Original Author
5 years ago
Most people have different schedules and budgets. I try to apply once a month. If you’re starting out id recommend that but once you’re established and the soil is healthy you can apply less. Plus you don’t have to do much weed control because the grass will naturally take over weeds
dchall_san_antonio
5 years ago
If you apply at 15 to 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet, then the Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving schedule should be fine. There's no maximum amount you can use. People have tried to overdose with organics, but it seems to be impossible. I think it would take something like 80 pounds per 1,000 square feet to smother the lawn, but it would be great for the soil.

No need to apologize for asking questions.

Possibly a new fertilizer?

Nevermore44 - 6a

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