How to make Alfalfa Green Tea
Alfalfa Green is an extremely versatile fertilizer not only because it contains over 30 different nutrients in every 4mm pellet, but it can also be used to make a concentrated liquid nutrient solution to apply directly to the soil, as a foliar spray, or injected into a fertigation system.
3 types of Alfalfa Green Tea and their benefits
Depending on the grower’s objective, Alfalfa Green Tea can be brewed 3 different ways. Each method will produce a slightly different liquid nutrient solution.
Quick-brew: The simplest and fastest way to make Alfalfa Green Tea is to soak approximately 1 lb of Alfalfa Green pellets in 4 litres of water for 24-48 hours. A quick-brew tea will contain soluble nutrients that readily dissolve when the alfalfa pellets are soaked in water. Use this tea to give a quick shot of nutrients to your house plants or greenhouse seedlings.
Fermented tea: The process for making a fermented tea is no different than making a quick-brew other than it is left undisturbed in a warm area for 7-15 days. After a few days the brew will become anaerobic, which means specialized micro-organisms will begin a fermentation process that will break the alfalfa down at the cellular level, resulting in more nutrients dissolving in the liquid. A fermented tea will have a bad smell and even have a slightly “slippery” feel – but that just means it is working! This tea will have a larger range of nutrients as well as a high population of beneficial micro-organisms. Apply this tea directly to the soil, use as a foliar spray, or inject into a fertigation system.
Aerobic tea: The difference between a fermented tea and an aerobic tea is the addition of air as the tea brews. Various bubblers or water pumps can be used to oxygenate the brew, which will prevent it from fermenting and beginning to smell bad. Apply an aerobic Alfalfa Green Tea directly to the soil, as a foliar spray, or injected into a fertigation system.
Useful tips about Alfalfa Green Tea
Brewing Alfalfa Green Tea is completely scalable. Use 1 lb of Alfalfa Green Pellets to every 4 litres of water, and brew in as large a container as required.
Because Alfalfa Green pellets are 88% organic matter and less than 8% moisture, they will expand 600% when soaked in water. Once the tea is brewed, expect to have less volume of water than you originally started with.
You can experiment with different concentrations of pellets to make a stronger or more dilute tea. You cannot hurt your crops with Alfalfa Green Tea!
If the tea will be applied with a sprayer, it will need to go through a 400-micron filter. We recommend using a 400-micron paint strainer to separate the organic matter from the liquid.
All of the “pulp” or “fibre” at the bottom of the tank still has nutritive value. Blend it in with potting mix, add to your compost pile, or side-dress plants with it.