Home Brew (My Own IPA—Improved Pungent Aroma)

Start with a large barrel or garbage can. I used a 33 gallon garbage can, but that isn’t critical; I make a new barrel for each garden in our yard. The first ingredient is alfalfa pellets, which is cheaper than crushed alfalfa and it breaks down rather quickly. I know some people put the alfalfa meal around their roses, but with the bunny problems we have, why attract them to the roses! I added 12 soup cans of alfalfa to the bottom of the barrel, and then filled it three quarters of the way with water. Let it sit in a sunny area (near your rose garden for ease of application), stirring frequently.

 

After it brewed and broke down, I added Clean Kelp, a blend of seven sea algae, sustainably sourced fish fertilizer (5-1-1), and Otter River Liquid Gold which is composted cow manure, brewed and bottled by Catlin Farmstead in Winchendon, Massachusetts. This is a great source of potassium, has a neutral pH and is a microbial inoculant. 
   
After this brewed for a few hours, I used clean 5-gallon buckets, dipped them in the mixture, filling the container halfway. I carried the half-filled container to the plants I wanted to nourish, and then filled with more water. I drenched one or two plants from head to toe with the mixture. The dredged material left at the bottom of the barrel can be used in your next garden area, as a base to begin your brew once again. Or else you can just incorporate it into the soil around your rose bushes, and cover with mulch. Then, water, water, water! As I mentioned above, your roses will love you!