How Does Your Garden Grow? Planting Tips For New Gardeners

If you need to use alfalfa as feed, there's a good chance that you're going to have large quantities of it at some point. It is usually cheaper to buy it in bulk, which means that you are going to end up storing most of it for a long time. In order to make sure that your money isn't wasted, you will need to make sure that the alfalfa stays clean and undamaged during this time. Here are some tips for making sure that you are storing your alfalfa correctly.

1. Store Inside if Possible

The first thing that you need to do is figure out a way to store your alfalfa indoors. The reason for this is that the sun can change the color of the alfalfa and dry it out slightly, removing some of its nutrients and making it less effective as a feed. Be sure that you keep your alfalfa out of the sunlight in order to further protect it from UV damage and ensure that it keeps its color. You want to try to keep its color in case you end up selling it again if you purchased too much. This will allow it to fetch a higher price.

Storing the alfalfa inside will also allow you to make sure that it doesn't get wet. If you are worried about flooding in the location where you are storing it, store the alfalfa in waterproof containers or off the floor level. This will allow you to keep it from growing mildew.

2. Keep the Humidity Low

You also want to try to keep the humidity low in order to further stave off mildew. This will involve purchasing a dehumidifier or two if you live in an area that commonly has high humidity levels. Have something that measures the humidity of the room where you are storing the alfalfa in order to monitor how it is doing.

3. Store With Room Between the Bales

Finally, be sure that you are leaving at least a few inches of space between each bale of hay and that you are trying to avoid stacking them on top of each other. This will allow the air to move around and will allow you to manage the humidity levels more effectively. Purchasing shelves will allow you to store more bales in your existing space without putting them on top of each other.

For more information, talk to your alfalfa supplier.