Q: Someone told me alfalfa tea was good for roses, that they would literally bloom themselves crazy. How do you make it?

A: Some rose growers swear by the magical powers of alfalfa pellets (sold at seed and feed stores as animal food).

1. Scoop 10 cups of alfalfa meal or pellets into a 32-gallon plastic garbage can that has a lid.
2. Fill with water, stir, and steep for four or five days, stirring occasionally; you may also add 2 cups of Epsom salts.
3. The tea will start to smell in three days, so keep the lid ON. Schedule the opening of the container for a day when the family is away.
4. Use a gallon of brown “tea” each month on large rosebushes to make strong canes and robust green leaves.