The richness of the plant world of our country does not cease to amaze everyone who is interested in it. A plant such as yellow alfalfa is a unique set of properties widely used in agronomy; it will become useful in any household. What you need to know about alfalfa? About this - in the material below.
Alfalfa Characteristic
Alfalfa refers to perennials. There are several types of this plant, the most popular of which are sowing blue alfalfa and yellow sickle alfalfa.
The root system of this plant is a distinctive feature of alfalfa. It is quite powerful and has the appearance of a rod that goes into the soil by 2-3 meters. The leaves consist of three parts, and alfalfa blossoms with inflorescences in the form of an oval with a blue or yellow corolla.
Yellow alfalfa (see photo in the article) blooms from mid-June to the end of August in almost any meadow area. An exception is the area with groundwater - it does not withstand their proximity.
It is easiest to find alfalfa in meadows, in the steppe, near roads and on the edges of forests. It does not grow near swamps and wetlands.
Alfalfa propagated by seeds. They can be bought ready for sowing, or can be obtained from young plants.
Special properties
What makes yellow alfalfa unique and why is it valuable for households? It's all about a number of qualities, because of which growing it is so popular:
- Nutritional value. Yellow alfalfa is very rich in proteins, as well as vitamins E, PP, C. Thanks to this, it is one of the best forage crops.
- Honey bearing. Alfalfa is successfully used by beekeepers for honey production.
- Sidereal properties. Due to the structure of the root system, alfalfa is used to improve soil structure and inhibit the growth of weeds.
- Multifunctionality. The feed value of alfalfa also lies in the fact that each element of the plant is suitable for use in food and long-term storage. Hay is made from it, briquettes and animal feed are made.
- Resistance to temperature changes. Yellow alfalfa is a culture that can withstand high temperatures with sufficient watering, and is also resistant to cold. Therefore, its cultivation gives good yields.
That is why a plant such as alfalfa is popular and respected by farmers and households.
Alfalfa cultivation
This perennial plant is not too demanding, but grows best on chernozems and loams. Least suitable for growing alfalfa soils that are excessively saturated with moisture. It does not grow well on swampy and too acidic soils.
Often it is sown to prepare the land for subsequent cultivation of barley or wheat - yellow alfalfa is optimal for this.
The first crop of the plant is used to produce seeds. Alfalfa seeds can also be bought ready-made.
For good growth, the plant requires good moisture in the soil and light.
Resistance to adverse conditions
With good moisture, alfalfa is able to withstand fairly high temperatures. It is also drought resistant due to its deep root system.
This plant tolerates cold well. Seeds can germinate at a temperature of 1-2 degrees, and the germinated shoots can withstand sudden frosts up to 5 degrees below zero.
But if alfalfa is too often mowed up or too late to do it, and also if the crops of this plant are subjected to excessive grazing, then the resistance of alfalfa to cold is significantly reduced.
Crops can suffer small floods, but groundwater flooding is detrimental to them. Therefore, before sowing yellow alfalfa, you need to make sure that there are no groundwater or groundwater nearby.
What is it used for?
First of all, the value of alfalfa is for livestock farms. According to its nutritional value, the presence of trace elements and vitamins, alfalfa is a leader among forage crops. It is most often used as feed for cattle. Yellow alfalfa is also very suitable for rabbits.
Beekeepers note the high melliferousness of this plant. Moreover, to collect pollen and nectar, alfalfa is chosen not only by bees, but also bumblebees.
In agronomy, alfalfa is also widely used. Moreover, not only as a highly nutritious animal feed, but also for soil preparation.
Thanks to alfalfa crops with its special root system, the soil becomes more homogeneous, saturated with minerals, and weeds and their seeds die or grow in much smaller quantities.
The combination of unique properties and undemanding cultivation makes alfalfa an extremely valuable crop for farmers and households, and the high nutritional value and protein, amino acid and vitamin content are the most popular animal feed.