Alfalfa: description and yield, cultivation and care, popular varieties
Alfalfa is a leguminous plant that is actively used in agriculture. This crop is often used as feed for cattle. But its useful properties do not end there. At the same time, farmers are often interested in the description and yield of alfalfa, as well as growing and caring for the plant. This crop is considered undemanding to comply with the rules of agricultural technology, but in order to get a good harvest, you need to consider a number of rules.
Botanical description
Alfalfa is a leguminous plant that is considered a perennial crop.In natural conditions, there are also wild representatives. The plant is characterized by a strong and thick root system, which is characterized by deep occurrence in the ground. The culture has a straight and stable stem that covers many leaves. The height of the bushes reaches 85 centimeters.
During the flowering period, blue and blue flowers appear on the plant, which form tassels. It happens in summer. After the end of this period, hooked beans form on the bushes, ripening in August.
Asia is considered the birthplace of alfalfa. In nature, the plant is found in Russia and the Balkans. It prefers to settle near water bodies, in meadows and forest edges. This legume is often used as a forage base for livestock.
Popular varieties
Today, more than a hundred species of such crops are known. About half of them can be seen in Russia. The most popular varieties of alfalfa include the following:
- Sickle - characterized by well-developed roots. This is a fairly large culture, which reaches a height of 40-80 centimeters. It has bare shoots or covered with sparse villi. They form trifoliate petiolate leaves of a lanceolate shape. Their length is 0.5-2.2 centimeters, and their width is 2-6 millimeters. In June-July, dense capitate brushes appear on the bushes. After pollination, curled beans are formed.
- Hop-like is an annual or biennial herb. It has a not too developed tap root, but grows a large number of thin stems 10-50 centimeters in size. Small petiolate leaves reach a length of 7-15 centimeters, and a width of 3-10 millimeters. During the flowering period, small yellow flowers appear on the plant. After that, single-seeded beans are formed up to 2 millimeters in length.
- Sowing - this culture is characterized by elastic grassy shoots that reach a height of 80 centimeters.The plant is distinguished by a powerful thickened rhizome and oval leaves. During the flowering period, blue or purple flowers 5-6 millimeters long are formed on the bushes. They are then replaced by 6mm wide spun beans.
- Variable - This perennial crop grows as a subshrub. Its height reaches 70-120 centimeters. This variety is characterized by strongly branched shoots that cover small leaves on long petioles. They are oval or ovoid in shape. Tubular capitate inflorescences in the axils of the leaves are on rather long peduncles. The petals of this type of alfalfa often have a variegated color. They can also have a yellow, purple or blue tint. Then large beans appear on the bushes, twisted into a spiral.
Planting instructions
You can plant alfalfa in early spring. This is done immediately after the snow melts, when the soil contains a lot of productive moisture. Specific dates depend on the climate. Usually landing is carried out from the end of February to the beginning of April.
Good results can be achieved with autumn sowing. In this case, it is important to be in time before the onset of frost. At the same time, the seeds remain in the ground under the snow all winter, undergoing stratification. With the onset of heat, they begin to germinate and give the first shoots. This makes the plant more hardy and resistant. In conditions of a large amount of light, heat and moisture, planting work can be carried out in the summer.
Alfalfa can be planted on a site where legumes have grown before. Also, the predecessors of the plant can be winter and spring cereals, sugar beet, corn. It is recommended to prepare the site in advance. It needs to be dug up or plowed up. At the same time, 5 kilograms of organic matter and a mixture of mineral fertilizers from 50 grams of superphosphate and potassium should be used per 1 square meter.
Expert opinionZarechny Maxim ValerievichAgronomist with 12 years of experience. Our best gardening expert.Ask a QuestionIt is important to clear the area of weeds. This is due to the fact that the plant has not too large seeds, which will be difficult to break through unwanted vegetation.Since alfalfa seeds have a fairly strong shell, they need to be processed with a scarifying machine or ground with coarse sand. After damage to the coating, moisture will be easier to get inside. This will result in faster sprouts.
When sowing a small amount of seeds, they can be soaked in advance. This should be done 10-12 hours before boarding. After that, it is recommended to place the grains in ready-made grooves filled with water and sprinkle with soil.
On average, it is recommended to plant 8-14 kilograms of seeds per 1 hectare - it all depends on the level of aridity in the region. In areas with dry climates, fewer seeds should be used. On a plot with artificial irrigation, you can plant 15-16 kilograms of beans per 1 hectare.
Correct care
In order for alfalfa to give a good harvest, it is worth adhering to some rules of agricultural technology. At the same time, the crop needs to be watered in time, protected from weeds and pests, and fertilized.
In the first year of sowing, watering should be carried out when the sprouts reach 13 centimeters. A moderate amount of moisture will help the culture move on to the second stage of development - the formation of buds. At this stage, the soil should be moistened a second time.
Irrigation of alfalfa is required only in dry areas, since temperate climates usually have enough rainfall for the normal development of the crop. At the same time, prolonged rains have a bad effect on the development of a plant that cannot withstand waterlogging.
If you add enough nutrients when planting, top dressing during the growth period will be redundant. The only exception is poor soil, which requires additional nutrition.For the formation of lush greenery, alfalfa should be fed with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.
In order for the plant to develop normally, it is imperative to fight weeds. Unwanted vegetation should be mowed if it reaches a height of 16 centimeters. However, it is important to do this carefully so as not to damage the cultivated plant.
Benefits of alfalfa
Alfalfa contains a large amount of vitamins, acids and trace elements. These substances are present in the culture in an easily digestible form. Therefore, alfalfa can be consumed without additional processing.
This plant saturates the body with calcium, potassium, fluorine, iron, magnesium. It helps to cope with anemia, restores hormonal levels in adolescents and in women during menopause.
With the help of alfalfa, it is possible to cleanse the body of toxins and toxins. The plant helps lower cholesterol levels. Also, this representative of the legume family can be used for medicinal purposes. It helps with such problems:
- nerve disorders;
- diabetes;
- eye diseases;
- hemorrhoids;
- dermatological pathologies;
- articular disorders;
- bruises and abrasions;
- pathology of the urinary organs;
- disturbances in the digestive system;
- colds;
- prostatitis.
Alfalfa is useful for women during lactation. It helps increase the amount of milk. Also, this plant is actively used in cosmetology. It helps tighten the skin and reduce puffiness. Using a hair plant helps make hair shinier and less brittle.
Alfalfa is a fairly sought-after crop that contains many valuable components. In order for the cultivation of the plant to have an effect, it is important to adhere to some rules of agricultural technology.
