Alfalfa / Lucerne
Medicago sativa
Legumes (Fabaceae)
Sowing
Harvest
Harvest
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
1ST YEAR
2ND YEAR
Light requirement
Sunny
Water requirement
Wet
Soil
Medium (loamy)
Nutrient requirement
Low
Seeding distance
5 cm
Row spacing
15 cm
Seeding depth
1 cm
Alfalfa is a perennial herbaceous plant and overwinters green. It reaches a height of 1 m and its root system can extend up to almost five meters. This gives it the ability to survive dry periods well. It also accumulates nitrogen in the soil and is therefore popular as a green manure. Alfalfa blooms from July to September in various shades of purple and attracts bumblebees almost exclusively. It can reproduce by seed as well as vegetatively.
Origin:
The plant was used as a fodder plant in ancient Persia.
If the soil is very poor in lime, additional liming is recommended, as lime promotes the activity of nitrate-forming bacteria. Since alfalfa grows very slowly, an early sowing date is preferable so that it can grow in well until winter.
No antagonistic plants
No diseases
No pests