Alfalfa yellow: characteristic, description, useful properties

The wealth of the vegetable world of our country does not cease to amaze everyone who is interested in it. Such a plant, like yellow alfalfa, is a unique set of properties widely used in agronomy, it will be useful in any household. What do you need to know about alfalfa? About this - in the material below.

Characteristics of alfalfa

Alfalfa refers to perennials. There are several species of this plant, the most popular of which are alfalfa blue sowing and alfalfa yellow crescent.

The root system of this plant is a distinctive feature of alfalfa. It is quite powerful and has the appearance of a rod that leaves in the soil for 2-3 meters. The leaves are composed of three parts, and the 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 the middle of June to the end of August in almost any meadow area. An exception are terrain with groundwater - it does not stand their affinity.

Lucerne is easiest to find in the meadows, in the steppe area, near roads and on the fringes of forests. It does not grow near swamps and in wetlands.

Breeds alfalfa seeds. They can be bought in ready for seeding form, but can be obtained from young plants.

Special Properties

What distinguishes yellow alfalfa and why is it valuable for households? The thing is in a number of qualities, because of which the cultivation of it is so popular:

• Nutrition. Lucerne yellow is very rich in proteins, as well as vitamins E, PP, C. Due to this, it is one of the best forage crops.
• Honeyiness. Lucerne is successfully used by beekeepers for honey production.
• Sidereative properties. Thanks to the structure of the root system, alfalfa is used to improve the structure of the soil and inhibit the growth of weed crops.
• Multifunctionality. The nutritional value of alfalfa is also in the fact that each element of the plant is suitable for use in feed and long-term storage. From it harvested hay, make briquettes and animal feed.
• Resistance to temperature changes. Yellow alfalfa is a culture that can withstand high temperatures with sufficient watering, and also is resistant to colds. Therefore, its cultivation yields good harvests.

That is why a plant such as alfalfa is popular and respected by farmers and households.

Cultivation of alfalfa

This perennial plant is not too demanding, but it grows best on chernozem and loam. The least suitable for growing alfalfa soils, excessively saturated with moisture. It grows poorly on swampy and too acidic soils.

Often it is sown to prepare the land for the subsequent cultivation of barley or wheat - yellow alfalfa is optimal for this purpose.

The first crop of the plant is used to produce seeds. Also, alfalfa seeds can be bought ready-made.

For good growth, the plant requires a good moistening of the soil and light.

Resistance to adverse conditions

With good hydration, alfalfa can withstand fairly high temperatures. It is also resistant to droughts due to a deep root system.

This plant is well tolerated by cold. Seeds are able to 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 to mow out or do it very late, and if the crops of this plant are subjected to excessive grazing, the resistance of alfalfa to colds is significantly reduced.

Crops can carry small floods, but flooding with groundwater for them is detrimental. Therefore, before sowing yellow alfalfa, you need to make sure that there are no ground and groundwater nearby.

For what use?

First of all, the value of alfalfa is for livestock farms. Due to its nutritional status, the presence of microelements and vitamins, alfalfa is the leader among fodder crops. It is most often used as a feed for cattle. Also very suitable for alfalfa is yellow rabbits.

Beekeepers note the high melliness of this plant. And to collect pollen and nectar, alfalfa is chosen not only by bees, but also by bumblebees.

In agronomy, alfalfa is also widely used. And not only as a high-nutrition animal feed, but also for soil preparation.

Thanks to the sowing of alfalfa with its special root system, the soil becomes more homogeneous, rich in minerals, and weeds and their seeds die or grow in much lesser quantities.

The combination of unique properties and undemanding cultivation make alfalfa an extremely valuable crop for farmers and households, and high nutritional and protein content, amino acids and vitamins are the most popular animal feed.