Alfalfa
A.K.A: Lucerne
Latin Name: Medicago sativa
Position: Full Sun
Soils: Well-drained/light, Clay, Alkaline
Flowers: July, August, September.
Features: Green Manure
Hardiness: Hardy Annual
Height: 80cm
Spread: 80cm
Propogate: Stem cuttings or seed collection.
Alfalfa is a member of the pea family and is grown indoors as sprouting seeds and in the garden as a green manure. Alfalfa is also grown by farmers as a forage crop.
Alfalfa seeds for sale at Amazon.co.uk
Alfalfa as a Green Manure
Alfalfa has a very strong and deep taproot which helps break up hard layers of soil deep underground. The tap root also enables the plant to pull up nutrients which enriches the soil once the plants are dug in.
As a member of the pea family Alfalfa also fixes nitrogen from the air into it's root nodules which it then releases once dug in. Digging the plant in adds humus and should be done while the plants are young and fresh as the nitrogen will be consumed breaking down older woody growth.
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