Julio Quezada, age 42, of Roswell, N.M., for his question:
CAN ALFALFA GROW ANYWHERE?
Alfalfa, which is one of the richest feed crops grown for livestock, can't grow in the really cold parts of the world, but it thrives just about everywhere that you find lots of people living.
Alfalfa grows in all parts of North and South America, Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe. Farmers plant it in every one of the 50 states, and it also does well in almost every province of Canada.
Large amounts of proteins, minerals and vitamins are found in alfalfa. The hardy plant grows in just about any type of soil and in just about any kind of climate.
About 27 million acres in the United States are devoted to growing alfalfa that is used for livestock feed. Thousands of acres are also planted for seed.
In addition, many farmers plant alfalfa as a way to enrich the soil of their fields. Alfalfa, like peas, beans and other legumes, helps restore nitrogen to the soil. Farmers plant alfalfa on fields that have been planted with other crops, such as corn and wheat, which use up the nitrogen. The alfalfa returns to the soil food elements that have been used by other crops.
It is not necessary to replant alfalfa fields every year, because the roots stay alive during the cold season. The tops of the plants seem to die with the approach of winter. But when the warm weather arrives, the roots send up new green shoots.
Although alfalfa feeds all types of livestock, it is especially valuable for feeding dairy cows. The plant is so nutritious that cows fed on it give large quantities of extra rich milk.
More than half of the alfalfa grown in the United States is cut and dried for use as hay. But many farmers prefer feeding alfalfa in the form of meal. Meal consists of dried and ground alfalfa leaves and stems.
Wisconsin is the nation's leading alfalfa growing state. Following as leading producers, in order, are California, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, Idaho, Michigan and Montana. a Ae long roots on alfalfa plants help make it an ideal crop for dory climates. In dry weather, the roots can go down as deep as 25 feet to reach water.
Alfalfa plants send up strong, bright green shoots that grow from one and a half to four feet high. The thickest stems are usually not more than an eighth of an inch thick.
Alfalfa has compound leaves made up of three oval to oblong leaflets. The flowers are usually purplish or blue, but certain kinds produce flowers that are yellow or greenish purple.
Many kinds of weeds compete with alfalfa for soil nutrients and water, so farmers take great care to keep the weeds under control.