OT: Alfalfa The Magic Elixer of Plant Life

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  In the October 1996 American Iris Society Bulletin on page 45 & 46 
you will find this article.

             "Alfalfa The Magic Elixer of Plant Life"
                   written by Terry Aitken,WA

   Some ten years ago, we in Region 13 were treated to a display of 
spectacular iris culture in Elmer Price's garden in Tacoma, WA.  
Alfalfa was the cause.  Earlier this year, during the Region 15 
Spring Trek in Tucson, Arizona, we were once again treated to 
spectacular garden culture in Gail Barnhill garden.  Once again, 
alfalfa was the magic ingredient.  In the intervening years, our own 
use of this additive has increased to over four tons (3600 kg) per 
year, applied to approximately two acres (8 hectacres) of ground in 
which we have been planting intensively in irises for about fifteen 
years.
   Alfalfa, like many other forms of compost, adds humus to the soil 
which enhances plant growth in almost any type of soil from the 
acidic rain leached soils of the northwest to the sandy, granular, 
alkaline soils of the arid southwest.  What makes alfalfa special is 
a chemical called TRIACONTANOL which is a growth stimulant.  In 
discussion with other people, several other theories have been 
presented.  Some or all of them may be a factor.  When any form of 
raw vegetative matter is added to the soil, decomposition occurs 
which generates heat.  Warmer soils, relatively speaking, would 
stimulate root growth.  Another theory suggest that frementation of 
vegetative material generates alcohol, another growth stimulant.  (I 
would be delighted to hear from any reader who would feed their 
freshly transplanted iris a bottle of wine, or unpasteurized beer -- 
just no end of joy!)
    Alfalfa (medicago sativa) is readily available from local feed 
stores in several forms.  Meal is a finely ground powder form.  
Rabbit feed is compressed pelletized from which expands dramatically 
when wet.  Horse cubes are coarsely compressed into two inch (50 mm) 
squares.  Perhaps even bails of alfalfa would work, but I have not 
tried this, nor heard of anyone else doing so.  The meal or pellets 
are easiest to work with.  They come in fifty pound or eighty pound 
bags (23 - 36 kg).  A fifty pound bag will cover about five hundred 
square feet (46 sq. meters).
   We add alfalfa to our soils annually at transplant time,  and 
rototill it into the top six to eight inches (150 - 200 mm)of the 
root zone.  We plant immediately.  The plants seem to establish a new 
root system very quickly and do not put up top growth.  (This is 
important when the plants are trying to go dormant for the winter.)  
Since the value of most compost is used up within the year, an annual 
application is important.  It can be added as top dressing or applied 
as a soil drench as "alfalfa tea".  We have also applied a handful of 
alfalfa meal around the base of reluctant spring starters which seems 
to be a benefit before bloom time.
The latest breaking rumor on the alfalfa story suggests that it may 
also be a factor in reducing crown rot.  Since much of crown rot is 
caused by late spring freezes fracturing tender early growth,  there 
may be some relationship.  Alfalfa is a low nitrogen fertilizer, and 
nitrogen applied too early (before bloom)is frequently the culprit in 
crown rot.

This is directly from the older bulletin, that I have a copy of.  I 
thought it would be of interest to everyone, talking about alfalfa.   

Lucy Harris  zone - 8a, Coastal North Carolina
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