Lucerne hay (Medicago sativa), a clover-like plant belonging to the pea family, is grown as livestock feed Because the hay is so rich in many essential elements, lucerne hay makes terrific mulch.
Here are some lucerne mulch benefits you can expect when using lucerne mulch in your garden:
• Conserves moisture
• Suppresses weeds
• Keeps soil cool in summer and warm in winter
• Contains high levels of protein
• Provides many important minerals, including potassium, calcium, iron, folic acid and others
• Increases soil nitrogen
• Decomposes quickly, making it an excellent choice for poor soil
• Reduces fertilizer requirement, thus reducing expenses
• Stimulates healthy root growth
• Contains natural hormones that help prevent root disease
• Feeds worms and micro-organisms creating healthy soil