Do legumes benifit any from nitrogen fertilizer?

[bilrus61]

I have some 10 20 20 and I was going to spread some on some alfalfa. Will the nitrogen help it any even though it gets its on nitrogen from its roots? It won't hurt the alfalfa will it?

 

[sweet farms]

The nitrogen will not hurt the alfalfa. Fertilize prices are high, you should take a soil sample and only apply what it needs. I split potash applications - Sept. and May and apply Dap with the May application. Remember PH should be at 7.

 

[Western]

Don't add Nitrogen if it is an established Alfalfa field, or at the least, hardly any. Nitrogen effects the Alfalfa ability to produce it's own Nitrogen. When I was growing some "Ladak" Alfalfa, I learned of this from the Ag Dept. I had to do the Google thing and found this, but you can get allot more info doing a further search. I'd avoid Nitrogen.

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/AG-FG-_01.pdf

 

[clemsonfor]

Legumes "fix" nitrogen in the soil. Meaning they put it into the soil. They do not require a high nitrogen or any nitrogen fert, depending upon soil. If you put it on them you actually weaken their root structure and cause them not to actually "fix "it.

 

[Baranx4]

One important fact that I didn't see was if the legume was innoculated or planted in a field where it had been the past few years.