So who is getting ready for frost seeding? I am almost snow free on the plots, checked with the feed mill and they are going to get me left over seed from last year so I can get the seed down before mid april when the new seed is in. Figure I will over seed to make up for any lost germination with old seed.
I checked mine this weekend, can't make up my mind to put either Soybeans...(first time for me) or go ahead and put Clovers and Chicory out....If I do the Soybeans it will be May before I get them in the ground.... Creeks
Anybody have input on whether or not frost seeding clover can be done to early? Can I kill the seed? Never actually done it but have been considering giving our clover plots a boost for the last couple of years but I worry about timing it right.
No can't harm the seed. Some people put it right ontop of the snow. I personally wait till the snow just completely melted and have at it.
We love frost seeding it after a melt as well...frost seeding over the snow has formed lines of good growth and other spots bare, I think it has more to do with the terrain and the sun hitting spots longer than others so as the snow melts the seeds run into the melted "troughs".
I just frost seeded my two acre plot here in VA March 3. The forecast was 1to 3 inches of snow so I broadcast and mowed. Just finished the mowing and it started snowing. We only got a short inch hoping it helped with the soil contact and the temps this week are heading for 70+.
The problem that I have had with "frost seeding" is without a heavy rye/wheat/oats cover, the clovers and alfalfas will freeze if they germinate and we get a hard frost which we frequently do. That keeps me waiting till usually into late May to put in a solid clover plot.
Frost seeded some clover and chicory over existing plots today. Earliest I've done it but it has been unseasonably warm in Wisconsin this year! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I am a managed intensive grazing specialist and nutritionist. My clients have been frost seeding for over 25 years. Many grazers frost seed every year, putting some seed down to fill in the thin areas, Most years you want to frost seed from Mid February until Mid March. But in years like this year, if the frost comes out of the ground this week and it stays warm, your basically overseeding. Overseeding will also do the job if we get a nice hard rain or two. The seeds wont germinate until the ground warms up and the perennials are fine. If your overseeding or frost seeding annuals, then if they germinate, start growing and then get hit by frost or temps get below 26 degrees, they will probably be dead, which is why you frost seed hard seeded perennials. Some say you cant frost seed alfalfa. I have a guy who does it every year with success but in the case of alfalfa we want to do it from Mid March on. You also should not frost seed alfalfa into over 1 year old stands with a lot of alfalfa in it or you will get auto toxicity. If anyone has any questions on frost seeding, feel free to drop me a note. I was involved with many of the higher profile graziers in the industry and a current client also writes for graze magazine. This is one of the reasons i started coming into forums on sites is to educate on food plots as many of the items you use for food plots are also part of the grazing communities rations and fields.
I have not had much luck planting alfalfa in the warm months much better success when the seed is put down when temps get below freezing.
Well hopefully we get some cold and snow before the end of March. I managed to get about 3/4 of my upland plot raked off before I left town. It will be interesting to see the difference in condition with the raked off part after a week vs the 1/4 I will rake off when I get back home. I have 30 pounds of seed waiting to get on the ground, just hoping to avoid raking the plot again and breaking out the cultipacker.
Just giving this thread a bump based on the interest in this topic. I would love to hear some more insight and experiences on this topic. I'm hoping to frost seed some clover into my brassica plot after I rake the leaves off.
It really is that easy, I bought a round wire tined rake it works great to clear the leaves and prepares the soil for good seed contact.
I've done it several years, and all with pretty good success. I frost seeded Ladino and Medium Red just last season into my Brassica's and that stand held strong all spring, summer, and fall.
I know their eyes are good but I never would have guessed they would bother clover and other small seeds. Or do they go after the young shoots?
Well I took advantage of the nice weather and raked off the leaves on one plot. I put some lime down and will put some clover seed down in the next few days. Hopefully this saves me some time later on.
Still quite a bit of snow here yet even with the warm weather. Went from 18" to 6" in a few days as far as I can tell.
