Where I hunt is extremely hard to get any equipment into it in the spring with high water table and slow drainage. Even ATVs tear up the trails is we try to take them in. So planting early is really hard to do. With the extremely mild weather we have been having. The ground is not yet frozen. All I would need right now is a leaf rake to clear the ground of leaves. Is there anything that would work being planted now before the snow flies so the seed is in the ground come spring and would start growing before I have the chance to get in after the snow melts. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Probably the best bet would be some thing with a small hard seed like clovers. That stuff can lay in the soil seed bank for years and still grow. I think red clover has a higher percentage of hard seed. I'd probably try a 25% higher than normal seed rate. Don't know how large an area you're talking about but it's fairly cheap on a small scale.
Frost seeding is typically done while the ground is frozen, where I am thinking about before the ground freezes or snow falls. Would the seed going on damp net yet frozen ground start to germinate then just go dormant, or would it no longer be any good after the freeze and snow then thaw again. Clover sounds good as this is a small area within the trees. Hoping to take advantage of full day sunlight in the spring before the trees leave out and the canopy gets thick.
I frost seed when the snow melts in the spring, I rake off the plot and spread the seed. Early spring here you can always bank on one last snowfall, and plenty of freeze thaw cycles. Suppose if you clear the leaves now it would work.
Cereal grains now I would advise against as well, and as mentioned alfalfa does not take to frost seeding well. Not much if any germination is going to occur at this point and will be accomplishing the same thing as frost seeding. I would probably just wait and frost seed as that will ensure shorter time frame for the seed to possibly lose germ ability.
