Never planted a seed for a food plot prior to 2016. Since then I've gotten a smidgen some wisdom - per the Dean Martin axiom:
Wisdom is garnered from Experience. Experience is garnered from bad decisions.
As is standard, plan your work and work your plan, I'll put down what I've learned in the last couple years.
Prepping: (interested in your observations)
- Soil test early enough to get your lime of choice on the fall/winter prior to frost seeding.
- Generally I don't amend with fertilizer until mid April, spring greenup, as the frost seeded seedlings are just reaching for sunlight.
- De-thatch the plot just prior to frost seeding if need be. Leaves, dead weeds laying over etc will prevent (many/much/some) of the seeds from good seed to soil contact.
- On the plots I plan to put a turkey blind out, I use a backpack leaf blower to really getting the debris off the plot - it helps a bunch to get the debris lifted up with a harrow. It seems the turkeys use these 'clean' plots better than plots that don't get the the debris blown off.
Seeding rate: (interested in your observations)
- On a bare ground ( new plot) I'll put the amount called for with the mix and add 1/3 rate (1 1/3 rate total) of small hard seeds being used, Clovers, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Chicory. My mix rate is 15#/acre, so a new plot gets 20#/acre
- I frost seed into my perennial plots yearly with about 1/2 rate or 7.5#/acre, those have Clovers, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Chicory already established,.
- I think the hand spreader, an earthway or similar gets the job done, set the rate to be able to walk the plot lineally and then diagonally to get a good distribution.
Best Frost Seeding Date: (interested in your observations)
- I've frost seeded in early Jan, Feb and Mar and think the results are best in the late Feb/Early Mar period for the legume mix and in Ohio.
- Don't frost seed prior to a big rain forecast, on frozen ground, maybe before it's froze and thawed a couple time to seat the seed, it can be readily washed away.
- Don't frost seed onto a appreciable amount of snow, as it may last and a heavy rain will wash the see off a crust of snow/ice
Maintenance (MTX):
- I've been very happy with the results I get from a mid Apr application of IMOX on newly frost seeded plots and perennial plots I overseeded. It doesn't appear to terminate any of the legume seedlings.
- Since I overseed my legume plots in the fall with winter rye, the IMOX terminates the rye as well.
Frost seeded bare dirt with poor winter rye early March.
That Mid Aug that fall:
Wisdom is garnered from Experience. Experience is garnered from bad decisions.
So perhaps this might be a good collective repository of frost seeding Experience with shreds of your Wisdom sown about. Thinking discussion might be a good to expand on a couple examples.
As is standard, plan your work and work your plan, I'll put down what I've learned in the last couple years.
Prepping: (interested in your observations)
- Soil test early enough to get your lime of choice on the fall/winter prior to frost seeding.
- Generally I don't amend with fertilizer until mid April, spring greenup, as the frost seeded seedlings are just reaching for sunlight.
- De-thatch the plot just prior to frost seeding if need be. Leaves, dead weeds laying over etc will prevent (many/much/some) of the seeds from good seed to soil contact.
- On the plots I plan to put a turkey blind out, I use a backpack leaf blower to really getting the debris off the plot - it helps a bunch to get the debris lifted up with a harrow. It seems the turkeys use these 'clean' plots better than plots that don't get the the debris blown off.
Seeding rate: (interested in your observations)
- On a bare ground ( new plot) I'll put the amount called for with the mix and add 1/3 rate (1 1/3 rate total) of small hard seeds being used, Clovers, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Chicory. My mix rate is 15#/acre, so a new plot gets 20#/acre
- I frost seed into my perennial plots yearly with about 1/2 rate or 7.5#/acre, those have Clovers, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Chicory already established,.
- I think the hand spreader, an earthway or similar gets the job done, set the rate to be able to walk the plot lineally and then diagonally to get a good distribution.
Best Frost Seeding Date: (interested in your observations)
- I've frost seeded in early Jan, Feb and Mar and think the results are best in the late Feb/Early Mar period for the legume mix and in Ohio.
- Don't frost seed prior to a big rain forecast, on frozen ground, maybe before it's froze and thawed a couple time to seat the seed, it can be readily washed away.
- Don't frost seed onto a appreciable amount of snow, as it may last and a heavy rain will wash the see off a crust of snow/ice
Maintenance (MTX):
- I've been very happy with the results I get from a mid Apr application of IMOX on newly frost seeded plots and perennial plots I overseeded. It doesn't appear to terminate any of the legume seedlings.
- Since I overseed my legume plots in the fall with winter rye, the IMOX terminates the rye as well.
Frost seeded bare dirt with poor winter rye early March.
That Mid Aug that fall:
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but thats why I'm in the blend I'm in. It's what works best for my ability to touch the plots as required.