With record cold temperatures blanketing much of the country this week, spring might feel further away than ever. But just as the cold temperatures come each winter, so does the spring green up. Frost seeding is an effective method of establishing small seeded plant species just in time for that spring green up.
What is Frost Seeding?
Frost seeding is a technique where seeds are broadcast during freezing temperatures, allowing the natural freeze-thaw cycles of the soil to gradually work the small seeds into the subsurface. This technique allows for minimal disturbance and it is especially useful for land you can’t get a drill on. A popular method amongst Food Plotters, frost seeding is a versatile seeding option that can also help enhance perennial pasture performance.
Boost Perennial Pastures
For those that have perennial pastures, frost seeding provides a great opportunity to add diversity or quality back into those systems. Small seeded broadleaf species can not only increase protein in a grazing ration, but they can also help take some of the fertilizer load off of the cool and warm season grasses. A good goal when planning to do this is to shoot for around a 25% seeding rate. This rate gives you a good amount of seeds per acre and provides good coverage in areas where grasses might be thinning.
The Pasture Frost Seed Mix
Green Cover carries a wide inventory of both annual and perennial species and to make things simple, we have pulled some of our best candidates to craft our Pasture Frost Seed mix. This mix is designed to add species diversity and improved grazing value for livestock in your perennial pasture.
Clovers provide the bulk of the mix helping your pasture fix nitrogen and providing livestock with protein. Stamina Intermediate White Clover is an improved variety with the intermediate trait of spreading through stolons, making it highly effective for filling in thin pastures. White clover has very small seed so a little goes a long ways!
Blaze Medium Red Clover is a bi-annual plant that if seeded in the spring will result in two years worth of production. It is an improved variety that was bred with larger leaves and a more upright plant. Medium red clover is by far the most popular option when it comes to frostseeding into fescue pastures.
The collards and turnips help aerate the soil with their taproots as well as providing additional nutrition to livestock. Chicory and plantain are known for their antimicrobial and antiparasitic properties in livestock, helping keep your herd healthy.
Craft a Custom Mix
As always, another option is to work with your sales representative to create a custom mix. Another species to consider in addition to those listed above would be Korean Lespedeza. Korean Lespedeza is actually a warm season clover sized annual seed that provides a great addition to perennial pastures often when the cool season grasses are sloughing off.
The Best Time to Frost Seed
There is a “sweet spot” to aim for when it comes to frost seeding. Seeding too early can result in seeds germinating during a warm spell just to get wiped out by a late frost. Seeding too late could mean that your clover seed gets outcompeted by weeds and you might miss out on some of the moisture from previous snow. To avoid this, wait until you are confident you’re in the final stretch of freezing temperatures to seed your clover. Dr. Grant Woods suggests utilizing the last light snowfall as an opportunity to start your seeds off with some moisture and clearly see where seeds have already been broadcast, ensuring complete coverage and avoiding missed areas.
Interested in learning more?
Frost seeding might be the ticket for your operation this spring. Shop our Pasture Frost Seed mix on our website or give us a call at 402-469-6784 to chat with a sales representative about designing your custom frost seed mix!
