Red clover establishes quickly and produces for one or two years, while white clovers can last three years or more. Clovers have better success on poorly drained and with less lime and fertilizer. Autotoxicity will prevent new alfalfa plants from becoming established. Avoid fields where alfalfa already exists. Alfalfa should be frost-seeded on well drained soils with near neutral pH and adequate levels of phosphorus and potassium. Seed Selection, Legumes: Alfalfa, clover, and trefoil can all be successfully frost seeded. In some cases, lightly disturbing the soil with a disk the fall before frost seeding can help increase success. Grazing tightly will also reduce the vigor of the existing forages the following spring, helping the new seedlings to better compete. Grazing or clipping pastures and hay meadows down to about 2” the previous fall or winter opens the canopy and allows broadcast seed to reach the soil. Preparing the fall before seeding- Seed to soil contact is critical for frost seeding to work. Legumes need phosphorus and potassium, however, to compete with grasses. This only stimulates grasses and weeds making them too competitive. Nitrogen should be avoided the year before and the year of seeding. Soil Test, Lime, and Fertilizer– If possible, apply any needed lime a year in advance. Soils that have natural moisture through the early summer, such as loam and clay soil, work best for frost seeding. Grazing livestock “stomping” the seed in can be worth a try in these situations. Pastures and hay meadows that are predominately sod-forming grasses, such as bluegrass or reed canary grass, can have a thick thatch barrier that can make seed establishment difficult. Site Selection– Choose where you frost seed carefully. In Vermont, most frost seeding happens in late February or March. This can be done over minimal snow cover, but broadcasting over deeper snow before a rapid melting can result in losing seed to runoff. Roller seeders are also very effective but will require more passes across the field. Frost seeding can be accomplished with broadcast spreaders that mount onto ATVs or tractor 3-point hitches. It is a simple process, but timing is critical: seed too early and seed may die, seed too late and there is no frost to do the work. The basic idea behind frost seeding is the freeze-thaw cycle and rain of early spring will help incorporate seed broadcast over the surface. However, frost seeding is not right for every situation and not every year presents the ideal conditions. That is a pretty good return on the cost the cost of the seed and the time to broadcast it. Successful frost seeding can improve forage quality, and research in Michigan has shown yield increases by 1.5-2.0 tons of dry matter per acre. By Rico Balzano, UVM Extension Agronomy Outreach Professionalįrost seeding can be an efficient and cost effective way to reseed or introduce new forage species to pastures and hay meadows.
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