How soon can I frost seed switchgrass?

[j-bird]

I have never frost seeded before - but since I am addressing some saplings in my CRP areas I want to add some switchgrass. I really don't want to do all the tillage if I can avoid it. How early can I broadcast switchgrass seed? I know you want the freezing and thawing to get the seed to soil contact, but do I have to wait until closer to spring? Will the freezing temp of Jan and Feb kill the seed? I plan to burn before I broadcast and then control broadleaves with chemicals to help give the switch a head start.

 

[scott44]

I would frost seed any time from now till spring, 2 yrs ago we had a January thaw lost all our snow and I frost seeded it, you don't want to frost seed on too much snow but a little won't hurt.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Freezing temps will not kill the seed. You will have limited success trying to frost seed through thatch, you need exposed soil for it to work well.

 

[scott44]

This is what I frost seeded into, I killed it in the summer and fall and frost seeded into it. Freezing temps will help with the stratification of the seed and break the dormancy of the switch grass seed.

 

[wiscwhip]

I like the look of that Ford on the side of the pic Scott, is that a '77?

 

[scott44]

Yep, 77 3/4 ton

 

[wiscwhip]

One of the baddest looking trucks ever IMO! I have always loved the look of those things.

 

[scott44]

Yea my dad had one when I was going up and that's what I learned to drive on and when this came up I almost had to have it, great workhorse but really not a everyday driver at 8mpg but at $1.85 a gal it's getting better

 

[Jim Timber]

Freezing temps will not kill the seed. You will have limited success trying to frost seed through thatch, you need exposed soil for it to work well.

A natural grass field has thatch and it seems to re-seed itself quite well. ;)

The only problem with broadcast/frost seeding is birds might find the seed and eat it before it gets down into the dirt. I've had good success with spreading clover and oats over growing grass.

 

[Turkey Creek]

I will say our definitions of thatch are not likely the same. CRP which was referenced in the first post does not have the same thatch as shown in the pictures. If you broadcast seed into a well established CRP field without causing some ground disturbance (fire, light disking) to the thatch layer you are wasting a lot of seed.

 

[j-bird]

I don't have any snow yet and the "thatch" I have is mostly things like knockdown goldenrod and ragweed. I figure this may help to keep the birds off of the seed. Ground is frozen now, but we are supposed to get a few days worth of 40's over the weekend.

As for that Ford - I grew up driving Dad's Black '78. Wasn't the fastest thing but it was a pulling SOB! The bed finally rusted to the point that it took 3 people to put the tailgate up. I like those fords reminds me of days gone by.