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Planting blue stem grass6/23/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() We added a 1:1 ratio (by weight) of cracked corn to our seed mixture:Ħ0 lbs of seed + 60 lbs of cracked corn = 120 lbs of bulk weight for 10 acres ![]() We need to add a filler to increase the bulk weight of the seed mixture to be able to plant at the correct seeding rate. Minimum seeding rate for the no-till drill is 10 lbs/acre = 10 lbs/acre * 10 acres = 100 lbs The seed will be planted with the grain box of the drill, but the drill will only plant a minimum of 10 lbs/acre of our seed mixture.ġ0 acre field * 6 lbs/acre bulk seeding rate = 60 lbs of the seed mixture The recommended seeding rate is 6 lbs/acre. We are planting a 10-acre field to a native warm-season grass and forb mixture using a no-till drill. Refer to the chart below for recommended fillers for the different seed boxes of a no-till drill. Fillers can be used when planting native grasses and forbs separately or when planting native grass and forb mixtures. However, if the seed has been cleaned and dechaffed it is common for seed companies to mix the seed and recommend it be planted together using the fluffy or grain box on a no-till drill. Traditionally, native grass and forbs have been planted separately using the grass or fluffy-seed box for the native grass seed and the small-seed box for the forbs. Fillers can be used to increase the bulk weight of native grass and forb seed if a drill cannot achieve the recommended seeding rate. It may be difficult to achieve the correct seeding rate with a no-till drill because of the combination of reduced bulk weight of dechaffed seed and reduced seeding rates of common mixtures. Planting native grass and forb mixtures with a no-till drill is the most common establishment method for NWSG plantings. Using fillers when no-till drilling native warm-season grass and forb mixtures Broadcasting native warm-season grass and forb seed usually requires the use of a carrier to ensure the mixture flows correctly through the spreader and the seed is distributed evenly across the field. Seed mixtures are also more commonly being established by broadcasting seed during late winter (frost seeding) using cyclone fertilizer spreaders. In this case, fillers may be needed to increase the bulk weight of the seed to allow the equipment to plant at the correct rate. Recommended seeding rates of some current mixtures may be lower than what no-till drills are capable of planting. ![]() Mixtures have shifted from heavy planting rates of tallgrass species with few forbs to reduced rates of mid-stature grasses with an abundance of forbs. This may be ideal from a forage production standpoint, but this created dense stands of native grass with little to no forb component and lacked benefits to most wildlife. In the past, native grasses were planted without forbs at rates exceeding 10 lbs/ac. The flowers of Bluestems are usually in 3 dense, elongate clusters from a common point that resembles a turkey foot.Seeding rates for native warm-season grass and forb mixtures (NWSG) have changed drastically over time. Little Bluestem Grasses are the smallest of the three varieties and grows to a maximum of 3 feet. Big Bluestem Grasses can grow up to 10 feet tall, while the Sand Bluestem is a bit smaller and grows to a height of about 7 feet. During the cold winters they turn brown and go dormant. They thrive in warm temperatures with moderate amounts of rain and tolerate harsh conditions. These grasses are tolerant of a wide range of soils and moisture. Bluestems are warm season, native, large clumping perennial grasses that come in several varieties and are used for forage, landscaping, wildlife, and conservation. These Bluestem grasses are often used to stabilize various soils and protect from erosion caused by the wind. Providing great texture, Blue Stem is a striking addition in any yard all summer, fall, and winter. Any of these low maintenance ornamental grasses are outstanding when planted in mass plantings or as an accent plant. There are three variations of bluestem grasses: big bluestem, little bluestem, and sand bluestem. Bluestem Grasses consist of a variety of grasses that are native to much of the prairie and Great Plains regions of North America. ![]()
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