Frost Seeding

[Jimmy's Camp]

I've been practicing a modified spray and throw technique with promising results for the last two years and was wanting to try frost seeding this winter in lieu of spraying my plots this spring. I have limited space for the plots, the lease is a planted pine farm with small pockets of hardwoods, so I have 7 small plots (1/2 acre or less) that I would like to keep fully functional this spring. To be clear, because of the smaller size I don't think I will have success spraying half of each existing plot to plant half with a new crop in the spring. I hate killing of a productive plot every spring to use the dead plants as mulch. So the question is other than clover, what other seed, if any, can be frost seeded? Oh yea, the farm is located about 50 miles E of Raleigh NC.

Believe me I have the best plots that I've ever had using the spray and throw method, so if that is what will give me the best results I will stick with it. As is the case with most of the east cost it is currently colder than a witches you know what, so my brain is thinking of ways to improve my spring/summer plots.

Thanks in advance,
Jimmy

 

[Tap]

I've successfully frost seeded chicory.
And last year, I had Winfred Brassica that was spilled inside the delivery box spill in the cracks of my sidewalk. It germinated in very cold temps and tiny sprouts were growing in my cement joints...even in February temps in the low 20s. So I tossed a few dozen seeds under the dense shade of a blue spruce (in February). The bottom 4 feet of pine branches were absent. The Winfred grew beautifully and by late April, it was heavily browsed. By June, it was eaten to nothing.
Collards are another tiny seeded brassica that is extremely cold tollerant. It might be worth a try to experiment with some brassica...provided your deer eat it without being frozen. Mine eat brassica all year.