Frost Seeding Food Plots

Habitat improvement projects not only improve the value of a property; they also increase your odds of hunting success. Wildlife will seek the best quality food and cover in any given area, so long as the human pressure is kept to a minimum.

The best time to implement most habitat projects is prior to spring. You’re less likely to stress the wildlife when you’re disturbing the area well before birthing/nesting seasons and it’s also an ideal time for timber/brush management of most species. In this post, Ryan Bryson at Bryson Wildlife talks about one of the easiest and most affordable methods to improve your property. Ryan manages thousands of acres of land throughout Southern, Iowa and has years of experience in consulting and property management work. His experience can save you countless hours and headaches of failed improvements.

The following is from Ryan…

As I started my truck this morning, it was a brisk 18 degrees. In just a few short hours the farm I was headed to would be unreachable. Like many Southern Iowa farms, the property is accessible only by a dirt road, and by lunch temps are forecast to be in the 40’s. The thaw will make the Level-B road a muddy mess, and a great opportunity to slide a pickup off in the ditch. While the conditions aren’t great for access, they are perfect for one of my favorite habitat improvement projects….frost seeding.

The first questions may be, “What is frost seeding and how does it work”? Frost seeding is simply the process of spreading seed on top of a mostly clear soil during the late winter months, and through Mother nature’s freezing and thawing cycles, she will plant the seed for you. The freezing action causes the moisture in the soil to crystalize and swells the surface soil which contains the moisture (frost). This creates crevices and cracks for seeds to fall into once you spread it on top of the surface. As the temperatures rise, the soil moisture thaws at the surface. The soil, in a way, pulls the seed down ever so slightly as this thawing occurs. Every day, the freeze/thaw process is repeated, and this action works to pull the seed down, which creates the perfect seed to soil contact. The seeds will lay dormant there until soil temperatures rise in the spring, when the seeds will then germinate.

Frost seeding is ideal for small seed legumes such as clover or native grasses. It’s quick and only requires a broadcast seeder, which is perfect for small, isolated areas that you want to improve, but have difficulty accessing with equipment. If the soil is mostly bare, I’ve had great success. Frost seeding can be done to establish a new food source, thicken up an existing source that has diminished or been neglected over the years, or to create new bedding areas. However, this not where your work to create your new area of interest ends. Once seedlings germinate in the spring, look for weeds or other sources of competition within the area. Your seeding can be quickly overtaken and outgrown by weeds or other competing plants.

Be mindful and know that with a little nourishment and encouragement, you’ll likely find this a successful habitat improvement tool. As stewards of the land, it is our duty to turn unproductive areas into habitat where wildlife can thrive. And nothing brings more pride than doing just that.

Ryan Bryson
Owner, Bryson Wildlife