Canyon Ferry WMA: Dense Nesting Cover (DNC) Mix Recommendations for Odd Areas and Corners: Loam to Clay
Loam Soils; various locations - approximately 30 acres total planting.
Species
Variety
Intermediate
Wheatgrass
Basin Wildrye
Greenar , Rush, or
Oahe
Trailhead or Magnar
Sweetclover
Yellow blossom
common
Spreador IV
Delar
Total
Alfalfa
Small Burnet
Single species full rate
per acre Pure Live Seed
(PLS)
10.0
Percent of
mix
20
PLS Seeding
rate per acre in
mix
2.0
7.0
25
2.0
4.0
12
0.5
6.0
15.0
45
10
112
2.7
1.5
8.7
Plant into clean, no-till, weed-free seedbed following appropriate delay period after herbicide treatment. Plant mix in
spring prior to June 1. Planting rate shown above is for a no-till disk drill; no-till disk drills work better for grass/legume
seeding than do hoe drills. Double the seeding rate if broadcast seeded but is not recommended. Plant no deeper than
½ inch deep. Clip weeds if very dense, but this treatment is not recommended as the annual, broadleaf weeds usually
provide good cover and typically don’t threaten the success of seeding and just encourage the weeds to develop
multiple tops. Minimum size of DNC planting should be 4 to 5 acres in size to reduce predator success.
Use certified seed for the varieties listed. Pure Live Seed (PLS) rate is based on the % Purity and % Germination. To
calculate bulk seed needed for listed PLS rate, multiply % Purity x % Germination on seed tag to get PLS then divide
desired rate by PLS. Example: For 2 lbs desired PLS rate with seed lot 90% Purity and 90% Germination (.9 x .9 = 0.81); 2
lbs/.81 = 2.5 lbs per acre bulk seeding rate. Most seed dealers with figure the bulk rates needed in the mix if the PLS
rate is provided. The legumes (sweetclover, alfalfa) require a specific type of bacterium inoculant (type A) or purchase
freshly pre-inoculated seed for proper nitrogen fixation and plant establishment.
This mix can be seeded using an alternate row techniques in which grasses are in one row and alfalfa/sweetclover are
in the alternate row. Cardboard can be used to block off the tubes in a standard drill or use drill with two boxes and tape
tubes off to get alternate pattern. This technique results in less competition for the wildrye that takes a while to get
going and provides better travel lanes for young birds throughout
the stand. Or drill the grasses normally and let the legume seeds
broadcast across the drill rows. Rows should be a minimum 9
inches wide due to the large base of the mature wildrye plant.
Irrigate new seeding as needed to germinate seed if extremely dry.
Cost for the seed is estimated to be about $70 per acre or $2100
for the entire 30 acres.
Figure 1. Dense nesting cover consisting of forbs and
grasses provides adequate cover but is not too dense to
hinder movement of young birds.