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excessive soil mixing would bury too many <br />optimum germinating zone. On steep slopes <br />possible, jute matting (biodegradable mesh) <br />over the newly seeded area. <br />grass seed beyond the <br />where crimping is not <br />may be used as a mulch <br />FERTILIZATION: At this point, the addition of nitrogen fertilizer <br />to spring or late summer grass seedings should be done in the <br />second year due to the uncertainty of adequate rainfall during the <br />seeding and establishment periods. Test plots comparing initial <br />nitrogen fertilization vs fertilization the second year for spring <br />and/or late summer grass seedings are tentatively scheduled for the <br />coming year. <br />Dormant grass seedings could be fertilized at time of seeding or <br />the following spring. Research results from high meadow pastures <br />in Colorado shows that the ammonium nitrate formulation is more <br />stable than the urea formulation. <br />A soil test should be conducted to determine the level of <br />fertilization needed. If the soil test results for nitrate <br />nitrogen are 0-10, 11-20, or >20 ppm, then it would require 40, 20 <br />or 10 pounds of available nitrogen per acre, respectively. If <br />organic mulch is used, additional nitrogen will be required since <br />the mulch can tie up some of the available nitrogen. <br />Zf the soil test results for phosphorus are 0-3, 4-7, or >7 ppm, <br />then it would require 60, 30, or 0 pounds of phosphorus per acre, <br />respectively, when using the ammonium bicarbonate-DTPA extraction <br />method. <br />Colorado soils are generally high in potassium and no additional <br />potassium is needed. <br />WEED CONTROL: Noxious and perennial weeds should be controlled <br />from the beginning due to preventing desirable grass species from <br />establishing or surviving and preventing noxious weeds from further <br />spread. The weeds to be controlled should be properly identified <br />then the proper control measure can be recommended. Contact the <br />local Cooperative Extension office for specific weed control <br />programs. <br />Light populations of annual weeds could actually be a benefit <br />initially by stabilizing the soil until the grass becomes <br />established. Light populations of annual weeds would not need to <br />be controlled until the second season or the grass became <br />established, whichever comes first. Weeds do compete with the <br />newly seeded grass for moisture, light, and nutrients. Therefore, <br />heavy populations of annual weeds would need some control measures <br />initially for the newly seeded grass to become established. Each <br />individual site would need to be evaluated to determine when annual <br />weed control was needed. <br />