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• <br />Agricultural Interseeding Practices <br />United Stat*s w partmont of Agriculture <br />• <br />C7 <br />51 �, <br />Netural Reso ces Conservadm service <br />Jim Boyd, Resmirce Cmmveilorrisi <br />P. O. Box 29 <br />Norwood, CO 81423 <br />pm.bcyd@co usda 9w <br />970327. 4245 - OFFICE <br />970327 -4247 -FAX <br />October 17, 2007 <br />To Whom it May Concern_ <br />It is a common agricultural practice to "interseed" legumes into existing irrigated pastureland or <br />hayland to increase the production and protein content of the pasture or hay, and to improve the <br />nitrogen fertility of the soil. Interseeding means that the seed is applied to the existing field <br />using either a drill or by broadcast application, without any mechanical soil preparation <br />conducted prior to seeding. Interseeding of legumes usually occurs when the pastureland or <br />hayland is dominated by grasses, and the producer warns the benefits of a grass/legume mix <br />and/or more production. <br />Another advantage of the interseeding of legumes into existing grass pastures or hayland, is that <br />broadleaf herbicides can be used to control broadleaf weeds in the grass stands for a few years, <br />before mtters lmg the legumes, which are susceptible to the aforementioned herbicides. <br />former are not unheard of <br />It is less common to imerseed grasses into existing pasture or hayland, unless the initial <br />germination and establishment is poor and further tillage operations are deemed unnecessary. <br />Seedbed preparation is expensive, and furthermore, it dries out the soil and brings new weed <br />seeds to the soil surface; so if the initial seeding is spotty and there is a lot of bare ground, then <br />an interseeding of grasses and/or legumes may be effective. Interseeding grasses into a grass <br />stand tends to be less effective than interseeding legumes into a grass stand, but successes of the <br />If you have questions or would like to discuss this topic further please contact me. <br />Sincerely, <br />I ;t( &2�6Q' <br />Jim Boyd, NRCS Resource Conservationist <br />The Nadaad Rmow" ronsxvatian s..rk. wa4. In paybwatdp with the Aawlean People _ _ <br />b ca sww and uwkmin rwurar resowoss oo private Aands. An Egwl Opporb**y Prrnidw and Employer. <br />