_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981017 (275)

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Planting On July 22, 1998, a hand pushed Planet Junior was used to plant a 0.09 acre field of purple reedgrass (Calamagrostis purpurascens). Windy conditions prevented planting the full 0.2 acre as called for in the agreement. Initially, seed was not making proper contact between furrows created by the row opener. It blew away before being correctly placed in the row. A funnel was then used to extend the length of the feeder tube. This protected the seed from the effects of the wind. However, this method did not allow for a proper seeding rate and the planting effort was terminated. When weather conditions improved, the remainder of the field was to be planted. Emergence of this planting was to be monitored to determine if we had created a weed problem in other fields from the blowing seed. On August 5, two weeks after planting, no seed emergence was noted. In addition, the first two seed fields planted for the year were planted two days earlier than the reedgrass on the 20th of July. Both of these fields had good emergence. On August 10, seed preparations of the Calamagrostis were made for a mechanical seeding. On August 11, 1998, a"Cone Type" drill was used to plant a 0.13 acre field adjacent to the previously planted 0.09 acre field. Field notes from the planting follow. August 11,1998 Used Cone Seeder on four northern most rows of planting and on one half row east of 5th row; assuming 1 st row is most northern of a 7 row planting. Seed is very fluffy and even distribution was not achieved even by using the two center disc openers. It was hoped that gravitation would allow the seed to drop with minimal bridging, but bridging did occur. Shaking the feeder tubes seemed to help reduce the frequency of large clumps and improve seed distribution, but eveness was not achieved. Perhaps using a carry material such as rice or rice hulls will improve distribution. Two fields of separate materials were planted on August 13 and August 17. These two fields, along with the Calamagrostis, were sprinkler irrigated at the rate of 0.3 inch per hour for an 8 hour set. Good emergence was noted for the slender wheatgrass and fair emergence was noted for the green needlegrass fields which were planted after the Calamagrostis. There was, however, no evidence of Calamagrostis emergence. A third planting was conducted on November 25, 1998. Field notes from that planting are included. Calamagrostis Planting- Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology Three 20 foot rows of Calamagrostis were planted north of the equipment shed in the headquarters area of the UCEPC in an effort to establish seed emergence for spring 1999. Two previous field plantings appear to have failed, but that will not be known with certainty until the spring-summer of 1999. At this time, the two