General Advice

What does "PLS lb" mean?
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The Purity and Germination numbers are used to calculate the Pure Live Seed (PLS) rate, which is what Stock Seed Farm uses to determine pricing. PLS is only the good, viable seed that is expected to grow.  “PLS lb” is not to be confused with or compared to “Bulk lb” prices many seed dealers may quote or you may find online – “Bulk lb” does not factor in seed purity or germination rate, and therefore may be lower quality and reliability and more waste material, leading to inconsistent, less successful results.

 

PLS formula: (Purity %  x  Germination %) / 100 = PLS %

 

With product sold by “PLS lb”, you will actually receive more physical lbs of product to equal 100% of purchased weight of Pure Live Seed.  You only pay for the seed that is tested to grow, and nothing else!

What would you recommend for prairegrasses for turkey and pheasant?
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I would suggest a diverse selection of native grasses and forbs. For brood cover and habitat I would suggest using our Prairie 3 Plus Prairiegrass mixture and our Habitat mixture. This combination will provide nesting cover and also attract insects for young birds to feed on.

You can also use our Prairie 7 Prairiegrass mixture in other areas for heavier cover. This mix includes the tall native grasses that will provide thick, dense cover and remain upright through the winter. 

We also stock a variety of foodplot mixes. You can find those here!

I planted a mixture of prairiegrasses and wildflowers in the spring of last year. Should I mow them down this spring?
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Yes, early spring is a the ideal time to remove last year's residue. This will make room for the new growth and also help warm the soil faster to stimulate the grasses and flowers to break dormancy sooner. 

Leaving plants standing until the next spring helps allow for maximum reseeding & wildlife benefit.

Which clover fixes the most nitrogen for plow-down benefit?
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A good soil building mix would be 80% Mammoth Red Clover and 20% Yellow Blossom Sweet Clover. Seed this at a rate of 12-15 lbs./acre for plow-down purposes.

We live about 1/2 mile inland from Lake Michigan high on a sand dune. We would like to get some drought tolerant, low maintenance grass going in a flat area that is mainly weeds now. We don't intend to mow, just let it go. Are we too far north for buffalo grass? If so, can you recommend another type for us? Thanks!
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I would not recommend buffalograss because it does not do well in sandy soils. I might suggest a blend of Little Bluestem, Blue Grama, and Sand Lovegrass. These grasses do better in sandy soils, and would provide an attractive landscape without any maintenence. These grasses would also do well in drought conditions, although moisture during germination and establishment is important to success. Thank-you!
Looking for creeping red vetch. Is there such a seed?
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The only product we carry by a similar in name would be creeping red fescue. 

Vetch varieties we have available for purchase online include:

*Note - crown vetch can be aggressive