Contrary to how it sometimes looks, restoration is a bit more than throwing seeds on the ground. A lot of thought and planning go into a site before the work is completed to ensure successful restoration. Our staff asks questions like when is the best time to seed, what type of seed should be used at a site, what type of prep work should be done at the site before the seed is sown, and will the seed stay in place?

RMFI staff and volunteers typically start a restoration project by decompacting and aerating the soil at the site. This helps create pores in the soil for nutrient transfer and to promote root growth. The next step is to prepare the seed bed. Decompacting the soil is often accomplished using a McLeod rake, a tool that can leave large chunks of soil lying on the ground surface. A garden rake is then used to remove any large rocks, to break any remaining soil clumps, and to smooth the soil surface. Some small depressions and hummocks should remain throughout the surface; this creates microhabitats where water can pool, seeds can collect, and where there may be more protection from wind and other weather.

Seed is then hand spread throughout the prepared area in accordance with the recommended density per acre for type of seed and ecosystem. Seeds are lightly raked into the soil with a garden rake. We are looking for good soil-to-seed contact during raking. If seeds are buried too deeply they will not have enough food reservoirs to push through the soil before the sunlight can feed them, but if they aren’t buried deep enough they may fall victim to the many critters that are searching for a tasty lunch.

The last step is to tamp the soil with a flat edged tool to firm the seedbed. On steeper slopes and areas where it is beneficial, RMFI stakes erosion control matting over the restored area. Matting can be used to minimize the likelihood of seed predation, to create favorable microhabitats, and to reduce soil and seed movement due to erosion. 

Timing is pretty important when it comes to seeding. Generally speaking, seeds should be spread right before the period of greatest precipitation; in Colorado this tends to be late fall. Spring and summer are unpredictable for seeding, but spring melt-off is pretty much a guarantee here. Planting seeds in the fall has other benefits as well. Many species have seeds that are dormant until special mechanisms to prevent them from germinating at inopportune times are activated. They may require a temperature or chemical trigger; for instance, Lodgepole pinecones are serotinous, meaning they require fire or heat to open. Some of our native species require cold scarification, meaning they need to be left out for a winter before they will germinate. A seed planted in November without this defense would have a tough time surviving the winter if it sprouted immediately!