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Direct seeding can be done at any time, but seeds will be blown away
and lost to insects, birds, and rodents over time. Seed quality also
declines from exposure, sand blast and desiccation. Although some
seeds may persist for years or decades and finally emerge when a
heavy rain occurs, direct seeding is most effective if it is done
just before significant rain events. These are hard to predict. Site
adapted native seed is expensive and hard to get so direct seeding
is rarely a first choice for use of a valuable resource. If direct
seeding must be done the seed should be put in place when
precipitation is most likely or when the soil is already moist.
Placing it into pits or depressions can increase success. If seeding
must be done when the soil is dry irrigation may help, but poor
establishment even with regular irrigation is common. It is hard to
fool Mother Nature!
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