A Guide to Buying Good Seed

1
A Guide to Buying Good Seed

• Whats In The Bag
• Must have a label or tag

2
North Carolina Seed Law

• General Statute 106-227.3
• Each container of agricultural seed
• Sold, Offered or Exposed for sale, or transported
  within or into this State
• For seeding purposes shall bear thereon or have
  attached thereto in a conspicuous place
• A plainly written or printed label or tag in the
  English Language

3
North Carolina Seed Law

• General Statute 106-227.3
• For each container of agricultural seed
• Label shall contain information required in GS
  106-227.4 through GS106-277.7
• Information shall not be modified or denied in
  the labeling or on another label attached to the
  container

4
So What Is Required?

• Name of the kind and the variety, or kind and the
  phrase Variety not stated
• If more than one component, Mixture or Mixed must
  be conspicuously on the label
• Also called blends with each component present in
  excess of 5 of the whole

5
So What Is Required?

• Lot number or other identification
• Unique
• Traceable to its manufacturer
• Net Weight
• Origin or Origin Unknown clearly stated
• Percentage by weight of inert matter
• Broken seed, sand, rock, trash, etc.

6
So What Is Required?

• Percentage by weight of Other Crop Seed defined
  as
• Un-named varieties of the desirable turfgrass
  species
• Other species of grass seeds
• Other crop seeds
• But not over 5 by weight

7
So What Is Required?

• Percentage by weight of all weed seeds, including
  noxious weed-seeds
• Noxious weeds are extremely difficult to control
• Some are prohibited Cant be controlled or are
  harmful if fed to poultry or livestock
• Should be avoided if possible

8
So What Is Required?

• Name and number per pound of each kind of
  restricted noxious weed-seed present
• Restricted noxious weeds very difficult to
  control by cultural practices
• Prohibited noxious weeds Can not be controlled
  by cultural practices in common use.

9
So What Is Required?

• For each Named Seed on the Label
• Germination percentage, excluding hard seed (seed
  that do not absorb moisture and germinate) 85
  or better
• Percentage of hard seed if present.
• Calendar month and year the test was performed to
  determine percentages.

10
So What Is Required?

1. Name and address of the person (company) who
   labeled said seed or who sells, offers, or
   exposes said seed for sale within the state

11
Optional Information on the Tag

• Pure seed is seed of the kind or kind and variety
  on the label
• exclusive of inert matter, and
• weed seeds, and
• all other seeds distinguishable from the kind or
  kind and variety on the label
• Seed of better quality usually have the pure seed
  percentage listed on the tag

12
Ensure Quality!

• Buy Certified Seed if possible
• Recognized by blue label or seed tag
• Certified seed have met standards to assure high
  quality, and
• Certified seed have low level of contaminants

13
How to Use the Seed Tag?

• Always read the tag!
• Buy the Best Quality for the Best Performance!
• Poor quality seed not only mean poorer
  performance of the grass, but usually more pest
  and weed problems.

14
Consider more than the Price

• Best Seed Company
• 96 Purity
• 90 germination
• 3.00/lb.

• Seed for Less Inc.
• 85 Purity
• 80 germination
• 2.75/lb.

Which is the Best Deal?
15
Figured on 10 lbs. of seed

• Best Seed Company
• 10 x 96 9.6 lb. kind of seed to plant
• 9.6 lb. x 90 8.64 lb. viable seed that will
  germinate
• 10 lb x 3.00 30.00
• 30.00 8.64 3.47 per lb. of viable seed

• Seed for Less Inc.
• 10 x 85 8.5 lb. kind of seed to plant
• 8.5 lb. x 80 6.8 lb. viable seed that will
  germinate
• 10 lb. x 2.75 27.50
• 27.50 6.8 4.04 per lb. of viable seed

16
Fescue and Bluegrass Blends

• Often recommended for fescues and bluegrasses
• 80-90 fescue/10-20 bluegrass by weight
• Two cultivars of fescues two of bluegrass per
  blend