New Standard Seed Mixes
By: Ken Graeve, Erosion and Stormwater Management Unit Supervisor, Office of Environmental Stewardship
The MnDOT standard seed mixes that have been in Standard Specifications since 2014 are being replaced. The new seed mixes should be used in all plans letting in September 2024 and later.
The overall goals for these updates are to improve short-term establishment and long-term function of roadside vegetation. Construction staff and contractors will appreciate the quicker establishment of these mixes.
Below is a timeline of how the new seed mixes and supporting information will be phased in. See the Guide to the New 2024 MnDOT Seed Mixes (PDF) for more information, including a crosswalk designers can use to replace the old seed mixes with the corresponding new mixes. Also watch the MnDOT Erosion – Vegetation website for the updated seeding manual, which will be published soon.
Timeline
These new mixes will go into the MnDOT boilerplate special provisions in June. Designers should include them in plans for projects that will let on or after September 27, 2024. Do not use the old MnDOT mixes after the August 2024 letting. The MnDOT Seeding Manual will be updated in June to replace the old mixes with these new mixes.
The mixes will not be included in the upcoming 2025 Standard Specifications. Instead, they will live in the boilerplate special provision for the next several years. Those special provisions will override the seed standard specification (3876) and the associated references to seed mixes in other standard specifications in the 2025 spec book.
April 2024
Special provisions related to the new seed mixes have been submitted to be published in the boilerplate.
Pay items for the new seed mixes have been added to the Transport List for MnDOT let projects.
May 2024
Project designers should use new seed mixes in plans for all projects letting on or after September 27, 2024.
June 2024
New seed mixes will be included in the published update to the MnDOT Boilerplate Special Provision
Seeding Manual will be updated to show the new seed mixes.
September 2024
Projects letting on or after September 27, 2024 will use the new seed mixes.
Fall/Winter 2024
Some projects that have let in September may already start construction and plant the new seed mixes, but most planting with new seed mixes will not happen until 2025.
March 2025
Seed Mix Substitution Table will be updated to include species in the new seed mixes
2025 Construction Season
New seed mixes will be used on many construction projects.
Old seed mixes will still be used on projects that let before September 2024.
Contractors and construction staff are encouraged to substituted new seed mixes for the old mixes in plans let before September 2024 by following the change order process. There will likely be a change in price when substituting mixes. Old seed mixes should not be substituted for the new mixes.