dbltree
Super Moderator
I would spray right away because you don't want to kill any switch that emerges. Don't disturb the soil! Doing so will destroy the effectiveness of the herbicide...wait and see what, if anything is there and if you need more seed...just frost seed it this winter.
spltbrow
Member
WOW! oust is really exspensive. I have 11 acres in switch. I googled oust and it is sold by the pound? Do you think it would be worth the money to use it or just burn and see what happens? I also remember turkey hunting 4th season (late april / early May) and there was a lot of taller green grass at that time. Will this burn ok? not sure what the green grass is but it was pretty thick.
Thanks for the help as i am very new to this.
Thanks for the help as i am very new to this.
dbltree
Super Moderator
Townsend Chemical sells Oust XP by the ounce and as little as 2 ounces at $6 an ounce...link is in the herbicide thread or the beginning of this thread.
You can burn first and give that a try however but I would try very late April...
dbltree
Super Moderator
Snapped a couple pics of Little Bluestem the other day
Sometimes hard to distinguish from Broomsedge...(another warm season grass) but Little Blue stands out in this stand of switchgrass...
Amazing how the switch has stood up despite heavy winter snows!
Some fescue that didn't get killed or came up from left over seed perhaps, burning won't get rid of it but burning in late spring will help the native grass out compete it. Burning early just gives the CSG's a leg up on the natives.
This stuff could be easily killed with gly and oust xp though and if spraying is in the plan then burning early and spraying the CSG re-growth would work well.
Where burning isn't feasible, just mow the natives off and shred up the straw so it can break down and "breathe" again but nothing beats a good late spring burn to keep native grasses healthy and robust! :way:
Sometimes hard to distinguish from Broomsedge...(another warm season grass) but Little Blue stands out in this stand of switchgrass...
Amazing how the switch has stood up despite heavy winter snows!
Some fescue that didn't get killed or came up from left over seed perhaps, burning won't get rid of it but burning in late spring will help the native grass out compete it. Burning early just gives the CSG's a leg up on the natives.
This stuff could be easily killed with gly and oust xp though and if spraying is in the plan then burning early and spraying the CSG re-growth would work well.
Where burning isn't feasible, just mow the natives off and shred up the straw so it can break down and "breathe" again but nothing beats a good late spring burn to keep native grasses healthy and robust! :way:
dbltree
Super Moderator
Here's another good post emergence broadleaf herbicide safe on native grasses
Chaparral™ Herbicide
Chaparral Label
and Escort XP
Escort XP
Escort XP is available from Townsend Chemical as is Oust XP
Chaparral™ Herbicide
Chaparral Label
and Escort XP
Escort XP
Escort XP is available from Townsend Chemical as is Oust XP
spltbrow
Member
I am going to try and burn last week in april (wheather permitting)and then fallow up with oust. Some of the field is starting to sprout green already. Can i or should i go ahead and spray with gly this weekend or next to help stop some of this grass from greening up so i can get a good burn? (i am assuming this green up is not nwsg).
letemgrow
PMA Member
I highly doubt that green grass is any form of NWSG. 6-8 inches of growth is best to get a good kill on that grass...which is probably fescue and do it when it warm out and actively growing for the fastest results.
dbltree
Super Moderator
April 18th, 2011
I finally got all the new NWSG seedings sprayed this past week, all dormant seeded in early December into what was previously crop fields. I used 1 quart of glyphosate and 4, 8 and 12 ounces of Panoramic (Plateau) to compare effectiveness at different rates.
Fields were of course relatively clean with some weed growth just starting
I also sprayed some Riparian Buffer that had established switchgrass that was still struggling with foxtail and weeds in areas. Better off burned first but in this case time was limited so we mowed it and sprayed it with the same Panoramic/gly combo.
You can see how thick the foxtail was in areas
always fun to run across the occasional shed to boot
I left one small strip untreated in one of my fields as a comparison so we'll keep an eye on things as summer progresses....
I finally got all the new NWSG seedings sprayed this past week, all dormant seeded in early December into what was previously crop fields. I used 1 quart of glyphosate and 4, 8 and 12 ounces of Panoramic (Plateau) to compare effectiveness at different rates.
Fields were of course relatively clean with some weed growth just starting
I also sprayed some Riparian Buffer that had established switchgrass that was still struggling with foxtail and weeds in areas. Better off burned first but in this case time was limited so we mowed it and sprayed it with the same Panoramic/gly combo.
You can see how thick the foxtail was in areas
always fun to run across the occasional shed to boot
I left one small strip untreated in one of my fields as a comparison so we'll keep an eye on things as summer progresses....
dbltree
Super Moderator
I finally have some Eastern Gama grass started thanks to my friend Letemgrow! Phil took time to collect the seeds and send them out to me and I sure appreciate it! I elected to start these in Rootmaker cells and some of them are really taking off!
They look very much like switchgrass seedlings right now
Eastern Gama can endure weeks of flooding and is a more "corn like" NWSG that can also endure severe droughts. It's great cover and one of the few natives that deer will even feed on as well. I plan on getting these going well and then transplanting them to some low areas where I will use atrazine on them for weed control... :way:
They look very much like switchgrass seedlings right now
Eastern Gama can endure weeks of flooding and is a more "corn like" NWSG that can also endure severe droughts. It's great cover and one of the few natives that deer will even feed on as well. I plan on getting these going well and then transplanting them to some low areas where I will use atrazine on them for weed control... :way:
dbltree
Super Moderator
Awesome! how big will they be when you transplant them? Phil, u have any PCG seeds laying around? :drink2:
I may transplant them to bigger RM cells first but this is a first for me...
letemgrow
PMA Member
My gama grass collection was planted yesterday...not the best day to plant after a 1/2 inch rain and the soil was waterlogged.
Planted part with the hoe, then decided to just walk on the gama grass seeds to push them in the soil. The different selections were flagged/tagged for future reference and included Saint Joseph, Bethany, Powersville and Mercer. Most of the selections came from the St. Joe area (20 miles radius there) and Mercer (15 mile radius there).
Planted part with the hoe, then decided to just walk on the gama grass seeds to push them in the soil. The different selections were flagged/tagged for future reference and included Saint Joseph, Bethany, Powersville and Mercer. Most of the selections came from the St. Joe area (20 miles radius there) and Mercer (15 mile radius there).
letemgrow
PMA Member
I sure will, they should start to germinate anytime as some of my matured plants already have green at their bases. :way:
letemgrow
PMA Member
Awesome! how big will they be when you transplant them? Phil, u have any PCG seeds laying around? :drink2:
I will next fall, they must be very finickey to start tho...have collected several pounds, scatter seeded them in the fall and have yet to find one growing out of 3 broadcasts.
letemgrow
PMA Member
Looks like you are getting some better germination this year. :grin:
They can be spaced a yard apart and will easily fill in the gaps, or you can seed some type of beneficial forbes in between for a more diverse mix.
IQDM
New Member
I have heard similar reports... Paul's Eastern Gama grass project has got me thinking I could do PCG in RM's and we might have a better chance of making it work. :way: If you could do me a favor Phil and post some pictures this fall of how you collect seeds, I may be able to find a PCG plant in my area and try it.I will next fall, they must be very finickey to start tho...have collected several pounds, scatter seeded them in the fall and have yet to find one growing out of 3 broadcasts.
letemgrow
PMA Member
I will post a little video of how I collect those seeds if I remember to this fall. I clip/pull the seed heads off and then rub my thumb and index finger from the bottom to the top of the seed-heads and they will shed off easily when mature...not all of them are that easy tho. :grin: