So question to above point re fire.... say you have a native stand thats 6' tall and thick. I think zero chance you can plant into it because that's just SOOO much residue. Better to bail or fire?
I don’t think that’s the case with only choosing those 2 choices- IMO. It can be rolled over to mat it down - very much like a thick stand of winter rye. U could disc & cultipack it too..... enough to break it up & get it flat. Good no till cutters or cutters with row cleaners. Or even strip til. Several options. IMO - those are not the only 2 options.
& last “not ideal but would work”.... u could plant beans into standing natives. Spray & spray. The new growth would not get high. The old growth would stand & slowly crumble throughout year,... would act as a mulch. It could smother some seed but not bad. Plant at higher rates.
So bottom line, IMO- I’d rather do mechanical method over losing all that OM & fertility - both of which leave with burn & bale.
IF I had to chose between bale or burn- I’d do burn. Get the soil hotter & leave more fertility than baling would. Easier to kill regrowth on burn IMO as well. Baling better if u wanted to feed cattle the hay.
deep woods goat hunter
PMA Member
If I’m going to plant natives and or switch next spring, i need to be spraying fescue here say about 3 weeks? Still super hot i know but want to make sure I have good plan when time comes.
TIA
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TIA
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NUKE IT!!!!!! Mow now if u can. Later- Put the hammer to it….. heavy Gly, ams, oil…. Could add 2,4-d.
Since u have a good bit of cool season growing season left…. If u gonna do switch….. add a bit of atrazine or simazine. If it’s other natives…. At least 2-6 oz of imazapic (plateau, journey, panoramic) per acre.
deep woods goat hunter
PMA Member
Had neighbor hay this area couple weeks ago so its clean as a whistle and ready to smoke
Haven’t decided just yet if i’ll do switch or indian/bbs
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Any update on your second season CRP of natives? Is it head high by sept?
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Good read. Building soil/OM, root systems, soil ecology, compaction, etc.
bringbackbobwhites.org
Bringbackbobwhites.org
bringbackbobwhites.org
Pretty interesting finding this kind of situation.
This pasture had cows in it for as long as I've known up until 2 or 3 years ago. As such, the grass was always trampled and native vegetation non existent. Upon changing ownership the cows were removed and the land has sat idle. Native grasses can now be seen throughout including Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Indian grass, and some variety of switchgrass. If only it were to be burned.... it would explode. Cedars need dealt with as well. Obviously remnant grasses.... super neat to me.
This pasture had cows in it for as long as I've known up until 2 or 3 years ago. As such, the grass was always trampled and native vegetation non existent. Upon changing ownership the cows were removed and the land has sat idle. Native grasses can now be seen throughout including Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Indian grass, and some variety of switchgrass. If only it were to be burned.... it would explode. Cedars need dealt with as well. Obviously remnant grasses.... super neat to me.
Some 2nd year stuff starting to look pretty good. Come August this will be plenty tall.
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T_Max
PMA Member
I sprayed a brome buffer strip with roundup just after the second hard frost of the season this fall. It looks sickly and not doing well. I am renting a native grass drill from the local NRCS office this spring and going to drill in a NWSG mix. Date unknown. I plan to spray with roundup and Plateau around May 1st. Does that sound about right? Plateau at the label rate and gly at 3 qt/acre. Any adjustments you can see?
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Current condition of a brome infested field from last year in Iowa.
Near perfection
September mowed. Sprayed with gly and Duracor in November.
All that will remain is switchgrass and other warm season grasses.
Near perfection
September mowed. Sprayed with gly and Duracor in November.
All that will remain is switchgrass and other warm season grasses.
letemgrow
PMA Member
A stellar eastern gamagrass plant.
If anyone has seen this plant in IA, I’d like to collect some for my seed repository.
I’ve found a few in IA driving miles from Centerville over to Leon, but there aren’t many left with the current land practices.
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If anyone has seen this plant in IA, I’d like to collect some for my seed repository.
I’ve found a few in IA driving miles from Centerville over to Leon, but there aren’t many left with the current land practices.
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Snail3496
Well-Known Member
March '23 I planted a 25ac of CP2 Native grasses (indian, big blue, switch, etc.). I broadcasted the seed with carrier into previous fall bean stubble and coverage was great. The field is a rectangle, with a flat top, hillside, and flat bottom. The field is mostly hard clay, so I banked on rain and the last few freezes to work it in.
Spring and summer '23 were DRY. I eventually got beautiful stands on the flat top & flat bottom, but the slope came in very sparse. From previous experience I let it ride, but after this second growing season, the slope definitely needs some help.
This year I will have a no till G series drill for the first time and am thinking of drilling switch through the foxtail thatch this spring to add a little life to this slope area. I swear I saw where @IowaBowHunter1983 did this somewhere but with forbs, but cant find it.
I know nuking the strips and prepping the ground is best, but this is a CRP field and I think they'd see the dead strips from the road. Not sure.
Would drilling through the foxtail thatch with no prep work?
Spring and summer '23 were DRY. I eventually got beautiful stands on the flat top & flat bottom, but the slope came in very sparse. From previous experience I let it ride, but after this second growing season, the slope definitely needs some help.
This year I will have a no till G series drill for the first time and am thinking of drilling switch through the foxtail thatch this spring to add a little life to this slope area. I swear I saw where @IowaBowHunter1983 did this somewhere but with forbs, but cant find it.
I know nuking the strips and prepping the ground is best, but this is a CRP field and I think they'd see the dead strips from the road. Not sure.
Would drilling through the foxtail thatch with no prep work?
U can drill right into it. Because it’s foxtail u can do 2 things…. U can mow it as needed after drilling. Or u can run Imazapic/plateau on it (id go full rate) & drill in Indian, big blue, little blue, IL bundleflower, patridge pea & any other form u like thats tolerant to that herbicide.
U dont need to kill it with say round up. I would if there’s cool season grasses there & id do it before warm seasons come up. If u plant in march…. U can spray imazapic anytime…. Basically when your sprayer ain’t froze. Wide open window. I’d run like 12 oz to the acre of imazapic. If it wasn’t illegal I’d pry spray 16+ oz. If it were mine…. I’d spray in April.
Also- if it were mine & I had the time…. I probably would spray it in April…. If any weeds, I’d add heavy gly & ammonium sulfate to imazapic. I’d plant it anytime before or after that. Maybe mow one time late in year if herbicide is wearing off.
When u plant & spray is not a big deal though. Tons of flexibility other than making sure u don’t plant or spray way late in season ideally.
Snail3496
Well-Known Member
You're the man Skip, thanks!