loneranger
Well-Known Member
Can U frost seed switch grass? How much soil is required for it to get going? Can ya scratch it in? Or do you need cultivated soil? One last thing. where do you buy frosty Berseem clover? thanks.....
Switch grass?
- Thread starter loneranger
- Start date
-
- Tags
- None
arm
Leg
Yes, frost seeding switchgrass is the preferred method. No soil prep is required, although I find it grows better if you do. The best stands I have are worked up ground, frost seeded, and then cultipacked when not frozen. Area should be fall prepped. Burn or mow, spray, etc. See Dbltree thread.
Welters Seed sells Frost Berseem
LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
Frost seeding switch is by far my preferred method of seeding. Try to have it done by March 1st but we've done it as late as mid-March and has success. Just hope there isn't a warm/early spring if you do that. As said before - best to have the area killed of any sod grasses such as brome or fescue the fall before. Oust XP works great for smoking those cool season grasses in the September before.
Never heard of frost berseem clover - I'll have to look into that!
Never heard of frost berseem clover - I'll have to look into that!
LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
Switchgrass and other NWSGs have been the biggest habitat addition we've made on our farm. Generally in 2 years you have a wildlife paradise with this stuff! Here's an example I was showing some people the other day comparing brome to switch... pretty big difference, especially in winter with some snow
HorseDoctor
PMA Member
Welters Seed and Honey has Frosty Berseem Clover.
loneranger
Well-Known Member
OK where do ya buy switch grass? I intend to plant it in my logged out area. Mature trees ground to chips. a lot of bare ground tho too.
Awesome looking grass. Can I ask what brand/mix that was planted?Switchgrass and other NWSGs have been the biggest habitat addition we've made on our farm. Generally in 2 years you have a wildlife paradise with this stuff! Here's an example I was showing some people the other day comparing brome to switch... pretty big difference, especially in winter with some snow
Very nice!!!! And- if u can- post it in dbltree section too!!!Switchgrass and other NWSGs have been the biggest habitat addition we've made on our farm. Generally in 2 years you have a wildlife paradise with this stuff! Here's an example I was showing some people the other day comparing brome to switch... pretty big difference, especially in winter with some snow
. *which - btw- have some “good news” on that front soon.
Central Iowa
Life Member
LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
You can but each time we've tried to kill brome in April it's been minimal success. It appears it's all "dead" for the first two months, maybe even the first year it is set back, but a couple years down the road it's coming back strong and begins to choke out the switchgrass. That's when late spring burns and some light spring doses of OustXP or SpyderXP help to knock the brome back again. This is if you're trying to convert a brome/fescue/cool season grass field into switchgrass that is. If it was old bean or corn stubble then spraying a pre-emerge like atrazine in the spring will work great for you!
LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
This particular plot was Nebraska 28, I believe we got it from our local PF chapter. The rest of the switch we've ever planted on the farm was Cave-in-rock. Get's taller than the NE28. Both still provide amazing cover though.
This is some of the CIR switch we've established on the farm. Amazing cover
The above picture didn't show the height of the CIR well since I was standing on top of a terrace when I took it. So I went back a few weeks later and snapped this picture, it's all eye level, 5-6ft tall.
Hardwood11
It is going to be a good fall!
With cover like that who needs timber? Well actually it is great to have both. Extremely underrated and not used as much as it should be....tall switch can hold a lot of wildlife and makes for great travel corridors.
LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
Put this stuff next to a good wood lot, awesome edge/transition zones. Mature buck heaven! Trees/timber make it a little easier to bowhunt. haha
LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
The above picture of the head high CIR is a 3 year old stand - it produces some awesome cover really quickly. We burned it for the first time last spring... it's HOT as you can imagine
Hardwood11
It is going to be a good fall!
I think a mix of both is perfect, for hunting, but they also seem to really like cedars in switch or near the switch.
LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
Yup, that's the ultimate combo... also a challenge when it comes to burning the switch. haha. Good burn lines are a must!
