Switchgrass

[Sligh1]

Re: Switchgrass - Aug 1st

Thank you!!! Sorry for additional question that I forgot...
I know CIR grows best and TALLEST on high quality soil or bottom soils. When you are planting to JUNK ground which is hills and pasture (higher clay content)- basically POOR SOIL- would you still consider CIR or would you look at other options?

Basically, for poor soil, what's the best performing Native Grass that would fit in my plan? (Planning on CIR (partially because of how easy it is to seed & I have some left over- but want to make sure you don't suggest something else?)

 

[Crimson Arrows]

Re: Switchgrass - Aug 1st

So I finally got around to cutting my 5 acre field of first year switch/bb/cir. Must admit..it looks 100% better but now all of it is about 12-15" high but hopefully the sun and lack of competition from foxtail will allow more growth the next 6 weeks. I had foxtail about 5 ft tall everywhere and after it was cut you could see about 80% of the field had switch about 1 ft high. So..its there but small and if anything I tokk 3-4" off the top of the switch/bb. Temps in the mid 90's this week...hope it helps!

 

[dbltree]

Re: Switchgrass - Aug 1st

Basically, for poor soil, what's the best performing Native Grass that would fit in my plan?

Little Bluestem does pretty well on "poor clay knobs" but you can also "feed" your CIR. Take a soil test and give it what it what it's lacking (except nitrogen...forget that in the seeding year)

Once you get CIR established and you have good weed control, feed it some 46% urea just hours ahead of a good rain and look out!

Switchgrass is like corn...it LOVES nitrogen! CIR can put roots down half way to China to find moisture...everything else you can make up for.

 

[ajadams]

Re: Switchgrass - Aug 1st

I checked my switch today and I am starting to see some 12" or so. some is seading out. But there is a lot of weeds and some foxtail in there not sure if I sould mow high, spray with 2-4d or leave it. Some areas are a lot thicker than others and some areas I don't see any switch, might just spot mow.

 

[Sligh1]

Re: Switchgrass - Aug 1st

I am getting ready in the next week or two to do my FINAL BLAST on the Brome that will soon be a lovely CIR jungle!
Question (might have been explained before)... If seed doesn't germinate til it's real warm (much later than other junk)... WHY don't you just frost seed on living brome in Feb/March THEN, when brome comes alive (before seed germinates) hammer it with Round-up and Atrazine?!???? I'm sure there's a reason but logic makes that method at least thinkable for someone that didn't prepare like they should have.

No matter, I have my spots mowed and they are killed right now, going in for the second and final kill soon. Frost seed, round-up & atrazine to follow early spring, I feel like I'm on a bombing mission off an aircraft carrier unleashing all these aersenals. If I hit Atrazine hard (and oh yes, I will!) chance I will not need to mow?

 

[dbltree]

Re: Switchgrass - Aug 1st

Question (might have been explained before)... If seed doesn't germinate til it's real warm (much later than other junk)... WHY don't you just frost seed on living brome in Feb/March THEN, when brome comes alive (before seed germinates) hammer it with Round-up and Atrazine?!???? I'm sure there's a reason but logic makes that method at least thinkable for someone that didn't prepare like they should have.

Because we want the seed to make soil contact and that that's difficult if it's a mass of thick brome.


That's why we mow it in late summer and spray the regrowth by early fall. Also if you go back thru this thread you'll see where I had to try and kill early season grass for a switchgrass planting and ended up spraying it twice.

Early spring many grasses, weeds etc. are dormant and all do not emerge or green up equally. So I killed it and then more grasses emerged that hadn't greened up yet.

Spring spray is a last resort and tricky project with timing being an issue. It's alright to spray any regrowth next spring but your doing the right thing by killing the brome NOW!

 

[hillrunner]

Re: Switchgrass - Aug 1st

I checked my switch today and I am starting to see some 12" or so. some is seeding out. But there is a lot of weeds and some foxtail in there not sure if I should mow high, spray with 2-4d or leave it. Some areas are a lot thicker than others and some areas I don't see any switch, might just spot mow.

This sums my situation up pretty well . Their are a couple spots I didn't spray atrazine because of cedar seedlings and the fox tail absolutely took over. Most other places the switch seems to be coming pretty well . I have quite a few clumps that are 4-5 feet tall , but this is not the norm.I also have spots that are pretty overtaken by weeds , I have done a little spot spraying with 2-4d and this seems to help. I also plan on doing another blast of round up and atrazine next spring. All in all I think I'm doing pretty good for not acquiring this property til last December.

 

[ajadams]

Re: Switchgrass - Aug 1st

I hit it high this morning with the mower in the bad spots, any thing growing strong I just left. I'm trying to wait till next year to start sprayng.

 

[dbltree]

Re: Switchgrass - Aug 1st

Originally Posted By: ajadams
I hit it high this morning with the mower in the bad spots, any thing growing strong I just left. I'm trying to wait till next year to start sprayng.

Sorry I missed your previous post AJ...I'd say you did the right thing. I hate mowing switch if I don't have to, it's just a neccessary evil without herbicides.

If the switch is up above competition, leave it and if the foxtail is to much for it...clip it.

Take some pics and share when you have time.

 

[Crimson Arrows]

After mowing my switch last week I noticed there were a few spots that lacked switch or were much thinner. I have heard from one farmer that it won't spread and another that it will fill in as it releases seed. Should I purchase seed this winter and frost seed again to "be sure" or just let it go? Would it hurt anything or be a "waste" to reseed with all the present switch which is about 12" TALL?

 

[dbltree]

Originally Posted By: huntyak
After mowing my switch last week I noticed there were a few spots that lacked switch or were much thinner. I have heard from one farmer that it won't spread and another that it will fill in as it releases seed. Should I purchase seed this winter and frost seed again to "be sure" or just let it go? Would it hurt anything or be a "waste" to reseed with all the present switch which is about 12" TALL?

It won't hurt a thing to frost seed any bare patches. Mature plants will drop seed but that's a year or two away and by then those bare patches won't be so bare anymore

Weeds and grasses will quickly fill in where there isn't switchgrass (that's where a heavy dose of Atrazine comes in handy ) making it almost impossible for switch to "fill in" later.....

 

[Crimson Arrows]

The switch has done pretty well considering first year and after mowing I can see it has taken a good hold but again, some spots are thinner. Is it a good idea to pay someone to come in a spray in the next few weeks with atrazine? How much will that cost? The switch is on 5 acres of what was corn the past decade, so it was frost seeded on bare field/corn stubble in March.

 

[dbltree]

Originally Posted By: huntyak
The switch has done pretty well considering first year and after mowing I can see it has taken a good hold but again, some spots are thinner. Is it a good idea to pay someone to come in a spray in the next few weeks with atrazine? How much will that cost? The switch is on 5 acres of what was corn the past decade, so it was frost seeded on bare field/corn stubble in March

.



Atrazine is best applied before weeds emerge in the spring. it's a pre-emergent residual acting type herbicide rather then a contact herbicide.

Apply ASAP in the spring...local elevator/co-op/ag supply can spray it on most likely in the $40 an acre range but everything has gone up...I'm only guessing on the cost.

4 quarts per acre (more is better and won't hurt the switchgrass) Atrazine is a real problem in our soils and waters but a one time heavy application on switchgrass isn't going to hurt anything.

 

[Sligh1]

I know we've talked alot about fall KILL of brome for frost seeding switch. There's a patch of brome way back in my land I would PREFER to only go into ONCE- THIS WEEKEND to spray 44 oz to the acre of round-up with Ammonium Sulfate as it was just mowed. and again, I'd prefer to only hit it once. Next spring I will hit it will round-up and atrazine.

Would you be concerned that there's still a lot of time for stuff to grow back since we still have a good month of warmer weather (too early?) AND
Do you think ONE TIME on 6" tall brome with 44 oz to acre (and ammonium sulfate) will FRY IT????? THANKS!!!

 

[SEIowaDeerslayer]

I've read through this entire thread and have gathered a ton of information, so thanks to everyone. I'll be planting a couple of acres of switch next year. I have gathered that Atrazine is the best herbicide to use on it, but what would be an acceptable alternative? Mowing for me really isn't an option because I don't get to the farm more than a few times over the summer before the season hits.

 

[dbltree]

Originally Posted By: SEIowaDeerslayer
I've read through this entire thread and have gathered a ton of information, so thanks to everyone. I'll be planting a couple of acres of switch next year. I have gathered that Atrazine is the best herbicide to use on it, but what would be an acceptable alternative? Mowing for me really isn't an option because I don't get to the farm more than a few times over the summer before the season hits.

If you can't mow, then herbicide is even more important! Princep 4L is a non RUP herbicide like Atrazine that can be used but it isn't nearly as effective. I have applied it without great success compared to Atrazine.

I would use it only as a last resort but it would be better then nothing. I would ask around and see if you can find someone with a RUP license that will p/u a couple gallons of atrazine for you or see if the local elevator will spray it when doing someones corn in the area.

Would you be concerned that there's still a lot of time for stuff to grow back since we still have a good month of warmer weather (too early?) AND
Do you think ONE TIME on 6" tall brome with 44 oz to acre (and ammonium sulfate) will FRY IT????? THANKS!!!

Why ammonium sulfate Skip?? Normally I kill brome in September with gly and it's cooked until other weeds etc. start to pop up in June.

Ammonium sulfate kills but I'm not sure if it is as effective as gly...if it is why isn't everyone using it???

Or are you using AS AND gly?????

 

[Sligh1]

I am using A.S. and Glyphosate together just to make it more potent on the plants (I think I have pretty rough water which A.S. is supposed to help with when using Gly). The killer is the 44 oz/acre Glyphosate (for the discussion you could FORGET that I said anything about A.S.).

One time kill THIS WEEKEND with 44 oz to acre Gly OK in your book with brome grass? (Or would you spray 2 times this fall making one of those applications later in Sept?).

 

[dbltree]

Originally Posted By: Sligh1
I am using A.S. and Glyphosate together just to make it more potent on the plants (I think I have pretty rough water which A.S. is supposed to help with when using Gly). The killer is the 44 oz/acre Glyphosate (for the discussion you could FORGET that I said anything about A.S.).


One time kill THIS WEEKEND with 44 oz to acre Gly OK in your book with brome grass? (Or would you spray 2 times this fall making one of those applications later in Sept?).

Normally it's referred to as AMS...so you just threw me for a bit there Skip!

The nice thing about spraying now is that you can re-spray any spots you missed or re-growth if need be. Normally one spraying this time of year should be enough.

Role of AMS with glyphosate products

Ammonium Sulphate (AMS) and Glyphosate

AMS – WHAT IS IT DOING IN MY TANK?

Softcede® (AMS Replacement)

 

[dbltree]

Few late August pics of Cave In Rock Switchgrass on my place...

It's hard to really show just how thick it is...but it's thick!

and tall!

This is a CIR clump which kind of shows how thick it gets at the bases but the "clumpiness" allows small birds and animals to move around while protected from overhead predators.

Just a reminder if your planning on planting some switchgrass or a NWSG mix next winter or spring...NOW is the time to prepare if you'll be planting on sod (such as CRP).

Mow it...wait for the regrowth and kill the brome and fescue with a serious dose of glyphosphate while grass is still green and growing...most likely now thru early October.

This will allow you to frost seed into killed sod in Feb/March either by broadcasting or drilling into frozen sod. Atrazine can be applied in mid April as a pre-emergent herbicide to speed growth by controlling weed competition which will surely explode despite being killed using Roundup.

As with any project...planning is the key to a successful prairiegrass planting!

 

[Sligh1]

AWESOME!!! If mine could look like that, I would move into the switchgrass and live there myself!!!

I have mowed and JUST sprayed my brome for the 2nd time, this time with 44 oz to the acre of round-up and Ammon Sulf.

I have a question, in the process I went over ANOTHER 1/2 acre that I had not planned on which I didn't mow obviously. I know it's KILLED. My question is, could I go in there with my rotary mower in the winter or simply BEFORE I frost seed or drill to get rid of some of the JUNK on top????

Let me know your rental rate for 1 acre for me to move into your switchgrass, I am looking to move out of my house soon. THANKS!!!