Switchgrass

[dbltree]

Re: Switchgrass - Planting switchgrass with corn

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????

You bet!! (assuming you have a tractor by then... )


Sooner would be better just so it can kind of rot down a little and not be a mat of heavy grass that seed can't penetrate...

A post was made earlier about planting switchgrass with corn so I'm adding it to this thread because it is an excellent way to establish switchgrass.

Here is some pics of my corn/switchgrass plots planted mid-May of this year. I gained alot of info from this site which really helped me to be successful on this project.

The total planting was 14 acres, two of which was frost seeded. Just as I started to seed in mid March the ground thawed and was just too soft to run the drill across so I planted the bulk of the switch grass in mid-May along with the corn. June was unusually cool and wet which slowed the corn growth down in my area and I was guessing would do the same to the switch. So I decided to press my luck and spray atrazine and round up in mid June. In July we finally got some hot sunny days and the switch finally popped up and has grown well ever since. Some of the switch that has went to seed is near chest high, but most is knee to waist high.

Surpisingly the ground that was worked and planted to switch in May looks better and with fewer weeds than the grass that was frost seeded in March. Most of the weed competition is from broadleafs in this area and not foxtail or other grasses so the switch is growing pretty well in this area to spite the weeds.

Now I'm trying to decide whether to harvest the corn or to leave it stand into next season and I see positves and negatives to both. If the corn stands into next spring it will be good cover and food this fall and may be easier to spot/frost seed switch in some thin spots this winter. I assume the debris left behind from the combine will cover the ground and make it more difficult to frost seed.

However if the corn is down I could spray the broadleaf weeds early next spring before the switch germinates. Another plus is that the corn is worth probably around 3-4 grand which would cover the expences of seed and chemicals quite nicely...

Dbltree whats your take on the question of harvesting the corn say in November after the switch is dormant?

 

[ajadams]

Re: Switchgrass - possible rust problems

I was out at the farm today and noticed that the switch I planted this spring was looking pretty brown. Looking closer at it there looks to be rust spots on the leaves. A Lot of it is totally brown or dead looking and the rest looks to be on its way. What can I do? Its only 3-5 acres but I'd hate to replant.

 

[dbltree]

Re: Switchgrass - possible rust problems

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ajadams</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was out at the farm today and noticed that the switch I planted this spring was looking pretty brown. Looking closer at it there looks to be rust spots on the leaves. A Lot of it is totally brown or dead looking and the rest looks to be on its way. What can I do? Its only 3-5 acres but I'd hate to replant. </div></div>

I think it's all going to be "brown" now...here's mine 9-26-08

The thing green in it then was goldenrod and the occasional weed...some big bluestem and indiangrass in the foreground of this pic...it's brown too!

It really doesn't sound abnormal but pictures always help... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[ajadams]

Re: Switchgrass - possible rust problems

I'll try to get some pictures before it all turns brown. The stuff that is brown looks very wilted and the stuff that is still green has rust colored bloches all over the leavss. And they seem to have lost there seeds of the tops, seems early too be losing there seeds. If by chance it is rust, what would I do? Thanks

 

[dbltree]

Re: Switchgrass - possible rust problems

Originally Posted By: ajadams
I'll try to get some pictures before it all turns brown. The stuff that is brown looks very wilted and the stuff that is still green has rust colored bloches all over the leavss. And they seem to have lost there seeds of the tops, seems early too be losing there seeds. If by chance it is rust, what would I do? Thanks

Post some pics before we start guessing but:

switchgrass is resistant to many pests and plant diseases

I've never heard of "rust" on switchgrass...sometimes little "spots" on the leaves but nothing detrimental to the plant itself.

I first question if some of the plants your looking at are even switchgrass as there are some other plants out there that look to much like switch, (especially in a new seeding) and that leads to further confusion.

If the plants are indeed switchgrass then I suspect there is nothing wrong with them at all but just "preparing" for winter.

Take a bunch of pics next time your out there and lets take a closer look and see what's going on, but personally I have never heard of anyone having disease or fungus type problems in switchgrass...

Just some more I.D. tips...

Look for the "hair"...

Seedheads (if there are any)

and dream about the day when big bucks are hiding in...

Cave In Rock Switchgrass

Some good pics comparing Cave In Rock to Dacotah and Sunburst in this link:

Native Grass Project

NWSG

 

[ajadams]

Re: Switchgrass - possible rust problems

Here's a few pics of my switch.

The brown spots are whats making me nervous hope the pictures are clear enough to see.

 

[timekiller]

Re: Switchgrass - possible rust problems

Here's the rest of AJ's pics

 

[dbltree]

Re: Switchgrass - possible rust problems

The brown spots are whats making me nervous hope the pictures are clear enough to see

Here I thought I had taken every possible picture of switchgrass and then....you go and prove me wrong!

I am positive that mine gets "mottled", "blotchy" "spots" on them not unlike your pics.

I don't think you have anything to worry about but I certainly understand your concerns.

I think mine has already turned but I'll look it over and take some close pics to compare with yours this week.

 

[dbltree]

Re: Switchgrass - November

I always love to walk through the Cave In Rock switchgrass this time of year....it's just beautiful, like a sea of waving grass.

Lot's of beds and I always wonder...single bed? Hmmmm...a monster buck no doubt...

I took this pic of a buck walking thru the switchgrass...nothing but horns!

Can you pick out the doe sneaking thru the switchgrass?

Tall, rank Cave In Rock switchgrass is awesome deer cover and a great help in deterring poachers and holding deer on your property...

SWITCHGRASS is a native, perennial, warm-sea-son
sod-forming tall grass. It is most commonly found in prairie
lowlands, but will grow under a wide range of climatic
conditions. A thick stand of Switchgrass makes excellent
winter and early spring wildlife cover because of its ability to
remain in an upright position when covered with snow or ice.
Many farmers prefer Switchgrass to other varieties of native
grasses because of the hard seed coat that easily feeds through
conventional seeders. A drought-resistant grass, it even
produces well in the driest years. During the dry summer of
1988, a Missouri producer reported his Cave-in-Rock
Switchgrass hayed in mid-July yielded 6000 pounds per acre,
compared to fescue hayed in late May which produced barely
1000 pounds per acre.

FACTS ABOUT SWITCHGRASS:
Switchgrass is the earliest maturing warm-season
grass.

It is drought tolerant, salt tolerant, and acid
tolerant.

Native and established stands provide good wildlife
cover. A Switchgrass provides excellent erosion control. Switchgrass is categorized as a sand stabilizer.

VARIETY:

Alamo was developed in Texas. The foliage is coarser than some varieties and often reaches 10 feet
in height. Its late maturity date insures production into the early fall.

Kanlow is a lowland variety of Switchgrass that is suited to the southern two-thirds of the United
States in lowland sections. It is especially well suited to poorly drained sites or areas subject to
periodic flooding, but also performs well on upland soils. Young plants are succulent and are readily
grazed by livestock.

Blackwell is a variety that produces lush foliage longer into the growing season, and is disease
resistant. Heavy vigorous roots and stems make it excellent for conservation use.

Cav-in-Rock originated in Illinois. It is a top choice among all the Switchgrass varieties because of
its palatability and disease resistance. Cave-in-Rock Switchgrass is noted for its adaptability to the
growing conditions found in the more eastern states, especially the high humidity areas. It grows
best in years of average rainfall and temperature. Plants often reach over 5 feet at maturity. Late
maturing, it grows best on fertile. well drained soils.

Nebraska 28 is a particularly well adapted grass for the sandhills of Nebraska or similar types of
soils and conditions.

Pathfinder is a late maturing, winter hardy, vigorous variety of Switchgrass. Pathfinder gives
superior results in stand establishment, forage, and seed production.

Shelter originated in New York and is used primarily for wildlife plantings and highway rights of
way. It is durable and demonstrates great standability.
Summer is a variety know for its leafy, rust resistant early appearing vegetation. Growing tall with
coarse, late maturing leaves, it is particularly well adapted for North Dakota, South Dakota, and
Minnesota.

Trailblazer is a variety of Switchgrass that refines the finest qualities of Pathfinder and adds an
even greater degree of winter strength. Northern states with a harsh climate find this variety
particularly suitable for their needs. It is a very palatable grass with a high T.D.N. (total digestible
nutrients).

ESTABLISHMENT / MANAGEMENT
As with all warm season grasses, good soil to seed contact is essential. A firm moist seed bed that
has been tested for deficiencies of the soil with applications made to correct these deficiencies is the
basis for the grass crop.

Switchgrass begins growing in mid-spring with about 70 percent of its production after June 1.

Switchgrass should not be grazed or hayed below the 6 inch height, and the hay harvesting should not be scheduled too late in the growing season (approximately August 15).

Switchgrass may benefit from a controlled burn every 3 to 5 years to eliminate residue and mulch
build up.

If you choose to fertilize, avoid high rates of nitrogen. Allow 8 to 8 inches of stubble to remain through the winter to provide insulation for the root system, assuring a healthy, vigorous
growth the following spring.

Osenbaugh's Prairie Seed Farms
Nathan Pace
515-975-1400-Cell
Osenbaugh's Prairie Seed Farms

 

[Sligh1]

Re: Switchgrass - November

I know we've talked about this earlier in thread somewhere BUT...

What is the ideal timeframe (date-wise) to FROST SEED CIR switch??? (maybe a date window???). AND, what's the conditions you like to see (before snow, right after snow- on top of it, etc, etc.).

On FROST SEEDED CIR, when is the time-frame you like to spray a pre-imergent like Atrazine, etc on a new planting????

Thanks!

 

[dbltree]

Re: Switchgrass - November

Originally Posted By: Sligh1
I know we've talked about this earlier in thread somewhere BUT...

What is the ideal timeframe (date-wise) to FROST SEED CIR switch??? (maybe a date window???). AND, what's the conditions you like to see (before snow, right after snow- on top of it, etc, etc.).

On FROST SEEDED CIR, when is the time-frame you like to spray a pre-imergent like Atrazine, etc on a new planting????

Thanks!

I like to frost seed on bare ground from Feb 1st on so that we are pretty assured of snows and plenty of freezing an thawing.

Really, anytime now would probally be fine. Some like to seed on a little snow to better check seed coverage but deep snow can wash when it melts or blow and drift and move seed around.

By seeding on frozen bare ground I know snow will press it against the soil where it is less likely to"float" around.

I would apply Atrazine close to the begining of April because it's a pre-emergent, but if one is using roundup with it then you can wait til mid April and let things green up a bit.

 

[dbltree]

Re: Switchgrass - pathways

For those of you that either have switchgrass or are establishing it, I wanted to bring up a neat trick that will help you funnel deer between to points.

Deer love to bed in switchgrass and they will make runways thru it but...if you mow a path thru it they will follow it like a puppy on a string!

Pick a couple entrance/exit points perhaps between woodlots or cover/bedding areas to food sources. Mow a path thru the switch and spice it up by planting it to clover or perhaps cereal grains in the fall.

Great place to have a stand at the edge of the timber leading to the pathway or a ground blind in the switch itself adjacent to the pathway.

Another helpful idea is to plant rows of shrubs along side as additional cover as you see in this pic...

The runway you see is leading from one pocket of cover straight to another and bucks feel comfortable following the shrubs and switchgrass.

If your in the planning stages of establishing switchgrass I wouldn't even worry about it at this point but in a few years it's something you can go back and "add" to enhance your whitetail sightings and increase the odds of funneling a mature buck your way... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

My friend nannyslayer gave me permission to post this video of a doe he harvested...note the switchgrass in the background and how quickly the deer disappear into it's protective cover.



It's also noteworthy that those deer were following along side the safety of cover but in the "easy" path of the open food source.

 

[Sligh1]

FROST SEEDING, here's what it said on 1st page- "To ensure the maximum results from your frost seeding, you should broadcast the Switchgrass before February 28th."

Would you recommend doing this between now and the next few weeks? Let's say ON AVERAGE there was a date you had to pick to frost seed- what date would that be? Or a date range?

*OH, DAAAAHHHH, I have my answer a few posts up. For some reason I didn't think I had addressed timing for frost seeding CIR & thought I asked it about frost seeding something else. Sorry.

Thanks for all your help!!

 

[Central Iowa]

Don't remember where I foud this picture but it shows a great example of funneling deer in switch grass with cut lanes.

 

[dbltree]

Awesome example of funneling with switchgrass Travis!! Thanks for posting that pic!

Right now is the perfect time to be frost seeding switchgrass or any native grass seed.

Switchgrass seed needs to lay out there a while and be exposed to freezing/thawing/wet-chill to stratify and if we get a good snow on top to press it against the soil...all the better!

Clover seed does NOT need to be stratified so we frost seed clover in late Feb,/early March.

Remember...switchgrass seed can be either broadcast or drilled into frozen soil with a no-till drill. If broadcasting use care to close down your seeder to smallest opening because switch seed is very fine and tiny.

It's also expensive...so you don't want your 5#'s an acre on a 1/4 of an acre!!

 

[Sligh1]

I'm gonna go out tonight and spread about $250 worth of CIR seed! Man, for an hour or two worth of fun, it's expensive!!!

At least it's an expense that can be a one time deal if you do your establishment and maintanence right over the years!!! It's actually VERY LOW COST when you think of how much cover & habitat switchgrass supplies. I can establish switchgrass permanently for less than most guys can plant the full cost of ONE YEAR of corn.

COST per acre: 8 lbs of CIR switch, around $80 (could do 10 lbs to acre). Atrazine $30/acre at most. Round-up when you 1st kill everything, maybe $25/acre. TOTAL: $135/acre. Your earlier expense was just mowing the area. Later on it's maybe some more atrazine BUT the big one will be burning. If you did 10 acres for $1,350 you'd have a deer paradise!!!! One time expense that is so worth it and will transform a piece of land!!!

 

[Osenbaugh]

Where did you get your CIR from and what did you pay for it

 

[BigTypical]

CIR price has varied for me over the last few years. Put in 11 acres last spring and paid $9/lb. Picked mine up from Allen Dan. I'm going to do more this spring.....What's the current price at Osenbaugh's?

 

[wibohnt]

I have a question on 5 acres of CIR I planted last year. It was drilled into field that was beans the prior year. After planting the contractor disappeared, basically went AWOL on me. So nothing elase was done, no mowing or spraying. I am not sure how to proceed this year, is it a lost cause???

 

[Sligh1]

I bought my CIR from you- OSENBAUGH'S last year- I had 50 lbs left over, seeded about half today. I think I paid around $10 a lbs but i can't remember.

I frost seeded mine in some flat bottoms BUT a few spots were on a hillside- do I need to worry about rain and water washing the seed away????