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Switchgrass

Tmayer13 said:
Earlier I had posted about some switch that I planted in Spring of 2023. This was a previous bean field so it was fairly clean when I frost seeded in March. After I seeded I literally did nothing. The weeds were 20000 ft tall and there was TONS of Foxtail. This spring I went in and burned mid April. Here is the result. This is proof to stop stressing about your switch. It's there and will come on stronger the second year.
One thing to pay attention to as well is your seed variety choice. You can see clearly in the photo where I planted cave in rock and RC Big Rock. It truly unbelievable how much better the RC seed is. I planted the exact same day and marked it off with flags so I would know. I would never buy CIR again. It's almost non-existent in comparison. I am 6'3 for reference
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I've had same issue with foxtail , 2nd year never had an issue . Burn after first year . Seems to release and let it take off year 2 .


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Couple pics of a 3 yr old switchgrass planting in Minnesota… thoughts ?
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I planted RC end of may. I have a really good stand in most places but there are patches of foxtail and bigger patches of nutmeg grasses that was wetter areas I couldn’t pull the drill through so I hand seeded. There are also some broadleafs but not terrible. Will a spraying of quinclorac clean up the foxtail and nutmeg or would I better off to wait till spring and burn to clean it up.

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TheBig8 said:
The areas I notice deer bedding in the RC switch are the same as my CIR switch. Edges and diversity. Ultimately for me, there are very few beds, if any, in a straight switchgrass monoculture.
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I agree. I like it in strips and I do like it for thermal cover, other animals like birds, etc. More bucks or deer use it than I would have guessed though. I combined seed heads several times on solid switch. “No beds” & “no deer in it”. Until I drove the combine right to a deer…. Busted up at last second. There’s more of em in there than I ever woulda guessed.
another way to look at switch though (as I will continue to plant it) …. Used to be a fad or thought it’s “as good as timber”. BS. Good forest & timber trumps switch 100 out of 100 times. Switch has its place & I love it. But don’t ever let anyone tell u it can hold deer like timber can.
 
If planting large swaths of switchgrass this is what I tell people. Get the switchgrass established, clean, and all set. Once that is done start breaking it up with trails and pockets of trees and shrubs ultimately ending up with a beautiful mosaic of diverse cover.
 
TheBig8 said:
The areas I notice deer bedding in the RC switch are the same as my CIR switch. Edges and diversity. Ultimately for me, there are very few beds, if any, in a straight switchgrass monoculture.
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I agree, for bedding, the end result of RC vs CIR is not any different. I do think RC is better for screening as it's a bit taller.

Neither, however, is where RC really outshines CIR. RC is easier to establish tenfold. Thats the gigantic advantage imo. I don't even plant switchgrass till spring and summer now. Stratification out the window.
 
From my experience, bucks will push a doe in estrous out into switch to try to hide her from challengers. But they will also do it with standing corn, fence rows, etc.


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IowaBowHunter1983 said:
I agree, for bedding, the end result of RC vs CIR is not any different. I do think RC is better for screening as it's a bit taller.

Neither, however, is where RC really outshines CIR. RC is easier to establish tenfold. Thats the gigantic advantage imo. I don't even plant switchgrass till spring and summer now. Stratification out the window.
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How late in the summer would you recommend planting? I have a bag of switch that I could drill in now. TIA.
 
Daver said:
How late in the summer would you recommend planting? I have a bag of switch that I could drill in now. TIA.
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I'll quote Roger Samson.

"You need about 10 weeks of growth before the first killing frost. You also need a high seedling vigor variety like RC Big Rock. You need rain after planting to initiate that growth. So maybe before August 20th to be a bit on the safer side."

I personally planted last year in August and it worked awesome. One thing I really like about it is weed pressure in August is significantly less than spring.
 
JNRBRONC said:
From my experience, bucks will push a doe in estrous out into switch to try to hide her from challengers. But they will also do it with standing corn, fence rows, etc.


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This happens a lot. I sold a farm in Minnesota that had 5 foot switchgrass/shrubs/native grasses, small wetlands etc..& it all bordered bigger timber.

A potential buyer downplayed the cover over and over. I told him, deer love it, especially during the rut (bucks will get that doe in an isolated piece of cover). He just didn’t believe me ?

I witnessed it.. oh well, I found a different buyer !
 
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