dbltree
Super Moderator
The late planted radishes probably won't be a problem, more so for July planted brassicas that reach maturity.
The late planted radishes probably won't be a problem, more so for July planted brassicas that reach maturity.
Jbohn
Well-Known Member
What if I can not broadcast untill middle late march, can I stratify the seed then broadcast and let the weather work the seed in, I broadcasted 50LBS on 10 acres last week , worried I need a little more it came out a little fast when i first started..I am a long way from my farm in Illinois I live in Maryland it not like i can get back there with out driving 12 hours.
dbltree
Super Moderator
Middle March would be fine and in some cases the seed is not as dormant as others so perhaps late March will still be fine. I prefer February when possible but you may have success all the way up to early April too.
Keep us posted! :way:
Jbohn
Well-Known Member
OK- So let me get this right
- I sprayed my field in august good Kill
- I broadcasted my seed in Jan.
- I am going to burn off all thatch April 1st
- 3rd or 4th week April have field sprayed with Atrazine and Gly
- sit back and rep the rewards.
LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
Burning after seeding sounds risky to me. 
SWBUCKHNTR
Member
I would skip step 3 and be patient on step 5. I frost seeded and sprayed switch last year and had flowing fields of foxtail most the year. Now that the foxtail is knocked down I can see the switch all through out. This coming year should be great.
dbltree
Super Moderator
Burning after seeding sounds risky to me.
I agree...I don't have any facts on this so I could be wrong but I prefer to burn before seeding rather then after. Thatch won't hurt anything and I always leave it there and have never had any adverse affects other then atrazine is not as effective where there is a lot of surface trash.
You can use Paramount/Drive 75 in June if foxtail comes up (and it will)
Ok, I have posted here are few times, but I need some more help.
I bought some additional land that I am going to start to work on for habitat this spring. about 8-10 acres of the land was tillable, but has not been worked for the past 10+ years, so lots of stuff has grown in. weeds, little trees, grass, etc. I want to plant Switch in that entire field.
My plan is to talk to a local farmer to see if he would be willing to help me out. I assume my first step needs to be spraying the field in spring to kill everything. Is it recommended to spray a couple of times? Over what length of time? I would then ask the farmer to disc the field and plant it with switch. I have been using "sunburst" switchgrass. Is it best to have him plant the seed or is broadcasting preferred?
Do you also mix the switch with other types of seed? Indian grass, etc?
Any other suggestions or steps that I am missing?
Thank you in advance for your help. Hardly any snow in wisconsin so I am heading out soon to mark the areas to plant!!
I bought some additional land that I am going to start to work on for habitat this spring. about 8-10 acres of the land was tillable, but has not been worked for the past 10+ years, so lots of stuff has grown in. weeds, little trees, grass, etc. I want to plant Switch in that entire field.
My plan is to talk to a local farmer to see if he would be willing to help me out. I assume my first step needs to be spraying the field in spring to kill everything. Is it recommended to spray a couple of times? Over what length of time? I would then ask the farmer to disc the field and plant it with switch. I have been using "sunburst" switchgrass. Is it best to have him plant the seed or is broadcasting preferred?
Do you also mix the switch with other types of seed? Indian grass, etc?
Any other suggestions or steps that I am missing?
Thank you in advance for your help. Hardly any snow in wisconsin so I am heading out soon to mark the areas to plant!!
letemgrow
PMA Member
Same here, I would not burn at that time after seeding. The thatch should not be a problem.
letemgrow
PMA Member
How big are the small trees? They may be hard on equipment if not removed for the farmer if you guys decide to actually plant instead of broadcast the seeds.
They are more brush than trees, but the plan is to try to clear all of that stuff up. We also have some HUGE ant hills that are in the field. Big enough that I rolled my 4 wheeler on one last year. I did not really see them because of the tall grass. I took a drive through the middle of it 2 weeks ago and there are at least 20-30 ant hills in there. Some up to 3 foot tall.
We were thinking of having a guy come in with a bull dozer to run over the whole field to make certain that it is smoothed out for the farmers. I don't want to risk their equipment.
SWBUCKHNTR
Member
I figured I would take some pictures and post up my switchgrass plantings this year. I am curious to see what I find out. I have 2 areas that I am seeding into switch this year. The first one is at my house along my driveway(north central iowa). It is about an acre and has always been cropped until last year. I kept it mowed all summer and burned it off this fall. It is mid 70s csr ground. I frost seeded it feb 8th.
Now the next area is quite a bit bigger roughly 5 acres and it is in southern iowa. It has always been hay ground until last spring I planted beans for a food plot and left them standing all year. The ground is in the low 50's for csr has a few wet areas and has only seen a little bit of fertilizer in the last 10 years or so. This was frost seeded feb 9th.
Now my plan is to spray them late april with gly/atrazine. I am gonna try to do it within a day or 2 of eachother. I will take pics and post them up then. My goal with the whole thing is to see if better ground has any effect on how well the switch does or if it depends a lot on the time it is seeded and sprayed. I know there are all kinds of variables that could change how one does compared to the other but figured it would atleast be fun watching the 2 and seeing what I come up with.
Now the next area is quite a bit bigger roughly 5 acres and it is in southern iowa. It has always been hay ground until last spring I planted beans for a food plot and left them standing all year. The ground is in the low 50's for csr has a few wet areas and has only seen a little bit of fertilizer in the last 10 years or so. This was frost seeded feb 9th.
Now my plan is to spray them late april with gly/atrazine. I am gonna try to do it within a day or 2 of eachother. I will take pics and post them up then. My goal with the whole thing is to see if better ground has any effect on how well the switch does or if it depends a lot on the time it is seeded and sprayed. I know there are all kinds of variables that could change how one does compared to the other but figured it would atleast be fun watching the 2 and seeing what I come up with.
dbltree
Super Moderator
Frost seeding switchgrass
I frost seeded some Cave In Rock switchgrass seed recently...easy for anyone to do with a $30 bag seeder or an ATV mounted broadcaster...the seed is very tiny not unlike clover seed.
This was left over seed from last year stored safely in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid on it
Switchgrass seed can have a high degree of dormancy but both age and the cold wet chill of late winter can help stratify the seed which allows it to germinate when temps warm significantly in mid to late May in most of the Midwest. A little light snow can be helpful to see where you are going/have been but I often walk both ways to insure even coverage when sowing by hand. Open the gate on the bag seeder just enough to let the tiny seeds pass thru and lock it there...otherwise you'll be tempted to "dump" seed which is very expensive and having to order more because you ran out with the field half done can be an expensive lesson.
Ideally soybean or corn stubble is a great place to frost seed into where all sod grasses have been previously killed...look closely to see the tiny seeds on the soil surface where freezing/thawing action will help it make soil contact.
but sod killed the fall before will work just fine as well and though better to have been mowed before spraying even taller killed sod can not keep the tiny seeds from making soil contact.
Switchgrass is more attractive to whitetail bucks for bedding when in larger, hilly fields with low flat lands far less likely to be used for anything but travel. Very small areas are also less likely to be utilized and probably better bedding cover could be achieved by planting a mix of shrubs and conifers but on fields where trees are not an option....switchgrass is and it's relatively easy to establish with little or no equipment... :way:
I frost seeded some Cave In Rock switchgrass seed recently...easy for anyone to do with a $30 bag seeder or an ATV mounted broadcaster...the seed is very tiny not unlike clover seed.
This was left over seed from last year stored safely in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid on it
Switchgrass seed can have a high degree of dormancy but both age and the cold wet chill of late winter can help stratify the seed which allows it to germinate when temps warm significantly in mid to late May in most of the Midwest. A little light snow can be helpful to see where you are going/have been but I often walk both ways to insure even coverage when sowing by hand. Open the gate on the bag seeder just enough to let the tiny seeds pass thru and lock it there...otherwise you'll be tempted to "dump" seed which is very expensive and having to order more because you ran out with the field half done can be an expensive lesson.
Ideally soybean or corn stubble is a great place to frost seed into where all sod grasses have been previously killed...look closely to see the tiny seeds on the soil surface where freezing/thawing action will help it make soil contact.
but sod killed the fall before will work just fine as well and though better to have been mowed before spraying even taller killed sod can not keep the tiny seeds from making soil contact.
Switchgrass is more attractive to whitetail bucks for bedding when in larger, hilly fields with low flat lands far less likely to be used for anything but travel. Very small areas are also less likely to be utilized and probably better bedding cover could be achieved by planting a mix of shrubs and conifers but on fields where trees are not an option....switchgrass is and it's relatively easy to establish with little or no equipment... :way:
SoDakarcher
Member
Switch Help!
Dbltee,
Is your favorite choice to rehab a 2 year old pure switch field overrun with cool seasons and broadleafs still Oust XP at 2 ounces tank mixed with roundup at 1qt. applied in early April?( maybe sooner this year) Thanks.
Dbltee,
Is your favorite choice to rehab a 2 year old pure switch field overrun with cool seasons and broadleafs still Oust XP at 2 ounces tank mixed with roundup at 1qt. applied in early April?( maybe sooner this year) Thanks.
dbltree
Super Moderator
rackhunter
Member
Ground Temperature
I was told from Osenbaughs last year to spray Atrazin around April 1 and then Round up between May 5-10. With the current temps when do I spray? What is the currnt ground temperature in Southeast Iowa?
I was told from Osenbaughs last year to spray Atrazin around April 1 and then Round up between May 5-10. With the current temps when do I spray? What is the currnt ground temperature in Southeast Iowa?
For soil temps. Both me and dbltree put link under nwsg thread of his. I am on my phone so harder to copy/paste but look under that thread within last couple weeks. Se is I probably at 60 degrees. I personally will b spraying all new seedings next week. It may b slightly early But- I'd rather be early than late (late meaNs killing ur seeding). I am spraying atrazine and roundup at same time- saves half the work if I spray at once. Watch for 65 degree soil temps. New seedings will germinate later than existing seeding coming outta dormancy but I'll b killing most or all cool seasons an have a ton of residual with high levels of atrazine.