LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
What are you trying to kill? 2-4d is good for post emerge weed control. If you've got foxtail problems I had good luck with Quinstar (still have some if you're interested)
What are you trying to kill? 2-4d is good for post emerge weed control. If you've got foxtail problems I had good luck with Quinstar (still have some if you're interested)
2nd year herbicide?... u really shouldn't need any. Did you get a good start on your 1st year seeding last year?
Get atrazine if possible to anyone spraying a pre-emergent. my 2 cents, not critical but a lot better
showstopper
PMA Member
I realize that every soil demands a different fertilizer but is there a general number you guys have found that really helps a first year stand take off? I'm contemplating if it is worth the extra money to give my switchgrass a good boost this first year.
dbltree
Super Moderator
Thanks Pete...it's also sold as Paramount but it's not sold in smaller qualities like Drive is.
Switchgrass will certainly respond to fertilizers so add P&K the seeding year can be helpful, with out a soil test I can only guess but it's not uncommon to need a 100#'s each of P&K on most soils.
Do not add nitrogen until the second year but being a grass, switchgrass will respond to nitrogen so you can add N by broadcasting urea just before a minimum 1/2 of rain in late May or early June.
dbltree
Super Moderator
March 25th, 2012
Abnormally warm temps this March have me mowing the lawn already....unheard of in my lifetime! Obviously the cool seasons are growing but what about the warm season grasses? Is it to late to spray 2nd year switchgrass with gly and Oust/Spyder??
I checked on established switchgrass here and nothing is emerging yet
Look closely around the base of the established plants...emerging switchgrass will come up right thru the clump and in this case...none yet exist
This is Indiangrass
and no sign of life yet here either.
Soil temps have actually dropped a bit and in my area remain well below 60
4 Inch Soil Temperature Maps
New switch seedings will germinate well behind established switchgrass and will require at least 5 days of 65 degree soil temps. If the cool seasons are up and growing in your area and the established switch has not you can spray glyphosate and Oust in this window of time to clean up cool seasons and allow the switchgrass to dominate.
If you have a new seeding you have a little more time yet to spray gly and a residual like atrazine or simazine but be aware that the time to germination date may be moved up by 2-4 weeks from the historical May 10th (in SE Iowa)
Abnormally warm temps this March have me mowing the lawn already....unheard of in my lifetime! Obviously the cool seasons are growing but what about the warm season grasses? Is it to late to spray 2nd year switchgrass with gly and Oust/Spyder??
I checked on established switchgrass here and nothing is emerging yet
Look closely around the base of the established plants...emerging switchgrass will come up right thru the clump and in this case...none yet exist
This is Indiangrass
and no sign of life yet here either.
Soil temps have actually dropped a bit and in my area remain well below 60
4 Inch Soil Temperature Maps
New switch seedings will germinate well behind established switchgrass and will require at least 5 days of 65 degree soil temps. If the cool seasons are up and growing in your area and the established switch has not you can spray glyphosate and Oust in this window of time to clean up cool seasons and allow the switchgrass to dominate.
If you have a new seeding you have a little more time yet to spray gly and a residual like atrazine or simazine but be aware that the time to germination date may be moved up by 2-4 weeks from the historical May 10th (in SE Iowa)
Crimson Arrows
Well-Known Member
Great info Paul.
spltbrow
Member
I'm getting ready re plant an old switchgrass field about 6 acres. Last year I started out with gly and oust then sprayed gly again in late summer. Cool season grass is starting to pop up in 50% of the field. My plan is to spray with gly this weekend and then disc and plant the fallowing weekend, then spray with atrazine. The reason I am going to disc and broadcast rather than drill is to clean up the dead grass/weeds from last year that way I get good soil contact with the atrazine. What I am thinking about planting is switch, big blue, and Indian grass.
Am I on the right track with my plan and type of grass? Any suggestions and direction will be helpful. Thanks
Am I on the right track with my plan and type of grass? Any suggestions and direction will be helpful. Thanks
Crimson Arrows
Well-Known Member
I have heard discing may 'wake up' some grasses and cause them to grow, and I think can use plateau on BB or Indian but not atrazine . And vice versa for switch.
LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
I checked a couple switch grass plots we seeded last year and sure enough we've got some sprouting going on in western IA! I did notice a difference from field to field - the bottom, wet area field was sprouted more than the hillsides (north facing). But I went ahead and sprayed a mix of Oust XP and Gly now. Crazy stuff to see this sprouting already!?
The bottom field / creek buffer. This was the most sprouted area, about 1" of growth but I went ahead and sprayed anyway since it hadn't opened up.
This was the growth we were seeing on the rest of the plants. Jusssssttt peaking out!
The bottom field / creek buffer. This was the most sprouted area, about 1" of growth but I went ahead and sprayed anyway since it hadn't opened up.
This was the growth we were seeing on the rest of the plants. Jusssssttt peaking out!
Last edited:
Crimson Arrows
Well-Known Member
So we can use Roundup even though they are coming up on a switch stand? Or is it relative to how much they are coming up etc?
LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
I used round-up on the above switch stands - as long as the shoots aren't opened up you should be ok. I believe Paul would agree with me on that... I feel like he's told me that in the past. Hope so anyway!
showstopper
PMA Member
OK, one final question. I had sprayed my frost seeded switch with a strong dose of atrizine and accuquest (ammonia sulfate). Should I go back here this next weekend and spray it with roundup powermax or do you think this will suffice? I noticed quite a bit of new clover growth on the exposed soil and some grass regeneration.
LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
Sounds like safe insurance to me, you could even wait a bit longer if you wanted... just my $0.02! I see no problem in doing a dose of round-up.
I see no problem in doing a dose of round-up.
Crimson Arrows
Well-Known Member
Good info guys. Thanks.
spltbrow
Member
Ordered seed from prairie seed farms today. There went $800. They recommended 8 lb cave in rock and 2 lb canlow per acre for deer bedding. Cave in rock for the height and can low for the shorter grass and to also help hold the cave in rock up during the winter. Hopefully I made a good choice with that mix. They did recommend me to disc it maybe 3 time and then hit it with 2 lb atrazine and 1.67 pints of dual II magnum per acre and then plant. (also make sure rain is in forecast to activate the atrazine before planting seed)
Still a little confused if I should disc or not. He said by discing multiple times on different days would help kill the new seed generated by discing. then hit with herbicides to keep weeds at bay. That process would give me the quickest results for growth. Also said get seed in ground by April 15th.
Still a little confused if I should disc or not. He said by discing multiple times on different days would help kill the new seed generated by discing. then hit with herbicides to keep weeds at bay. That process would give me the quickest results for growth. Also said get seed in ground by April 15th.