bowman
Super Moderator
No...forget even looking for it until late summer, even if it comes up the average person will hot be able to identify it from foxtail for instance. Find something else to do friends...staring at a a new NWSG field is a lesson in futility the first year!
Flooded/saturated soils further slow germination of NWSG's which I will remind you are WARM season grasses...they grow during hot, humid times of the summer (opposite of cool season grasses). They also grow down and not up the first year so initial growth is notoriously slow.
In light warm soils germination may be quicker and if drilled, more obvious but rule of thumb is that most NWSG and especially switchgrass will be very slow to germinate and put on top growth that the average layman can actually identify as switchgrass.
Best bet is to check in late August other then to monitor weed growth and clip 8-12" high as needed...
I know, I know, staring at a new field of switch is dumb, but it's right outside my door!
These are the first sprouts since I sprayed Atrazine other than the occasional broadleaf that has been pulled. The field was sprayed with Gly several times last summer and fall and CIR and Kanlow Switch broadcast in December just ahead of the snows. Atrazine sprayed 1st week of May.Any chance this is switchgrass?
Central Iowa
Life Member
Wayne I always found it easiest to pull a leaf back and look for the hairy ligule to help ID.
Picture from The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences website.
Picture from The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences website.
bowman
Super Moderator
Hmm, I'm not quite sure. It has the split leaf sheath and some very fine hairy fibers but not a prominant as the photos Travis posted. These are very young so I will check them again in the near future. I sure hope it is switch because I have quite a bit of it coming in.
Thanks again for the assistance!:way:
I do believe it is switchgrass. Go to google.com, select images, and search "how to ID switchgrass". Found some that look exactly like your pics.
http://www.jeinc.com/Websites/jeinc...flower_Seedling_ID/Upland_Switchgrass_18d.JPG
http://www.jeinc.com/Websites/jeinc...flower_Seedling_ID/Upland_Switchgrass_18d.JPG
bowman
Super Moderator
You just made my day!:way: If it isn't switch, I sure have a lot of it. Thanks for the replies, I'll update in a month or so.
LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
Wayne - to me that looks like young switch - in the next month you'll know for sure! I also had a hard time seeing the 'hairs' when the plants were young but once they hit 12"+ tall and the leaves got longer the hairs were more obvious. Ours has purple bases as well.
Frost seeding Switch Grass
Dbltree - I have read most of the switch grass planting tips. I am getting a five acre field prepped for frost seeding. My biggest concern is it will be planted on a side hill. I am concerned my seed will wash away if it rains before it gets worked into the soil.
the prep work includes cutting and bailing, waiting a few weeks for regrowth and spraying gly. I plan on burning it in November (not sure if this is necessary or if it has any benefit). Frost seeding in Feb or March and spraying cool season grasses when they pop up.
What about the planting on the side of a hill? any concerns?
thanks again for your help
Dbltree - I have read most of the switch grass planting tips. I am getting a five acre field prepped for frost seeding. My biggest concern is it will be planted on a side hill. I am concerned my seed will wash away if it rains before it gets worked into the soil.
the prep work includes cutting and bailing, waiting a few weeks for regrowth and spraying gly. I plan on burning it in November (not sure if this is necessary or if it has any benefit). Frost seeding in Feb or March and spraying cool season grasses when they pop up.
What about the planting on the side of a hill? any concerns?
thanks again for your help
dbltree
Super Moderator
Sorry I missed this but as long as there is killed sod stubble there, seed won't wash and should be fine.
Daver
PMA Member
If I read mswaldo's post right, he plans on burning in November. I am not sure, but I suspect that if you burn the thatch off this fall you may end up with some unwanted erosion over the winter. I think you would be just fine if you mow it short this fall, kill it hard with gly and then frost seed into the short, dead stubble in late February or so.
If it was flat ground, I don't think you would have an issue, but sloped ground and totally bare soil may lead to some problems IMO. Short, dead stubble is not a barrier to frost seeded switch in my experience.
Just some thoughts to discuss, I wouldn't want you to unnecessarily experience erosion that you could have prevented.
Horncarver
Member
Question: We drilled 5#/acre CIR late last fall and did not spray with gly and 4 qts atrazine until April. In late July I sprayed with 2-4D to control giant goldenrod and smartweed. I mowed a week later and it was the only time. Since mowing and spraying the foxtail has gone crazy in some large areas, as have smartweed in others. While I realize it's too late to anything about the foxtail, would it be wise to hit the smartweed again with 2-4D since it is a perennial? Also, since this area was not originally fall killed/sprayed before being drill seeded, can I get some additional control of the brome by spraying gly at some point this fall? The switch grass looks great in some areas and non-existent in others. I plan on spraying Oust and atrazine again this spring. Thanks!<O</O
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dbltree
Super Moderator
Question: We drilled 5#/acre CIR late last fall and did not spray with gly and 4 qts atrazine until April. In late July I sprayed with 2-4D to control giant goldenrod and smartweed. I mowed a week later and it was the only time. Since mowing and spraying the foxtail has gone crazy in some large areas, as have smartweed in others. While I realize it's too late to anything about the foxtail, would it be wise to hit the smartweed again with 2-4D since it is a perennial? Also, since this area was not originally fall killed/sprayed before being drill seeded, can I get some additional control of the brome by spraying gly at some point this fall? The switch grass looks great in some areas and non-existent in others. I plan on spraying Oust and atrazine again this spring. Thanks!<o
You could spray 2-4D again if you wish but may not have a huge effect overall. I would spray gly and Oust next spring in early April and skip the atrazine the 2nd year...you can spray late fall when switch is dormant
as well.
Horncarver
Member
Thanks for the advice!
I had a 3 acre field that I planted about 3 years ago. Put down a lot of seed, but i was never successful getting the switch to grow that good. Weeds just over took it I assume. I decided to kill the field and turn it into a soy bean field this year. I sprayed to kill everything, disked the soil and planted soy beans. All of a sudden the switch is growing like crazy! I assume a bunch of seed was dormant and by killing everything and turning the soil, it just kicked off the growth?
I had a similar 2 acre field that I did the exact same thing with except I planted corn in that field. Now when I walk through the field, it is corn with 4 foot tall switch everywhere.
I know switch can take several years to grow, but I am curious as to why I didn't have hardly any growth for 3 years, gave up, killed everything in May, turned all the soil and suddenly would have great switch fields. My assumption is weed control was my problem and when I killed all the weeds prior to new switch growth, it was able to finally take off this year? Wouldn't I have killed the root system of the switch when I turned the soil over in early june this year?
Curious as to other thoughts.
I had a similar 2 acre field that I did the exact same thing with except I planted corn in that field. Now when I walk through the field, it is corn with 4 foot tall switch everywhere.
I know switch can take several years to grow, but I am curious as to why I didn't have hardly any growth for 3 years, gave up, killed everything in May, turned all the soil and suddenly would have great switch fields. My assumption is weed control was my problem and when I killed all the weeds prior to new switch growth, it was able to finally take off this year? Wouldn't I have killed the root system of the switch when I turned the soil over in early june this year?
Curious as to other thoughts.
How much Oust would you spray in April? I have 9 acres that will be starting it's 2nd year this coming spring. I just got finished mowing it for the second time this past weekend. I know it depends on how soon the spring warms up, but should I spray a little sooner down here in southern IL. than what you do in Iowa?
Thanks,
trev
Thanks,
trev
dbltree
Super Moderator
1 qt glyphosate, 1-2 ounces Oust XP/SFM75 per acre as soon as cool season grasses are greening up
Weather is always a variable so just monitor grasses such as those in your lawn for instance