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Switchgrass

I know it is a ways off, but never to early to start. I plan on seeding about 4-5 acres of switch this winter. I clipped all the trees off the area this spring, mainly hedge and cedars with lots on fescue underneath.

Long forgotten hedge stupms litter the area and would cause major damage to the mower if I tried clipping and spraying this fall. Would it work to spray the area now with a good dose of roundup and then again in fall with roundup and burn it off. The cool seasons are so heavy I'm concerned that it would be to much trash on the surface.


Does buning off the dead vegitation before seeding cause any additional problems? I would plan on hitting with gly and atrazine in the spring then
 
Yes sounds like a good plan. If you can't mow and then spray I would keep up with just spraying with glyphosate AMS and crop oil and hit it this fall again. Seed late winter and hit it again in spring with a good dose of atrazine. And above. If you do this you probably won't need to burn it.
 
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KSHUNTER said:
I know it is a ways off, but never to early to start. I plan on seeding about 4-5 acres of switch this winter. I clipped all the trees off the area this spring, mainly hedge and cedars with lots on fescue underneath.

Long forgotten hedge stupms litter the area and would cause major damage to the mower if I tried clipping and spraying this fall. Would it work to spray the area now with a good dose of roundup and then again in fall with roundup and burn it off. The cool seasons are so heavy I'm concerned that it would be to much trash on the surface.


Does buning off the dead vegitation before seeding cause any additional problems? I would plan on hitting with gly and atrazine in the spring then
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I don't think you will need to burn if you spray now and again this fall. Spraying now would bring out a lot of weeds when you kill off the fescue through the summer. I'd prefer that in between seedings since they are an added benefit to numerous wildlife.
 
New Switchgrass Is Up!
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The atrazine worked a little to well, it bled into my clover i planted around edges. How long do i need to wait and what should i try to replant? I was hoping to do rye mix this fall, you think it will grow?
 
Scott said:
The atrazine worked a little to well, it bled into my clover i planted around edges. How long do i need to wait and what should i try to replant? I was hoping to do rye mix this fall, you think it will grow?
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You sure it's atrazine? Did you spray oust the year before? If so, how much and was it bottom or lower type ground? It very well could be atrazine but I've never seen it wash down like that with how sticky it is VS how commonly oust does wash down. Maybe with these crazy rains we've been having, at least by us we've got some slammers.

How much atrazine, like "a lot"? :) Bottom soil or does it have some slope? time will tell on that, I'm not sure, just depends on soil type, slope and how hot it gets. If we get a month or 2 of blazing heat, it will help get rid of it. You could disc it up - might not make a ton of difference and that might not be the right choice (DT could chime in there) but might be worth a shot if you think you're really screwed on the kill.

Also, I'm surprised atrazine killed actively growing clover. Again, just checking on Oust usage or something else.
 
It could of been oust, i did use it last fall. Whats weird is the oats and clover came up great than all died. Something killed it that I sprayed. All of this was high, pretty flat ground. Areas where I didnt spray are doing fine.
 
Fred I had the same happen once it was also a wet Spring like this and if I remember right I did what you are planning and all was fine.
 
Oust is more likely the culprit, I've seen it move 6' on level ground and 10 yards on a slope, should be alright this fall ;)
 
The single most important step to a successful stand of switchgrass is fall prep

Quick Guide to switchgrass establishment:

Kill cool season grasses the year before by mowing in early August and spraying with 41% glyphosate in late August thru October and add 2 ounces of Oust XP and one quart crop oil concentrate for added residual control. Re-spray any remaining re-growth in late September after remaining fescue seeds have time to germinate.

Keystone Pest is a source for generic Oust XP (SFM 75)

Planting RR soybeans the spring prior is the perfect way to prepare for switchgrass

Frost or dormant seed switchgrass late December thru March with late January to mid February being the most effective time period. Broadcast or drill on frozen soils at 5-10#'s per acre.

Cave In Rock is a preferred variety for whitetail cover (in midwest) because it is tall and thick cover that stands up better in winter.

Osenbaugh’s Prairie Seed Farms is a top quality source where you can also get personal service and answers to questions.

Spray glyphosate and atrazine by late April using 1 quart gly and 2 1/2 quarts atrazine on light soils, 4-5 quarts atrazine on heavy soils or a combination of atrazine and simazine. If weed growth is not present then adding gly is unnecessary, using Oust the fall before usually negates the need for gly in the spring.

Mowing may be required if any weed growth persists but keep mower raised 8-12" above the ground or it can damage or kill young switch seedlings.
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Fred followed those steps to a T and the switch seedlings are coming up nicely



The field is still clean in early July



This is a field that was spring sprayed but the still dormant fescue and dormant seed came back with a vengeance



Start the fall before to have best chance at a successful stand ;)
 
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Well Made it out to look at my first year switch grass planting this week end . Sprayed 3 times last year added 5 qts Atrazine this spring and sprayed again I think I added my atrazine to late as it was May it may not of had time to get rained in and I got a lot of foxtail some over 4 ft tall and thick. I mowed where I could down to 2 ft and the areas I couldn't mow I sprayed 4oz paranormic SL not sure it will do much as to the foxtail had seeded out. Some areas the switch was looking great some areas just a sea of foxtail I couldnt see any switch .I think I need to mow this winter and add oust next spring to clean it up correct.
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I got 100 LBS of Kanlow/CIR left over from this year didn't use, stored in a plastic storage bin from Wal-Mart should hold till next year I Hope ? would I need to up the rate or mix with some fresh seed. Purchased from John Osenbaugh
 
Jbohn said:
I got 100 LBS of Kanlow/CIR left over from this year didn't use, stored in a plastic storage bin from Wal-Mart should hold till next year I Hope ? would I need to up the rate or mix with some fresh seed. Purchased from John Osenbaugh
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Should be fine John
 
I don't think it's canary with the seed heads I see in the back. You got some trouble for sure. Get it clipped but not too much to smother switch. Might have to redo it. Did you apply a lot of atrazine previously?
 
I'm now thinking it's giant foxtail? Did apply atrazine this spring. My mistake was working it up last summer. It was so rough we wanted to smooth it out. We did burn it off twice with roundup last summer. After we sprayed this with gly and atrazine we had a nice 'bare' field. Then the rains started and were relentless. That in combination with tillage last summer did not work out well. Will get it clipped this week. Thanks for the advice.
 
I sprayed a 3 acre area I want to plant this upcoming season into CIR, I used 1 qt Gly and 2 oz oust on July 15th it smoked the area, Should I spray again in September with the same mix or only if I see new seedlings. This area hasn't had anything done in over 10 years so I mowed a few times this year and wanted to kill it so I could kill the remaining seed bank if possible. Not sure if I should spray again with oust for residual carry over..
 
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