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Switchgrass

I have a patch of switch that has about a foot of growth this year. It also is a south facing slope, so it gets a little warmer, sooner. This past winter was mild enough that soil temps were running ahead of schedule in Feb and March. If there was ever a year where switch may be out ahead of normal, I think this is it.
 
I would like to apply some nitrogen to my switchgrass this spring. What is the earliest date I could apply?
(4 yr old stand)
 
ELKY said:
I would like to apply some nitrogen to my switchgrass this spring. What is the earliest date I could apply?
(4 yr old stand)
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If u put it down NOW- be careful.... I would go to coop and buy either smart nitrogen (polymer coated, slower release) 2nd choice: treated Nitrogen to protect from evaporation. I'd be concerned about burning the plants so I'd almost choose the 1st option from the coop or go lighter on option 2.
U don't wanna burn up plants and both above will help in that regard & evaporation. If those options don't work- put N down around late March of next year for example.
 
Any updated on new plantings I have a new planting in , up to 2 weeks ago it was still clean as a whistle... Would think with temps and moisture it should get going soon.
 
Jbohn said:
Any updated on new plantings I have a new planting in , up to 2 weeks ago it was still clean as a whistle... Would think with temps and moisture it should get going soon.
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How old are plants? I would be very surprised if they are not greened up by now and growing well. If u are down in cooler temp bottoms I suppose- situations like that could keep soil temps cooler. Or if there was a substantial amount of old growth on top- takes longer to warm up. bet next time u out there b growing Strong.
 
That new a field, you'll have to be on your hands and knees with a magnifying glass to see switch. It's there. Be patient. Maybe, just maybe, you'll find a little next year. Just now/spray to keep the weeds under control and you'll have switch in 2 or 3 years. Patience!!!
 
This winters seeding.... ^^^. U ain't gonna see a thing until around late June or early July. Lot more patience and mowing- that's for sure. Unless u seeded straight switch where u can blast with post emergents and atrazine.
 
All I do is straight Switch I think its the bets IMO , no big deal I have a few other fields I have established , I hit this field with oust last summer and Atrazine this Springs it was clean so figure some might be going , appreciate it..
 
Jbohn said:
All I do is straight Switch I think its the bets IMO , no big deal I have a few other fields I have established , I hit this field with oust last summer and Atrazine this Springs it was clean so figure some might be going , appreciate it..
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Nope. I've waited and waited and sometimes have to catch myself going "is it going to come up?!?!?". FAILURE?!?!? All the sudden mid July hits "hey, here it is". With that said.... If you wanted to dial it in "perfect"..... If it's still clean right now.... If you hit it with Atrazine right now at heavy rate (buying time til germinate) - I would GUESS you will get to August 15-Sept 1 and say "wow, it's waste to chest high in spots and putting on seed heads". Not gonna be super thick but if you do it right it will put seed out FIRST YEAR believe it or not.
 
Jbohn said:
Any updated on new plantings I have a new planting in , up to 2 weeks ago it was still clean as a whistle... Would think with temps and moisture it should get going soon.
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I seeded some acres last year and had pretty good results. There were a couple of spot that were fairly bare so I inter seeded more in Feb and then put a strong dose of atrazine out. I checked them out last night and they were about an in. tall.
 
Did a mid-season mowing per contract yesterday. The foxtail is bad in some spots but other areas look great and didn't even need it. I honestly can't identify the switch but the farm office guys said it looks good. I was surprised to see many of the Black Eyed Susan flowering. The Prairie flower has hands down grown the best. It makes me wonder if my planting depth was too deep because it was by far the biggest seed.


 
New planting this year? Usually takes a very trained eye to see switch year one and maybe even the second year. Patience is key. It will be there sooner or later.
 
medicsnoke said:
Did a mid-season mowing per contract yesterday. The foxtail is bad in some spots but other areas look great and didn't even need it. I honestly can't identify the switch but the farm office guys said it looks good. I was surprised to see many of the Black Eyed Susan flowering. The Prairie flower has hands down grown the best. It makes me wonder if my planting depth was too deep because it was by far the biggest seed.


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How much of the mix was patridge pea? Holy cow theres a bunch of it growing!
 
medicsnoke said:
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That bumped your seed cost up a lil lol.

Don't worry about foxtail..... It was bad last year for me just like it always is unless you can use a ton of atrazine. I spring killed brome, late frost seeded SG, spot sprayed pigweed, mowed mine one time and this year it's an unbelievable stand.

Last Fall
Fall.jpg


These pictures are as of last week
Pup had a hay day flushing birds out of it
20170802_201047.jpg

Camera was held at shoulder height and I'm 6'4".... No sign of foxtail in 95% of it
20170803_080717.jpg
 
HorseDoctor said:
Looks great! Good job! Now everyone will expect a second year stand to look like that. Some don't look that good until year 3 or 4.
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In my neck of the woods- I know some guys will be doung replanting. My buddy borrowed my drill and did his late.... maybe June sometime. He said "total failure" as we had no rain. My hope & I did ask him "was this switch seed from this year?" "Yes". He may have that seed sit there until next year due to no rain + the main reason - lack of stratification.
Some of my well established plants are 2-3' shorter than normal this year. They will be just fine but lack of rain sure hurts growth obviously.

But ya- agree with above. Ideal planting + heavy pre-emergent control all season- could have great 1st season stand (thin but 4-5' tall with seed heads) but the other side of that is waiting several years, mowing and possibly replantig due to failure. Hard year- once established - pretty drought tolerant though. Deep roots!
 
All of my stands are around that 5 year mark for some reason this year I really noticed the trails and deer really using it more so than in the past , Lots of good Bucks in areas around my Switch could be nothing just what I observed.. Wanted to pass on..
 
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