Switchgrass

[hillrunner]

If one of my videos I made comment about getting better stands by doing some light tillage ahead of frost seeding. This picture is worth a thousand words in that regard. I tilled this one strip because it was rutted up from dragging logs out. Then the whole field was frist seeded at once. The only difference was the strip was tilled. See what a difference it makes.

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Interesting, what was the field the year before? Was this bean stubble? Burned off?

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

Interesting, what was the field the year before? Was this bean stubble? Burned off?

Solid brome, fall killed (100% kill), burned. Basically perfectly clean seed bed. I've seen similar results in multiple soil types. Going forward, either going to drill or do light tillage and broadcast.

 

[arm]

Frost seeded CIR late winter. The field is still completely dead, I wanted to wait on an atrazine and gly mix until some weeds came up, I know there is going to be some foxtail. Is the atrazine target of mid/late April to not harm switch or to ensure no broadleaf? Looking to see if I can hold off on spraying until I get more greenup and not harm switch.

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[Sligh1]

Frost seeded CIR late winter. The field is still completely dead, I wanted to wait on an atrazine and gly mix until some weeds came up, I know there is going to be some foxtail. Is the atrazine target of mid/late April to not harm switch or to ensure no broadleaf? Looking to see if I can hold off on spraying until I get more greenup and not harm switch.

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Atrazine will never hurt switch. U could spray 10 quarts of atrazine on actively growing switch and be just fine. The timeframe is to allow as many cool seasons & weeds to come out of dormancy- kill em and have atrazine keep the new weed seed from germinating.
So- can spray atrazine anytime. U can spray post emergents up until switch starts to germinate.
If u have foxtail issues- if we wanna get “into the weeds” here - a lighter dose of s-metolachlor (say 5-20 oz/acre) would help and do little to no harm on switch if sprayed >30 days before germination of switch. Your other options on foxtail is atrazine, crop oil & quinclorac if the switch is up (later in summer). & mowing. See of foxtail is not a good thing & have arsenal & plans in place. More options too.

 

[arm]

So, since first year switch is slow to germinate, I could wait a couple more weeks for weed germination to kick in before I spray gly...which I will just spray atrazine at the same time.

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[IowaBowHunter1983]

So, since first year switch is slow to germinate, I could wait a couple more weeks for weed germination to kick in before I spray gly...which I will just spray atrazine at the same time.

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If you don't want to spray twice, yes.

I sprayed a mixture of gly and atrazine on lots of switch this weekend. I may come back in a few weeks, if I have time, and hit with gly again if I see a cool season grass problem. I should be good on broadleafs the rest of the year.

 

[arm]

If you don't want to spray twice, yes.

I sprayed a mixture of gly and atrazine on lots of switch this weekend. I may come back in a few weeks, if I have time, and hit with gly again if I see a cool season grass problem.

Understood. Thanks guys

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[IowaBowHunter1983]

Understood. Thanks guys

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If you are only concerned about weeds, you might as well spray as soon as you have time, since the atrazine is your residual control. Really the only reason to wait is for more cool season grasses to emerge.

 

[Horncarver]

I heavily frost seeded CIR switch late last winter in several areas that I had kept weed and vegetation free all summer/fall. I sprayed with at least 4 quarts atrazine as well late last spring. A few areas are beautiful solid stands of three foot high switch and a couple appear to solid stands of giant foxtail (laying flat like a carpet now) with a little switch standing here and there. Will spraying a heavy dose of atrazine again do me any good with this carpet of foxtail vegetation covering the soil or do I start over again? Thanks

 

[Sligh1]

I heavily frost seeded CIR switch late last winter in several areas that I had kept weed and vegetation free all summer/fall. I sprayed with at least 4 quarts atrazine as well late last spring. A few areas are beautiful solid stands of three foot high switch and a couple appear to solid stands of giant foxtail (laying flat like a carpet now) with a little switch standing here and there. Will spraying a heavy dose of atrazine again do me any good with this carpet of foxtail vegetation covering the soil or do I start over again? Thanks

Ideally- light the foxtail only on fire. U need to get rid of that mat. Atrazine isn’t going to get Through it and ur just gonna have more foxtail. Switch won’t hardly germinate through that much mess either. Maybe if u drilled through it - that would help. U need to get rid of it ideally & add some seed & herbicide.

 

[Rit]

April 27th I had a mix of Atrizine and Simizine sprayed on about 7 acres of newly frost seeded (January) switch. I have some weeds that had already germinated before it was sprayed.

I have a fair amount of weeds in the field. How much longer do I have to burn the field down with glyph. The spring has been wet and above average temp wise.

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

April 27th I had a mix of Atrizine and Simizine sprayed on about 7 acres of newly frost seeded (January) switch. I have some weeds that had already germinated before it was sprayed.

I have a fair amount of weeds in the field. How much longer do I have to burn the field down with glyph. The spring has been wet and above average temp wise.

Usually I would say until June 1 on new switch. If you are ahead in Ohio, get magnifying glass out and inspect ground. (half kidding). Other option is mowing it as short as you can at this point, keep weeds knocked down, when switch reaches 3-4 leaf stage you can hit with 2-4d. But, I think you have time to hit with gly or liberty if done soon.

 

[Rit]

Just walked the field and there is some type of grass/weed not sure if it is switch or not. I found some of the same plant in sections of the field that I didn’t plant switch so I am leaning towards it not being switch. Maybe not enough to matter either way.

I tried to post photos but they are too big.

 

[Rit]

Switch?

 

[Rit]

One more

 

[LoessHillsArcher]

I'd vote more than likely not switch there - odds are it's foxtail. There's some great pics in this thread on ID'ing young switch plants. They have "hairs" towards the point the leaf meets the stem. I'd say you're good to spray but that's assuming your at the same point we are in western IA vs Ohio.

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

One more

Most def not switch. Looks like crabgrass or something similar. Maybe RCG. Spray away. I don't know how far south you are but in Iowa you are good thru much of June before new switch comes. Being your farther south of Iowa and ahead of schedule, June 1 is probably pretty close. But yeah, nuke it.

 

[Jbohn]

Just Burnt fields off today , Late Dry Spring in my neck of the woods !!!

 

[EatSleepHunt]

I burnt my switchgrass about 2 weeks ago. Looked at it a couple days ago and I don't think it is good. I think I have a bunch of cool season popping up it's about 8 to 10 inches tall. I had a chance to look at a few areas of it it almost looks like brome grass. It did not not have the hairy area between the leaf in the stem. I am in West Central Iowa, Harrison County. Wondering if anyone has any established switchgrass coming up yet or would I be safe to spray without looking at every single area of the grass. Thank you so much for any input.

 

[Sligh1]

Hey guys.... “almost no one” is seeing switch. For sure not planted this year. Even existing plants.... good chance u r not seeing it. Cool soil temps will delay all of this. Any day on established switch or if in an ideal warm setting. No worries if u don’t see it. On stuff u planted.... “patience”!!!! Even in a hot early year - u would not be seeing it now. In years past- heck, it’s often JULY before I start noticing it. PATIENCE!!!!

On established stuff- if no switch up- spray away. I ain’t gonna tell someone to do this on purpose BUT... well established switch- It’s gonna be hard to kill anyways. I’d avoid green sprouting switch & especially fine to hit it before green shoots. Heck, I hit some established switch with Acuron last year in mid May (remember last year crops got in late) for about 20’. (Acuron has 4 modes of action plus I had glyphosate in there) - it was clean & came in thick as can be. I wouldn’t recommend that but it’s tough stuff once going.

On seeding side - keep at them weeds & let it drink atrazine as u r able or willing.

Pics not switch. Roast it if u r able with post emergent (Gly or Glufosinate) & more atrazine &/or simazine.