Jbohn
Well-Known Member
5 acre's for this field I Have another 13 acre field I did the same to .
Quick video on ONE method for establishing switch that i've found to be highly effective.
Rous14
PMA Member
What kind of shrubs do you like to incorporate?
Thinkin Rut
PMA Member
It sounds like your areas will be fairly small so I would stick with 3 or 4 Cedars in the NW corner and call it good. Like Jbohn said, disc or kill the rest of your area to encourage natural vegetation to fill in. In larger areas, there are several shrubs whitetails and other wildlife prefer that a search will give you or the Iowa tree nursery has cheap. A little pricey to protect so I add every year. 0 cost on transplanting a few Cedars and no need to protect except when burning. Don't OD on the Cedars and shrubs too much so as to block the sun in the winter. If you're going to burn this year, you'll be able to see maybe a more flat area facing S SE that would be ideal for such areas.
9 acres with the Truax tonight. Things sure are handy! Just as fast as large drill.
Was going to frost seed some switch but found there to be 3 feet drifts of snow along the border I wanted to plant. Seems like by the time that would melt to a point that I could put some seed on it, I may risk most of the freeze/thawing it needs to germinate being over for spring. Didn't know if any others faced something like this before? Thinking about trying a home method of putting the seed in and out of a freezer until some snow melts off to get that process started if mother nature might not do it for me.
Tmayer13
Well-Known Member
Not sure where you are located but the weather this next week should melt it pretty quick. Or at least get it melted off enough to get the seed down most likely next weekend. Also remember that only some of the seed is "hard" seed meaning that some will germinate immediately and other stuff may need to stratify. If your not going to seed right away, it probably won't hurt anything to freeze and thaw it on your own
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How late is too late to frost seed CIR switch in Southern Iowa? Last spring I burned 7 acres of old grass then sprayed it 3 times during the spring, summer and fall and was going to frost seed in Jan-Feb this year but I am still waiting on seed that I ordered from Welter which they still don't have in.
Tmayer13
Well-Known Member
I would find seed from another dealer if possible. We are going to start running short on good stratification days here before too long. March can always be an interesting month and never know what weather we are going to have. Other option would be to drill it whenever you get it
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As much as I hate too with herbicide prices, I am thinking of just storing my seed when I get it, keep that 7 acres sprayed again this summer and then frost seed late this coming fall.
If it was me I'd cancel the order tomorrow and you could have it by Friday from other sources. And then I'd frost seed it this weekend. I can't say I'm very patient with stuff like this tho....
Tmayer13
Well-Known Member
I don't see the point in this....I agree with IBH...cancel your order, find it somewhere else and get it into the ground asap....should still have plenty of days left for stratification to take place
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Stratification is over rated...at least as I see it on my property. The seed I planted last May was 3' tall by fall. It was planted on bare soil with my 7 row drill after an application of Simizine. I had 8 acres drilled the previous June was 4-5' tall this fall. It was CIR variety sourced from Pheasants Forever.
There seems to be a growing trend with that line of thinking.
What I like MOST about frost seeding is ideal seed placement within the soil and speed. I can broadcast switch pretty darn fast and I know I wont get the seed too deep. The seed will settle just perfect in the top bit of soil.
TTisue
PMA Member
I'm doing 50 acres into last years corn field but I'm doing a CP-25 tall grass mix. Heavy on the switch though. What's the consensus for simizine with other natives mixed in?
Thanks
Tmayer13
Well-Known Member
I don't think so...but I'm not 100% sure on that....I would think your going to have an issue with the forbs in the mix....also I would just talk to your seed supplier, most of those guys will have some great ideas for herbicide applications
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Negative ghost rider. As Mayer said Simizine/Atrazine will wipe out the forbs. Additionally it is toxic to Indiangrass. Make sure to be planting into a weed free field and then mow several times. You'll be in good shape.
typical CP-25 mix
