Tim Hull
PMA Member
WHitetail Habitat SOlutions talks about this. Catch some episodes on Youtube Jbohn.
Jbohn
Well-Known Member
I watched a few of his videos , sounds like he's been reading up on Iowa whitetail ., Dlbtree forum
, Seem's like good guy.. Thanks for sharing man..
It’s going to be tough to kill switch. If u want pockets of different covers or foods.... killing it will require disc a couple times + herbicide most likely. Herbicides alone are very hard to kill natives with their deep root system. Can be done but it’s tough. Yes- diversity & cover changes are good & fine. Absolutely would encourage adding more “structure” to fields. This is not a great example but here’s quick one I snapped last week- I got some plots intermingled with natives. More of switch on right and a little more diverse mix on left but splitting hairs on that though. I’ve got some natives with a patch of trees separating them - clear separation so not burnt if fire goes into natives. Lots more edge & diversity will help if u have massive monocultures.
DannyBoy
Well-Known Member
Probably but I don't think herbicide is necessary at all. Some shallow discing in pockets is all that is needed to get succession rolling. Not permanent obviously but do you want it to be? The switch will eventually take back over, I see it all the time when discing is used for mid contract management. You will get a nice flush of broadleaf weeds and forbs that provide the native browse, edge and diversity you are looking for. Just dont wait until summer to do it as that tends to favor the annual warm season grasses like foxtails.
I tilled up a spot a few years ago that was heavy tall grasses that we eventually want to convert to a high diversity native mix and when it greened back up it was almost solid native legumes. The deer and birds went nuts over it.
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sirrloin
Active Member
It’s going to be tough to kill switch. If u want pockets of different covers or foods.... killing it will require disc a couple times + herbicide most likely. Herbicides alone are very hard to kill natives with their deep root system. Can be done but it’s tough. Yes- diversity & cover changes are good & fine. Absolutely would encourage adding more “structure” to fields. This is not a great example but here’s quick one I snapped last week- I got some plots intermingled with natives. More of switch on right and a little more diverse mix on left but splitting hairs on that though. I’ve got some natives with a patch of trees separating them - clear separation so not burnt if fire goes into natives. Lots more edge & diversity will help if u have massive monocultures.
We've got a lot of this at our place. Tons of old hardwoods and trees but lots of open areas that don't see as much action going into fall. We burnt off a few acres of old weeds and field grass this weekend and was thinking of planting switchgrass. Think it's still fine to broadcast switchgrass without any freezes coming in? Just throw it out before a good rain?
rain is irrelevant. Soil to seed contact is #1. #2 would be freezes and thaws. Which- one would suck the seed into the soil. Maybe too late? Dunno. The next reason- u need freezes & thaws for seed stratification (breaking down seed coat so it germinates this year). U likely will be fine. Some will surely germinate but a small amount to a large amount might not depending on the seed.... if u gonna do it - go heavier to buffer against some of seed not germinating this year. If u really wanna be crazy- buy from couple sources & do a couple varieties (cave in rock, kanlow, sunburst, etc etc).
eiowaarcher
Member
Having a few weeds coming up in new switchgrass? Is it safe to spray with gly and 2-4d or too late in the season?
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I'm definitely not an expert, but I'm sure the resident gurus have always said you're safe to spray new switch until May 10th. I plan on waiting until around mid May.
bwese
Active Member
Mine were out last thursday already, about 2 inches. My miscanthus is already 8". I was surprised that both were out and about already. I wanted to get a gly spraying over the switch to kill the cool season grasses but missed my window. Dammit Jim.
So I've got 1st, 2nd and 3rd year switch in separate plots. The 2nd year stuff was planted in the winter of 2018-19. For some reason it has a TON of fall panicum. It's almost like I seeded panicum??? Anyway, my plan is to attack it this year with Atrazine, if I can get some, or Simazine. Does that sound reasonable?
Jbohn
Well-Known Member
I would use atrazine and Dual Magnum (metachlor) if pre-emerge not sure if its all ready growing. I had that in some of mine first maybe second after that the switch dominated it. I never did anything to control it.
Thanks Jbohn. Maybe I'll just spot spray the worst areas with Simazine and see what happens this year. It's a PITA for me to get RU stuff. For the record. I mowed the first year switch 3 times. I think I mowed it too short in a few spots. That seems to be where the Panicum exploded.
Only thing Jbohn listed thats RUP is atrazine. Which u can sub simazine for. Or any farmer can get or coop could spray atrazine if u wanted it. Metolachlor and most anything else is not RUP. Metolachlor is a great option for fall panicum like jbohn said.
eiowaarcher
Member
Should I also be spraying simazine with my gly and 2-4d mix? Planning to spray Saturday!
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eiowaarcher
Member
Got it all done so thanks for all the advice! One more question though. Have a little spray left just wondering if it’s safe to use anywhere else? Have a field that will be corn and one that will be beans that could use a little touch up. Safe to use gly, 2 4-d, and simazine mix to hit those spots?
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