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Switchgrass

Help...My Switch needs help

db/tree,

I could really use your advice. I am in eastcentral SD with a 30 ac. field that was drilled in 3 springs ago after a burn.(switch only) I don't think I waited long enough after green up and ended up with lots of broadleafs and brome. Mowed once on year one and nothing was done last year. This year I could not get in to use Round-up because of water. I think there is a fair amount of switch but it is under a ton of pressure. I put down grazon 2 weeks ago when we were finally able to get in. What now?? Mow a couple of times this year?? and then atrozine and Round-up early May next year before switch emerges? How would you tackle this. Thanks again for your time. Bryan
 
I wouldn't do anything until next spring, then if possible burn in march and apply 1-2 ounces of Oust XP and 1 quart of roundup in early April when the brome starts to green up. Timing is critical because waiting too long would mean that switch would start to emerge.

If burning doesn't work out, simply spray in early April....Oust will smoke those cool seasons and release the switchgrass. Look on the first page of this thread for more info and check the herbicide thread as well for info on where to purchase Oust :way:

SoDakarcher said:
db/tree,

I could really use your advice. I am in eastcentral SD with a 30 ac. field that was drilled in 3 springs ago after a burn.(switch only) I don't think I waited long enough after green up and ended up with lots of broadleafs and brome. Mowed once on year one and nothing was done last year. This year I could not get in to use Round-up because of water. I think there is a fair amount of switch but it is under a ton of pressure. I put down grazon 2 weeks ago when we were finally able to get in. What now?? Mow a couple of times this year?? and then atrozine and Round-up early May next year before switch emerges? How would you tackle this. Thanks again for your time. Bryan
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db/tree thanks

Thanks for your suggestions. Your posts have been incredibly helpful for me and quite thought provoking. Without mowing will I deliver enough chemical to the ground next year(after the Grazon this year) to kill the cool seasons? I suppose if I mow now I will lose any potential chance at additional self-seeding?? Is it the Round-up or the Oust that actually kills the brome. I thought Oust and atrozine would just get the broadleafs. In our part of the country I sprayed Round-up last year over preemerged switch the first part of May and was OK. Should I wait until late April to apply chemicals? Would 2qts of Round-up be a consideration. I really want this field to boom.

Thanks again, Bryan
 
Is it the Round-up or the Oust that actually kills the brome
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Both...Oust is death on cool season grasses both annual and perennials and unlike glyphosate, it has residual action that will keep them from coming back, often for up to two years.

Spray as soon as the cool seasons start to green up in the spring but before the switchgrass starts to emerge...;)
 
Thanks

Db/tree

Thanks for your help. If you are up around S.Falls in Oct or Dec and want to put a few hundred roosters in the air give me a shout ( Nov is saved for the whitetails) Thanks again. I will keep you abreast of my adventures.

PS I am also going to attempt a few of your clover,rye,pea patches this fall. I just received my new Omni 8ft. cultipacker that is anxious to get some dirt on it.

I will no doubt have a few clover questions for you come Aug.

Thanks again, Bryan
 
Wet Ground and WSG

Dbltree,
I have read all posts over the last month or so. It's hard to get good advice about WSG's and I appreciate you sharing your experience.

Wet Ground: I planted 4 acres this year in Big Blue/Indian, some areas not in water but definately low lying. Fescue survived there before I killed it with Plateau/Gly. I now wish I had used Alamo or Kanlow SG in the low areas because I see no WSG in these areas (I am in central Alabama). I realize Plateau is a no-go on new SG seedings.

Question: What is your exerience with Big Blue/Indiangrass in low areas. Am I wishing on a star or do I simply need more patience. I am planting some Alamo or Kanlow SG in another low field next year and am thinking about overseeding the lower areas in this first field at the same time. What is your experience in general with wetter areas and WSG?

Thanks for the help!
 
Switchgrass usually performs far better in low wet areas then either BB or IG and Kanlow would probably be your best bet in the south.

Eastern Gamagrass also can withstand weeks of flooding so that might be an option also :way:
 
Lowland WSG

dbltree said:
Switchgrass usually performs far better in low wet areas then either BB or IG and Kanlow would probably be your best bet in the south.

Eastern Gamagrass also can withstand weeks of flooding so that might be an option also :way:
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Thanks for the reply. That seems to be the consensus. I was hoping you (or someone on this thread) had seen some Big Blue make it in some lower areas of Iowa. I will give an update if I see any change, for better or for worse.

Right now, the spring Plateau is wearing off and I am overrun with ragweed and a radiculous mat of creeping primrose willow. My plan is to spray another 6 oz of Plateau with a non-ionic surfactant this week and hope to get some more light to the WSG's. I would mow the weeds, but I have a good stand of new partridge peas in this field and I don't want to wipe them out. I chose P-Peas because they are a fabulous legume for game and tolerate Plateau as well as Big Blue/Indian grass. Unfortunately, my best move for next spring, Oust XP, is off the table because of the peas.

I was very surprised and delighted to hear in your posts that established WSG's will tolerate Oust XP. I have now used both Plateau and Oust in this same field (Oust over the top of new pine seedlings, which did incredible). Oust is way more potent and residual than Plateau, especially on tough stuff like briars. Oust just smoked the stink out of everything (except the pines).

As for the WSG's, I feel like I am playing a chess game here, with bermuda grass also complicating my moves; but I will win this, me and my sprayer.
 
I( have this vine growing in my switch field that i have been trying to rejuvinate. Not sure what it is or how to controle it. It is pretty much takeing over.
I have sprayed the field with gly and 2 oz of oust xp earlier in the year but instead of the switch comeing back this came back.
I do have some switch coming up in certain areas.
I geus my plan now is to kill everything at end of season and burn if i can. then frost seed in new nwsg.
These vines just have me a little worried they are starting to clime some of the switch tjhat has come back.
Also i talked with nrcs and they do not care what i replant in there as long as something is growing. What would be the best mix of nwsg to frost seed or just entirely plant back in switch? It is about 7 acres around a marsh.
 

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I would nuke that stuff with 2-4D! Panoramic/Plateau is also an option on established switchgrass. If your going to frost seed more switch or a mix of NWSG (switch is by far the easiest and least expensive option) then iwould use low rate, split applications of Panoramic next spring.

Spray 2-4 ounces in late April/early May and repeat in about 6 weeks ;)
 
spltbrow said:
I( have this vine growing in my switch field that i have been trying to rejuvinate. Not sure what it is or how to controle it. It is pretty much takeing over.
I have sprayed the field with gly and 2 oz of oust xp earlier in the year but instead of the switch comeing back this came back.
I do have some switch coming up in certain areas.
I geus my plan now is to kill everything at end of season and burn if i can. then frost seed in new nwsg.
These vines just have me a little worried they are starting to clime some of the switch tjhat has come back.
Also i talked with nrcs and they do not care what i replant in there as long as something is growing. What would be the best mix of nwsg to frost seed or just entirely plant back in switch? It is about 7 acres around a marsh.
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That is morning glory (bind weed) and its not good stuff to have...nuke it!! :way:
 
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I am going to nuke it this weekend. what is the difference between the gly and 2-4d? can i just use gly i have a lot of that and get it from a farmer so its cheap. Also there is corn about 50' away. Will it be ok? Its a field i rent out.
 
spltbrow said:
I am going to nuke it this weekend. what is the difference between the gly and 2-4d? can i just use gly i have a lot of that and get it from a farmer so its cheap. Also there is corn about 50' away. Will it be ok? Its a field i rent out.
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Glyphosate will kill everything including the switchgrass that is there, so don't use that this time of year!

2-4D will kill broadleaves only so you can safely spray the switchgrass and kill all the broadleaf plants...it won't hurt corn either....;)
 
spltbrow said:
I( have this vine growing in my switch field that i have been trying to rejuvinate. Not sure what it is or how to controle it. It is pretty much takeing over.
I have sprayed the field with gly and 2 oz of oust xp earlier in the year but instead of the switch comeing back this came back.
I do have some switch coming up in certain areas.
I geus my plan now is to kill everything at end of season and burn if i can. then frost seed in new nwsg.
These vines just have me a little worried they are starting to clime some of the switch tjhat has come back.
Also i talked with nrcs and they do not care what i replant in there as long as something is growing. What would be the best mix of nwsg to frost seed or just entirely plant back in switch? It is about 7 acres around a marsh.
Click to expand...

Just a word of warning on using Oust and your attempts to replant. There is a definite carrryover effect with Oust. I used 1 1/2 oz of Oust and 1 1/2 qts of RU early last summer with fantastic result. My frost seeded switch came in unchalleneged but I also attempted an area of NWSG mixture, and a food plot of corn and sunflowers. No NWSG mixture or corn survived and few sunflowers. Don't waste your money on a NWSG mixture after using 2oz of Oust.
 
I nuked my morning glory today. I used 2-4d in the ares whare there was no switch (obout 95%) and gly on the rest. Hopefully this does the trick and it doesnt come back:confused:. so far i have sprayed gly, oust and now again gly. This field has fought me:mad:. hopefully it should be pretty weed free for frost seeding new nwsg.

Was thinking of broadcasting GH radishes in it this year, beans the ground will or should be bare. Will this help the soil for frost seeding? Will the radishes grow with the oust that was sprayed earlier this year?

I do have random weeds popping up here and there. And also some beans we broadcasted on bare ground. Then some spots are just completly dead from the oust.

Also planing on maybe burning field if i can and a light discing to get good soil seed contact.
 
spltbrow said:
I nuked my morning glory today. I used 2-4d in the ares whare there was no switch (obout 95%) and gly on the rest. Hopefully this does the trick and it doesnt come back:confused:. so far i have sprayed gly, oust and now again gly. This field has fought me:mad:. hopefully it should be pretty weed free for frost seeding new nwsg.

Was thinking of broadcasting GH radishes in it this year, beans the ground will or should be bare. Will this help the soil for frost seeding? Will the radishes grow with the oust that was sprayed earlier this year?

I do have random weeds popping up here and there. And also some beans we broadcasted on bare ground. Then some spots are just completly dead from the oust.

Also planing on maybe burning field if i can and a light discing to get good soil seed contact.
Click to expand...

The 2-4D will have residual effects for a few weeks and the Oust can last for months so planting anything this summer might not work so very well.

Radishes also have allelopathic chemicals in the roots that could inhibit small seeded plants like switchgrass from germinating next spring...;)
 
Walked through a first year field of switch grass this past weekend. Hard to believe the change in weed competition in three weeks... we don't have access to this area due to the corn so it will have to just get by until next spring. But I thought I'd share what some of our young switch is looking like, it isn't pretty the first year but it's growing!
Here is what one field looked like on June 27th
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and here it is on July 16th
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The base of some young switch plants
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