I have a question for dbltree since he seems to be the resident expert on switchgrass and habitate development. First of all, I have read through the switchgrass thread and have found the information to be very helpful. Based on the info in the thread I have came up with a plan but I would like to get your or anyone elses take on whether what I have proposed makes sense. I don't want to make a major mistake.
Background: I have around three or four acres in northern Missouri that I would like to put into switch. Mostly bottom ground. I killed off the fescue in the fall of 06 and then again in the spring of 07 in preparation for a neighbor to plant a mix that I have purchased. Neighbor never got to it so I ended up with a fallow field of weeds with a third of it being fox tail. The seed mix I purchased has a mixture of Big & Little Blue Stem, Indian Grass, Nebraska switch, side oats gram and some forbs. The mix has a total of 8.5 lbs of PLS consisting of 2 lbs each of Little Blue, Indian Grass and Switch.
My plan was to burn the area this weekend. Plant the weekend of March 20, I have access to a Truax drill through the NRCS, and then come back and spray atrazine the first week of April.
I have two major questions. First, will the atrazine kill the other seeds in my mix? I'm assuming it would kill the forbs. Also, if the atrazine is an RUP then is there an alternative? Second, I really would have liked to have this area be completely switch but the NRCS/Private Lands agent talked me into a mix because they are trying to promote quail habitat. I have had this seed, stored appropriately, for the last couple years so I really need to get it in the ground since it's losing some of it's potency every year. I thought about mixing some Cave in Rock into the mix since that is ultimately what I want but since I already have this seed and it was pretty expensive I hate to see it go to waste. Do you think is would be advantageous to add the additional switch to the mix or will they all just compete against eachother. Just looking for some direction and affirmation that I am heading down the right path.
Finally, I know this is off topic but in the past I have been using Oust to spray around my trees to keep weeds down. I also have been trying to use it in fencerows and areas where there are trees that I don't want to injure. As with most of these herbicides the directions seem to lean toward a per acre calculation but in my case I am spot spraying with a 15 gallon sprayer and have had a hard time determining the right amount of chemical to add to make the right mix. I have had mixed results.
I hope I haven't rambled too much and I also hope I haven't left any important details out. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Background: I have around three or four acres in northern Missouri that I would like to put into switch. Mostly bottom ground. I killed off the fescue in the fall of 06 and then again in the spring of 07 in preparation for a neighbor to plant a mix that I have purchased. Neighbor never got to it so I ended up with a fallow field of weeds with a third of it being fox tail. The seed mix I purchased has a mixture of Big & Little Blue Stem, Indian Grass, Nebraska switch, side oats gram and some forbs. The mix has a total of 8.5 lbs of PLS consisting of 2 lbs each of Little Blue, Indian Grass and Switch.
My plan was to burn the area this weekend. Plant the weekend of March 20, I have access to a Truax drill through the NRCS, and then come back and spray atrazine the first week of April.
I have two major questions. First, will the atrazine kill the other seeds in my mix? I'm assuming it would kill the forbs. Also, if the atrazine is an RUP then is there an alternative? Second, I really would have liked to have this area be completely switch but the NRCS/Private Lands agent talked me into a mix because they are trying to promote quail habitat. I have had this seed, stored appropriately, for the last couple years so I really need to get it in the ground since it's losing some of it's potency every year. I thought about mixing some Cave in Rock into the mix since that is ultimately what I want but since I already have this seed and it was pretty expensive I hate to see it go to waste. Do you think is would be advantageous to add the additional switch to the mix or will they all just compete against eachother. Just looking for some direction and affirmation that I am heading down the right path.
Finally, I know this is off topic but in the past I have been using Oust to spray around my trees to keep weeds down. I also have been trying to use it in fencerows and areas where there are trees that I don't want to injure. As with most of these herbicides the directions seem to lean toward a per acre calculation but in my case I am spot spraying with a 15 gallon sprayer and have had a hard time determining the right amount of chemical to add to make the right mix. I have had mixed results.
I hope I haven't rambled too much and I also hope I haven't left any important details out. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
