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Switchgrass

mole

mole

Active Member
I have a 5-10 acre area on my farm that I would like to plant to switchgrass.

What do I need to do to prepare the land for a spring plant?

Also what is the best grass for cover? I looked at Cave in rock and big bluestem.

I am no farmer and really have no idea what I'm doing. I need help.
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mole
 
Spray it quickly with a good dose of Roundup. Spray it again in the spring if anything turns green. Set it on fire in early/mid June. Drill it with a PF no-till after the ashes are cool.

If a no-till is not avalible, I have heard of broadcasting the seed into the cooled ashes. Last option is a little risky for me, since you will have about $1K in seed for 10 acres.

Straight Cave is an excellent choice.

j
 
I've been told Cave in the Rock is in short supply this year. I had to give $12.50 a lb. for it.
 
Matt, you should take a drive over to my place sometime and I can show you what Cave in Rock and the Big Blue look like side by side. I'd go with the switch if it were me because it stands up much better in the winter and is twice as thick. Big Blue is definately nicer looking if its in a place where asthetics are a concern.
Our county conservation guys did both of mine and they turned out great. I think planting was $25/acre in '05?

The big blue mix was just drilled into chopped corn stubble. The switch was disced and packed before plating in the spring, but that does turn up some weeds. Switch is pretty easy to spray for weeds though, so not such a big deal. I also ordered my seed in the fall, dont know if it matters.
 
1K for 10 acres
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I might have to scale back the plans a little.

Thanks for all the advice. TP I'll stop by and check out your planting. Anything has got to be better than what I have now.

mole
 
It's on page three here in the Management section.

Switchgrass thread page 3

I tried to give a good "how too" in this thread but if you still have questions we should be able to answer them.

Spray now for sure to kill what you have but you are way better off to broadcast or no-till drill this late winter (Feb/March) to let the cold wet weather stratify the switchgrass seed.

Summer seeding can work but the seed may not germinate until the following spring.

Read thru the thread to understand more about stratification of switchgrass seed and planting methods.

It is very expensive...no way around that I'm afraid /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif
 
The link doesnt seem to work anymore. I just purchased a new property. I have about 18 acres I plan to split between switchgrass and alfalfa. I definately want to have things established by next fall. The alfalfa I plan to plow, disk, and plant with oats as a cover in the spring. The switchgrass however, I am not familiar with. I usually prefer to fall seed, but I would assume its to late for that. The ground is currently all brome grass and has never been tilled as far as I can tell. Anyone have any advice on getting the switchgrass started and established by next fall? thanks.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hillrunner</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The link doesnt seem to work anymore. I just purchased a new property. I have about 18 acres I plan to split between switchgrass and alfalfa. I definately want to have things established by next fall. The alfalfa I plan to plow, disk, and plant with oats as a cover in the spring. The switchgrass however, I am not familiar with. I usually prefer to fall seed, but I would assume its to late for that. The ground is currently all brome grass and has never been tilled as far as I can tell. Anyone have any advice on getting the switchgrass started and established by next fall? thanks. </div></div>

I fixed the link: Switchgrass

The best time to establish switchgrass is in late winter by drilling or broadcasting on freezing/thawing bare ground. Feb/Mar. being best to enable the weather to stratify the switchgrass seed.

In your case the brome needs to be cut as close as possible and needs to be killed with Roundup. Normally it's best to do this in September but it is possible to burn the brome this winter, frost seed the switchgrass and then spray with roundup at the earliest greenup. Switchgrass is a warm season grass and won't germinate until warmer late spring/early summer weather giving you a very short window to kill the brome.

Sometimes in optimum conditions a stand can be stablished in one year however with out herbicides like atrazine it may take upwards of three years for the switchgrass to become a mature stand.

I reposted all the FoodPlot links here. The new updates have left many older links unusable...so I'll keep working on them /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
I think I have my game plan ironed out. One question I have is about moisture. The pheasants forever website stated that cave in rock likes a high moisture environment. I am curious as to how well CIR would do on a hillside?
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hillrunner</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think I have my game plan ironed out. One question I have is about moisture. The pheasants forever website stated that cave in rock likes a high moisture environment. I am curious as to how well CIR would do on a hillside? </div></div>

Not as good as the lowland but most of mine is on hills that a mountain goat would be proud of and it does well...just not the height of the lowland switchgrass.
 
Ok, you said
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> If you control weeds by mowing, it will take 3 very long years!! If you mow...do not mow more then 8-12" high as you can easily kill new seedlings.
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but I got this off the pheasants forever website?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">5. For the first year you should mow 3 times, the first mowing should be fairly quick, about 3 or 4 weeks after seeding (obviously you will adjust with weather conditions). Mow the first time at a height of 4 to 6 inches. The next two times you mow should be at a height no less than 8". You should mow every 3 weeks depending on the amount of rain. The last mowing should be done by the 1st week or 2 of August. Then let your planting grow through August, this will give the young prairie plants a chance to build up some energy reserves so they can start strong next spring. Stay on top of your mowing responsibilities! One very common mistake is to get behind on mowing and then rush in and mow down 3-foot tall foxtail. The mowed material piles up like mulch and hurts your seed more than it helps. If it is mid to late July and you have not mowed your seeding, it is best not to mow now, you would probably do more harm than good.

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Im planning on following the advice from this sight over the other things Ive been told, but Im still a little confused. The lady I talked to at pheasnts forever( the place Im ordering the seed) also told me the best time to plant would be may or june.I think she thought I was a little crazy when I told her I would like to get my name down for the no till drill in march.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hillrunner</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok, you said
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> If you control weeds by mowing, it will take 3 very long years!! If you mow...do not mow more then 8-12" high as you can easily kill new seedlings.
</div></div>


but I got this off the pheasants forever website?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">5. For the first year you should mow 3 times, the first mowing should be fairly quick, about 3 or 4 weeks after seeding (obviously you will adjust with weather conditions). Mow the first time at a height of 4 to 6 inches. The next two times you mow should be at a height no less than 8". You should mow every 3 weeks depending on the amount of rain. The last mowing should be done by the 1st week or 2 of August. Then let your planting grow through August, this will give the young prairie plants a chance to build up some energy reserves so they can start strong next spring. Stay on top of your mowing responsibilities! One very common mistake is to get behind on mowing and then rush in and mow down 3-foot tall foxtail. The mowed material piles up like mulch and hurts your seed more than it helps. If it is mid to late July and you have not mowed your seeding, it is best not to mow now, you would probably do more harm than good.

</div></div>

Im planning on following the advice from this sight over the other things Ive been told, but Im still a little confused. The lady I talked to at pheasnts forever( the place Im ordering the seed) also told me the best time to plant would be may or june.I think she thought I was a little crazy when I told her I would like to get my name down for the no till drill in march. </div></div>

I certainly understand your confusion over the conflicting advice. When I got ready to plant my first switchgrass over a decade ago...I had to choose from the advice of people (like the PF woman) who had never planted an acre of switchgrass in their life or....

John Osenbaugh who has been planting, growing and harvesting all types of prairiegrass seed for I suspect most of his life. I doubted him, I thought surely he was off his rocker...or at best just plain crazy...but...

I took his advice and you have only to look at the pictures in my thread and decide for yourself.

The only good point is NOT to let the foxtail/weeds get 3 feet high, mow as needed but... DO NOT mow the new seedlings close to the ground or you can kill them. Switchgrass and other prairie grasses grow down not up the first year and they simply cannot tolerate being mowed or grazed close to the ground.

I would add that prairie grasses cannot tolerate being repeatedly being mowed or grazed close to the ground during the growing season at any time or the stand will begin to die. This is why I prefer to use Atrazine herbicide on pure switchgrass stands to keep mowing to a minimum. Early on though the switchgrass will not even have germinated...most likely not until late June so mowing won't even affect it.

You have to remember that prairie grasses were grazed by wandering herds of buffalo that kept moving, unlike domestic cattle that quickly killed it when fenced and grazed it intensively.

As for planting advice...ask anyone who advises spring planting if they understand stratification and why that is important to switchgrass seed? More then likely you'll get a lot of stammering and stuttering... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

If you plant in late spring it will grow...but often not until the following spring......think about it switchgrass normally drops in the late fall just like many wildflowers but Mother Nature protects it by giving it a very hard shell that must be softened by the freezing and thawing of late winter weather. If it was soft it would either rot or try to germinate in late fall warm spells.

I don't know a lot...but what I learned I learned from the best and everything else I learned the hard way. I really hate to see others learn the hard way and possibly have their very expensive stand of prairie grasses fail. Believe me...that stinks!

Call John Osenbaugh Osenbaugh’s Prairie Seed Farms for the best advice..then if it doesn't work...I'm off the hook! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/blush.gif /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> As for planting advice...ask anyone who advises spring planting if they understand stratification and why that is important to switchgrass seed? More then likely you'll get a lot of stammering and stuttering...
</div></div>
lol, I did mention it and she had nothing to say.
 
DB
I have been considering trying to start switch along a creek that runs through crop field to create extra cover. First, does it hold the bank well or will erosion be a problem? Second, can it be started in small patchwork spots doing just what I can by hand each year? The property is not mine but have hunted there for years. I think this would make great bedding away fromthe hunting pressure.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: huntdoc</div><div class="ubbcode-body">DB
I have been considering trying to start switch along a creek that runs through crop field to create extra cover. First, does it hold the bank well or will erosion be a problem? Second, can it be started in small patchwork spots doing just what I can by hand each year? The property is not mine but have hunted there for years. I think this would make great bedding away fromthe hunting pressure. </div></div>

It's hard to beat for erosion control once established. Works best to nuke the spot with roundup and then frost seed the switchgrass into the killed sod in March.

At this point it might work best (if possible) to do a late winter burn, frost seed then spray with RUP at first greenup in April.

I have hand seeded small areas on hillsides...just difficult to maintain long term because I couldn't burn or mow.
 
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