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Switchgrass Bedding Areas
Habitat Improvement
Messages posted to thread:
Twanger 21-Mar-16
Twanger 22-Mar-16
Tndeer 22-Mar-16
jsagraves14 23-Aug-16
CAS_HNTR 23-Aug-16
RIT 23-Aug-16
RIT 23-Aug-16
t-roy 23-Aug-16
brettpsu 24-Aug-16
jsagraves14 24-Aug-16
Franzen 24-Aug-16
CAS_HNTR 24-Aug-16
writer 24-Aug-16
JimHam 30-Aug-16
Father Habitat 01-Sep-16


Date:21-Mar-16

We have a power line right-away going through our property which is about 200' wide and about 1/2 mile long. A lot of the soil is very rocky. We have not tested the pH yet. We are considering using Cave-in-Rock switchgrass to provide some bedding areas in what is otherwise worthless habitat. We have some of the right-away in food plots but this area is too visible from the road for food plots. Does anyone have any experience with this that they would like to share? Good idea? Will not work? Pointers? Use something else?

Date:22-Mar-16

Randy, Thanks for the response. Are the deer bedding in it or just passing through? How old is your plot and how tall is it? By the lack of responses to this thread not too many must to trying this.

By: Tndeer
Date:22-Mar-16

I have a very similar situation with a power line but the soil is not rocky. I tried Alamo swithgrass a couple of years ago and I didn't get good results. I don't think I did a good enough job killing the weeds beforehand. This year I am planting a mix of Egyptian wheat and sorghums for the same purpose. I am hoping it will create bedding area and will also act as a hedge to keep poacher attention to a minimum.

Date:23-Aug-16

I'm in Ohio and don't know about power line areas specifically, but freeze seeded CIR switchgrass last November, which has come in very well for the most part. I have some areas I want to reseed, but will try seeding end of Feb/March of next year. Trying to figure out the best way to kill off weeds in current SG area for spot seeding. I've had some success bush hogging and using 2,4D, but wondering if I should do that to the entire SG area and when, so it comes in lush and chokes out weeds for next summer. Any thoughts?

For new areas you certainly have to Glyphosate to kill weeds and wild grasses. You want this done going into the winter to give good seed bed and then you can either freeze seed or seed in Feb/March (in Ohio). The late winter snow/rain will soften the seed for germination in June. Spraying for weeds again before germination will be crucial and I feel this is where I failed.

Date:23-Aug-16

Most recommendations are to mow the whole area for a year or two at about 12" tall......majority of broadleaf plants are taller and can be controlled with cutting.

Switchgrass grows deep roots for the first couple years and thus mowing doesn't really hurt it. Once established, switchgrass will outcompete and smother most other plants.

We will be planting about 1.5 ac this winter. We prepped the area and seeded crimson clover a few weeks ago. The clover will be plowed down for added nitrogen in the late fall prior to seeding the switchgrass.

By: RIT
Date:23-Aug-16

Switchgrass will grow there. That being said weed control the first year is critical as switch grows down before it grows up.

Frost seeding is one of the best ways to establish switch. CIR being one of the preferred varieties for deer.

If you plan to frost seed the switch it all starts the fall before. Right now is the perfect time to get started. But it's more than just burning down the area with glysophate. You need to make sure you get a great kill so adding Oust XP will help with that.

Also remember that switchgrass is a warm season grass so weed control in the spring with be equally important. The switch won't germinate until soil temps warm up sometime in May. You will need to spray again around late April with glysophate and Atrazine. Atrazine is a controlled herbicide so you will need to have it applied for you or go with Simazine.

Once the switch has 3-4 leaves you can spray 2-4D for broad leaf control. With great weed control you should have an outstanding looking stand heading into years 2 and 3.

By: RIT
Date:23-Aug-16
RIT's Supporting Link

Here is hands down the best switch establishment guide I have found. It is a great read also.

By: t-roy
Date:23-Aug-16

Switchgrass can take some time to really get going. 2-3 years sometimes. Don't be discouraged if it isn't as good as you would like it to be the first year or two.

Date:24-Aug-16

I sprayed my 5 yr old stand of switch/blue steam this year with cimarron plus and had excellent results. I'm not 100% sure it can be used on 1-2 yr old stands though. Be warned....it kills everything but the warm season grass.

Date:24-Aug-16

Good info everyone. Truly appreciated. I was looking at SG last night and decided to bush hog everything next spring (March/April) and really focus on spraying into June.

I will do some prep work this fall for spot areas that didn't seed or I want to expand. I'd say in all, I'm doing about 4+ acres of SG.

Date:24-Aug-16

Be sure to check with the power company first to be certain they are okay with what you are planting. If they come out there for line maintenance and decide they don't like your switchgrass, all your effort may go to waste.

Date:24-Aug-16

Good point Franzen......they just sprayed the gas and power R/W on a lease we have.....killed everything for a LLLOOOONNNNGGG way!

By: writer
Date:24-Aug-16

Didn't know that about frost-seeding switch grass. That's really great.

I put a few patches on our farm. It's grown well, but the deer still don't bed in it after 6-7 years.

They still bed back on the hardwood ridges, especially those with a brushy understory. A buddy has the same resultsl150 miles away.

By: JimHam
Date:30-Aug-16

Can't help with planting because my property had switchgrass over large areas when I bought it. It is 55 acres bordered on one side by woods that connects to a large area of wooded bottom land. The deer like to come out into my property and bed right in the switchgrass. I jump them regularly when I am mowing trails and firebreaks. Last deer season I watched them move into the switchgrass just after sunrise and disappear - assume they were bedded there.

Date:01-Sep-16

Father Habitat's MOBILE embedded Photo

If deer are not bedding in your Switchgrass I highly recommend dragging whole trees or at the minimal tree tops.


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