[YoteSlayer]

Has anyone on here planted or have ever worked with switchgrass? I have a couple small fields that I would like to plant with it and I'm not really sure where to get it. How far apart do you space them? And do the deer use it as cover? Its going to be a few years until my pine is big enough for the deer to hide in, so I'm kinda lookin for a quick fix to my cover issue. Will this work? Any help appreciated! Thanks gents!

 

[Retiredusne8]

answers.com has some good info that you may want to check out.

 

[Guest]

It takes about 3 full years for switch to establish. It takes good weed control the first few years to get it going.

Yes, the deer love the cover. Friend of mine and also a member here has an 8 acre field of warm season grasses, with switch and its the most awesome cover I have seen. Deer can walk 10 yds into it and literally disappear.

Ernst Seeds in NW PA has many switch varieties.

 

[Pa-Guy]

Like Dutch said, the deer love it.
My son's 9 pointer, this year, laid in it all day, got up 10 minutes before quitting time. He will be baloney and jerky tomorrow.

Here's what switchgrass can do for you.
Don't forget to make "shooting lanes" with trefoil or clover. They like that too.

 

[Boat Capt]

Here is a link for ya!

http://www.ernstseed.com/

 

[Guest]

EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know about switchgrass is in this link. Gonna take you a while to go thru it, but GREAT info.

http://iowawhitetail.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13575

 

[YoteSlayer]

Thanks for all the great info guys!! Very much Appreciated!

 

[indianahunter]

If you want someone to plant it let me know. The local pheasants forever can do it for you. They could even drop off a drill if you have a 50 hp+ tractor.

 

[Featherduster]

X2 what Dutch said. I have only planted Shelter and Cave IN Rock Varieties. I buy all from Ernst. Weed control is the most critical part. If you can bring yourself not to rush things I plant RR corn followed by RR soybeans the following year and then the switchgrass the 3rd year. If you do that you wil have practically no weed issues if you spray your crops as needed and the soybeans give a healthy shot of residual N right when the sw grass needs it most. I have done this in several fields and had 3 feet in the 1st year.

 

[Featherduster]

I would also take indy hunter up on his generous drill offer. PF is probaly using a Truax drill and that will give far superior results than any other method.

 

[pheasants]

I have done 7's project site's of switchgrass. I have 2 Truax drill's. I do project all over the state. and even new york state. we get all of are seed from Hilltop seeds.(www.hilltopseed.com)
and they are willing to help you if you have any problems.
they will even come out to the field and look at it.and tell you how to do it. what spray's to use. The works.
there a Great Co to work with.

 

[Dobsonknob]

Can you overseed 'Shelter' switchgrass into killed off Japanese stiltgrass?

Thanks

 

[CJBS2003]

Japanese stiltgrass

That stuff is the devil!

 

[Lynnappelman]

Chris,

What are your thoughts on Plateau for fields with high switch seed (5 to 7 lbs/acre)? I have heard of people using Plateau with switch grass but i thought Plateau kills switchgrass.

 

[pheasants]

Lynn,

This is just from the test i have done.

you can use Plateau on switchgrass. but only keep it to like.2-4 oz per acres.

anything more then that. It really slow's it down.
at the 2-4 oz per acre. The switchgrass still come's up. But it's just smaller for the first 2 years. after that. it's the same. 5-6 ft stuff...

hope that helps.

chris