Cave n Rock Switchgrass info

[Charles Clear]

Hi there everyone, anyone have experience with planting switchgrass? Frost seeding, TNM, or till and plant? I am in North Western Pennsylvania. Probably looking at the Cave n Rock variety. Creating some cover for bedding and entry/exit to stands. Thanks!

 

[P.Hostetler]

I'm interested in hearing others experiences as well. I intend to frost seed a .5 acre area in March. I was too busy to kill off weeds in the fall, so I'm thinking of taking my field cultivator to remove as much vegetation as possible -> frost seed -> cultipack -> then shoot for 2 sprayings of gly in april/may. I would like to hear thoughts on this method.

 

[scott44]

The first time I was going to plant switch grass I was going to plant it like a food plot kill, disc, seed cultipack. I googled it and found Paul Knox on Iowa Whitetails and followeed his advice and it's worked great over the years. I really wanted to plant it that spring/summer but I took his advise and killed it that summer/fall and frost seeded it Jan/Feb the next year, I've done more over the years and all the same way and they have turned out good. I'm sure you could frost seed it now and kill it this spring with a couple sprayings of gly but I've never tried it that way. Whatever way you plant it just be ready to think your planting has failed the first year or two and usually by the third year it'll take off, some have good stands the first couple years but mine took off the third year and looks good now.

 

[Tree Spud]

I frosted seeded 14 acres by hand 2 years ago in February with snow on the ground. No soil prep prior. Snow allowed me to seeing seeing rate & distribution. After 2 years have had a 80% germination rate. Some plants were 4' high this past year.

 

[Charles Clear]

Awesome! Thank you all. This is exactly the information I was looking for! I appreciate it!

 

[Rit]

Some good info so far. I would definitely read Paul’s thread. I go back and read it once in awhile. Great read. Ideally prep of the area the year before is your best bet. Nothing is more critical than weed control. You will want to use more than glyphosate for weed control. As stated above switch is slow to establish. This is first year switch that I thought was a failure. It got stronger as the year went on. I know everyone is in love with CIR, but Kanlow has been fantastic for me . I had 6’ first year growth. This stand was a mixture of CIR and Kanlow. I was so impressed with Kanlow that I overseesed the area with more Kanlow. I would recommend a mixture of the two over straight CIR.

 

[Charles Clear]

Oh wow! Great looking grass! Thanks for the tip! I will do a mixture. I had only heard CIR being good up north but Ohio is close to here so should be awesome! Thank you!

 

[Tap]

Hi there everyone, anyone have experience with planting switchgrass? Frost seeding, TNM, or till and plant? I am in North Western Pennsylvania. Probably looking at the Cave n Rock variety. Creating some cover for bedding and entry/exit to stands. Thanks!

You should check out Ernst Seed in Meadville PA. They are a great resource for seed, planting methods and maintenance.
Their catalog is very impressive...has tons of info and great pics of hundreds of native plants. They will help you with Switchgrass.

 

[Charles Clear]

That was my next question! Where to get the seed! I'll shoot up 79 north and head to Meadvillle! Thank you!

 

[Tap]

That was my next question! Where to get the seed! I'll shoot up 79 north and head to Meadvillle! Thank you!

I highly recommend getting a copy of their catalog. You won't be sorry, I guarantee it.

 

[Charles Clear]

I highly recommend getting a copy of their catalog. You won't be sorry, I guarantee it.

I am checking the online version out now! Wow! My wife will not approve lol. What a great resource! Thanks again!

 

[Tap]

I am checking the online version out now! Wow! My wife will not approve lol. What a great resource! Thanks again!

Told ya!

 

[Rit]

Told ya!

I spend a lot of time on their online catalog. They don’t have Kanlow listed this year. I bought their last 8 lbs of PLS In November. They have so much stuff and good descriptions.

 

[Native Hunter]

This is a field of CIR Switch that has been established about 8 years. It was drilled in after two gly kills.

Regardless of what you hear, you can have some good forbs mixed in if you get the right ones. Some that compete well are:

• improved cultivars of Partridge Pea
• Smooth Ticktrefoil
• some of the Goldenrods
• Tickseed Sunflower

 

[270 sniper]

contact hilltop seed at 814-594-2966.
I planted cave in rock switchgrass based on my conversation with the owner. I roundup the area where i planted in late fall and then broadcasted the seed in March still going strong after 4 years. Then if I recall in May I sprayed to kill the grass that was growing with 2db

 

[Bill]

If you read Paul Knox’s recommendations killing the field in the fall is the second best method. The first is planting switch following beans.

I’ve never frost seeded then killed the grass but guys do it, so it can work.
If you try I’d suggest getting the Atrazine or simazine “pre emergent down as soon as it thaws. Then hit it with gly after the cool season grasses green up.

 

[Tree Spud]

This is a field of CIR Switch that has been established about 8 years. It was drilled in after two gly kills.

Regardless of what you hear, you can have some good forbs mixed in if you get the right ones. Some that compete well are:

• improved cultivars of Partridge Pea
• Smooth Ticktrefoil
• some of the Goldenrods
• Tickseed Sunflower

/QUOTE]

Nature ... I have multiple acres of switch, and multiple apple & pear trees in the vacinity.

Would like to add some high value pollinator wildflowers, some with some height to be viable in the switch grass.

Any suggestions?

 

[Native Hunter]

Spud, the switch will eventually choke out most wildflowers. The ones I mentioned above in my post are the most aggressive here, but not sure how well they would do as far north as you are. You can bring back forbs and wildflowers by disking the switch just to break up the sod a little bit. Every 3 years or so would probably be enough to open it up enough.

I would suggest discussing it with a reputable seed supplier from your area. In my area, Roundstone Native Seed gives good advice. You could talk with them too, and they could probably point you in the right direction. They have a tremendous bunch of different wildflowers to choose from.

 

[titan23_87]

r

I spend a lot of time on their online catalog. They don’t have Kanlow listed this year. I bought their last 8 lbs of PLS In November. They have so much stuff and good descriptions.

Rit and others - with Ernst not carrying Kanlow, what’s your seed source for that now?

 

[Rit]

r


Rit and others - with Ernst not carrying Kanlow, what’s your seed source for that now?

http://prairieseedfarms.com/

They are going to be more expensive than Ernst but Kanlow seed is hard to get.