Miscanthus Gigantus....for bedding?

[Bill]

Probably doesn't much matter. Less than 48 hours after I planted them, about 20% were already dug out of the ground. I'm just going to be known as the guy who has the nicest circles that nothing will grow in.

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Dang Rabbits digging in fresh dirt. Poke them back in they may make it. You can also use atrazine or simazine for weed control.

 

[KDdid]

I’ve been having the same “digging out” problems with my tree planting’s this spring- pretty sure it’s skunks attracted by the fresh dirt.


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[tynimiller]

Figured I'd update everyone. Don at Maple River saw that I lost all but 2 clusters and many rhizomes and offered a discounted rate for replacement (only rhizomes) but showed how amazing of a man he is. Got them back in the ground to replace abunch of the others. I feel ground hog or rabbit were my culprits. What did live was thriving and the one cluster had minimum 9 4 inch shoots already. Will try to post some pics later.

 

[Bill]

Figured I'd update everyone. Don at Maple River saw that I lost all but 2 clusters and many rhizomes and offered a discounted rate for replacement (only rhizomes) but showed how amazing of a man he is. Got them back in the ground to replace abunch of the others. I feel ground hog or rabbit were my culprits. What did live was thriving and the one cluster had minimum 9 4 inch shoots already. Will try to post some pics later.

That's great. I've never had any experience with Maple River other than easy to do business with. Guess thats why Don is the go to guy. I'm tempted to put up sign for the guy at my place. People are always stopping and asking about my road screens.

 

[Mortenson]

I checked on my plantings to see what they did this year. Was pretty pleased. Seems easy enough, other than the ones that got dug out. I'll stay with my plan to make an acre spot for bedding next spring. 9'x9' spacing would be 538 plants per acre. Does that sound about right as far as spacing goes? A little tighter?

 

[Bill]

9'x9' spacing would be 538 plants per acre. Does that sound about right as far as spacing goes? A little tighter?

I keep threatening using it for bedding but never find time to get it done. So not from experience with bedding but from experience with mature plants that sounds perfect. At 6 or 7 years some of those grass clumps will easily be 5 foot in diameter. If you planned it with some 15 yard openings on the inside that you could get a mower to I would think the does would bed in the openings.

 

[Mortenson]

Sounds good, Bill. I think you said, somewhere in this thread or another, that you wish you would've gone all in on this for bedding on a large scale 10 years ago. Would you still say that today?

 

[Bill]

Sounds good, Bill. I think you said, somewhere in this thread or another, that you wish you would've gone all in on this for bedding on a large scale 10 years ago. Would you still say that today?

I would, and one of these springs I may give up food plot work to try it.

 

[KDdid]

This talk of Miscanthus bedding prompted me to snap a picture of my 5 month old row of MG. Some of the clumps are nearly 7’ tall, with good stalk density. I’ll definitely be putting random clusters into my switchgrass field, and consider using it to break up sight lines when possible.


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[j-bird]

This talk of Miscanthus bedding prompted me to snap a picture of my 5 month old row of MG. Some of the clumps are nearly 7’ tall, with good stalk density. I’ll definitely be putting random clusters into my switchgrass field, and consider using it to break up sight lines when possible.


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I want to understand. These plants have been active for 5 months. I assume they have been in the ground a few years?

 

[KDdid]

This talk of Miscanthus bedding prompted me to snap a picture of my 5 month old row of MG. Some of the clumps are nearly 7’ tall, with good stalk density. I’ll definitely be putting random clusters into my switchgrass field, and consider using it to break up sight lines when possible.


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I want to understand. These plants have been active for 5 months. I assume they have been in the ground a few years?

These are plants that I started in late April from rhizomes I got from my neighbor. All the growth that you see is from this year. Now this is at the edge of my yard, we’ve been very blessed by above average rainfall. And I added urea when they were a foot tall.


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[j-bird]

These are plants that I started in late April from rhizomes I got from my neighbor. All the growth that you see is from this year. Now this is at the edge of my yard, we’ve been very blessed by above average rainfall. And I added urea when they were a foot tall.


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Wow....that's great results from what I have seen. I expected them to be older than that....and thus why I asked. I have not had the ability to mess with rhizomes yet as I have only had cuttings from Bill thus far. A good vigorous rhizome may be an even faster alternative. I'll have to dig some when I can and see..... I also think a dose of urea could be a boost as well.

 

[Bill]

These are plants that I started in late April from rhizomes I got from my neighbor. All the growth that you see is from this year. Now this is at the edge of my yard, we’ve been very blessed by above average rainfall. And I added urea when they were a foot tall.


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They must have been some big rhizome clusters. Growth is really great.

 

[TreeDaddy]

I notice that Lacey Creek offers rhizomes in the fall for planting

Does anyone have any experience with fall planting?

thanks,

bill

 

[Bill]

I notice that Lacey Creek offers rhizomes in the fall for planting

Does anyone have any experience with fall planting?

thanks,

bill

Never tried it. But it makes sense. Plant a dormant rhizome and it should lay there til spring.

 

[KDdid]

These are plants that I started in late April from rhizomes I got from my neighbor. All the growth that you see is from this year. Now this is at the edge of my yard, we’ve been very blessed by above average rainfall. And I added urea when they were a foot tall.


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They must have been some big rhizome clusters. Growth is really great.

I actually ended up with a bucket full of roots (which are some of the toughest plant material I’ve ever handled) and thought that I cut them up fairly small-2-3” at the largest. Next year I’m definitely using a Sawzall on them!


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[scott44]

This talk of Miscanthus bedding prompted me to snap a picture of my 5 month old row of MG. Some of the clumps are nearly 7’ tall, with good stalk density. I’ll definitely be putting random clusters into my switchgrass field, and consider using it to break up sight lines when possible.


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Adding MG to switch has worked for me, I've been adding some for that last couple years. I'm sure if you prepped the spot you'd have faster success. I just plant them in the switch and let them fend for themselves and it's worked ok, these were planted 3-4 yrs ago.