Young switch - what to do

[westonwhitetail]

I have about an acre of switch for a screen on one side of my plot I’m trying to establish. I frost seeding it into a brassica plot from last fall. The brassicas also were overseeded with rye last fall. I frost seeded the switch in March as the last few inches of the snow was melting off.

I did not get back in early may to spray gly as I planned. So the rye is growing and some brassicas bolted. See the pic below. I do see quite a bit of switch below this mess that germinated and is about 6 inches tall.

Can I salvage this? I’m thinking about just brush hogging above the switch a couple times this summer and hope for the best that it will take over next year.

Is there a better option to try to help this stand make it? I’m not against spraying something either if there’s an option for post emergence

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I would just mow like you're planning. That should take care of both of the undesired annuals.

 

[buckdeer1]

I have never sprayed mine after planting keep mowed foot tall first year,Not all bad having weeds,as it breaks up the mono culture

 

[westonwhitetail]

I would just mow like you're planning. That should take care of both of the undesired annuals.

Thanks I’ll stick to the plan!

 

[westonwhitetail]

I have never sprayed mine after planting keep mowed foot tall first year,Not all bad having weeds,as it breaks up the mono culture I

I wasn’t sure how many weeds was too many. I was thinking missing the gly application in early may may left too many to get a good stand of switch?

 

[westonwhitetail]

My brush hog is a pull behind it won’t get a foot tall, usually about 6”. Hopefully that’s alright

 

[Bill]

I’d mow it. I’m very interested in this experiment. I’ve always wanted to plant switch into rye but wasn’t sure if the ryes allopathic nature would hurt the switch.

Another option is that You could spray 2,4-D to kill the brassicas and just let the rye die out on its own

 

[Brian662]

I’d mow it. I’m very interested in this experiment. I’ve always wanted to plant switch into rye but wasn’t sure if the ryes allopathic nature would hurt the switch.

Another option is that You could spray 2,4-D to kill the brassicas and just let the rye die out on its own

I'm going to try soybeans this summer with rye for a winter cover crop and frost seeded switch in late winter. I will terminate the rye in April well before the switch germinated, I figure this will keep a clean plot and I don't believe the allopathic qualities of rye will negatively effect a dormant seed. What do you think?

As to the OP, I'd mow it once monthly for the first year, spray with a pre emergent (simazine or atrazine)next April and maybe mow once more in June of next year and let it go. Should be good from there.
Remember, if it's a screen you don't want bedding which means a pure stand of switch (weed/forbe free) will be your best bet.

 

[Brian662]

I took these pics this evening while mowing my second year switch. I drilled this switch into a harvest corn field in Nov of 2020. Mowed it three times last year with the last time being early August. Most switch then grew to 3' once the weeds were exhausted.
Noticed weed competition again this spring and decided to mow once more. Switch was 14-16" and some weeds, mostly goldenrod, were up to 30". Mowed back to 12" and will let it go. Expect exponential growth from the switch now that the soil is warming and the roots are established from last year. Should be 6'+ this year if past switch stands are any indication.

FYI, this is NOT a screen and I don't want a pure stand of switch so I have not sprayed anything on this field.

 

[Tree Spud]

I would mow to terminate the WR. WR will suppress grasses. If you let s go to seed that new seed will produce mare WR.

 

[westonwhitetail]

I will mow soon. Before I do I’ll make some observations. Some areas of the rye are thicker than others, I’ll try to see how much it is suppressing the switch

 

[Bill]

I'm going to try soybeans this summer with rye for a winter cover crop and frost seeded switch in late winter. I will terminate the rye in April well before the switch germinated, I figure this will keep a clean plot and I don't believe the allopathic qualities of rye will negatively effect a dormant seed. What do you think?

I’m not sure. I always wanted to try planting into rye but switch seed is expensive so never have. I think if the rye has no affect on switch it would be a great way to do it.

 

[Brian662]

I’m not sure. I always wanted to try planting into rye but switch seed is expensive so never have. I think if the rye has no affect on switch it would be a great way to do it.

The real reason I want to try this route instead of atrazine is to hold the soil together in a moderate to highly erodable hillside. I'll do some research to see if anyone has tried anything like this in the past.
Completely agree on the switchgrass seed, prices have gotten ridiculous the last few years.

 

[Bill]

I agree it would be great for erosion prevention and general weed control.

 

[SWIFFY]

I agree with the above statements... I've always thought the Rye would be the perfect nurse crop for the switch UNLESS those enzymes negatively affect its growth. Ive been scared to do it as well.

If you had a legume seed bed (soybeans), and then fall planted your rye and your switch, youd think the rye would come up and keep the weeds at bay while the switch grew its roots. Then by mid summer you could just let the rye go. It would die out and the switch would take over. In theory it seems like the perfect scenario.

 

[westonwhitetail]

Well I went to check on it tonight and mow. But the neighbor farmer beat me to it! I said he could take hay off my field but didn’t mean this one. Anyway it’s not all bad, he just mowed it for me. But I couldn’t tell if the rye effected it in any areas or not. Seems like a lot of good young switch starting so I don’t think it did. Maybe will try the rye and switch in another spot next year

 

[buckdeer1]

Along the lines of young switch,if I can butt in and ask a question.I frost seeded some in an R/W that the crew mulched down and left grindings.I drug those off and broadcast to frost seed as I have done many times before except those were in prepared plots.Problem is I have a really good crop of 6inch poison ivy.Anyone have a suggestion on what would kill it and not hurt grass

 

[Brian662]

Along the lines of young switch,if I can butt in and ask a question.I frost seeded some in an R/W that the crew mulched down and left grindings.I drug those off and broadcast to frost seed as I have done many times before except those were in prepared plots.Problem is I have a really good crop of 6inch poison ivy.Anyone have a suggestion on what would kill it and not hurt grass

To be safe I think you'll have to wait for the grass to get 4 leaves and then I'd try some 2,4 -D. Might be safest to mow it first and then wait for the grass to recover a little before spraying.

 

[buckdeer1]

That was my thought as I have always just mowed before,I hate Poison Ivy almost as much as ticks

 

[Brian662]

I'd wait for the poison ivy to be taller than 6" as long as it isn't a complete blanket. The switch needs some sunlight to grow but I dont like the idea of driving over it with a tractor when it's only 2 or 3" tall.

I'd wait for the poison ivy to be 12+" and then mow it back to 6-8". Hopefully this can get the switch some sunlight and then you'll have bought yourself some time before spraying. Could even mow it twice about 3 weeks apart and then spray.