Frost Seeding Switch into CRP-2 mix?

H80Hunter

5 year old buck +
I've got a couple of pretty big fields planted in a CRP-2 mix (big bluestem, indiangrass, coneflower, some goldenrod etc). Is it a total waste of time to overseed CIR switch into that next winter? There's not any cool season grass in these native stands to speak of. For example, they are barely greening up, so nothing would be racing out ahead of the switch to dominate it. That said, the seed is too expensive to waste completely. I was thinking if I overseeded switch next winter it would be germinating about the same time the other warm season grass is really waking up and I may get some switch in the mix. Any other recommendations on how to do this without going to usual route of spraying and frost seeding the switch?
 
I would just make sure that you burn it first so that the switch has a better chance at good soil contact. I would burn, seed, and then run a drag over it after seeding.
 
Apart from what you said about spraying and seeding and the above mentioned burn..... I guess the only over seeding I would do into an existing prairie planting would be from seed I self harvested (free) from existing plots/fields and cast in.... nothing lost but time then and it would mimic mother nature's seed drop. I do that all the time especially from cone flowers on my one farm to the other.... I had a pollinator mix at the one location and have been harvesting some seed from there and tossing it in over at the other farm.... I do notice some added plants, just not as many as I would like.
The seed cost are so high from purchased mixes and I doubt you would get the catch you wanted.
 
You can hand strip a lot of seed in a short amount of time - just depends on how big of a field you are talking about seeding into. For selected spots or areas such as bedding pockets I have just tossed into those areas... takes a few years to notice if anything took though.
 
Why are you opposed to spraying it and frost seeding it?
 
Why are you opposed to spraying it and frost seeding it?

From his initial post, it appears he doesn't want to lose his initial investment.

H80H - You could spray strips of it and no til switch into it. Then over time the existing forb base would blend in. FWIW - I wouldn't want to lose that stand either.

If no access to a drill, you'd probably have to spray and lightly disc strips to expose the soil for the switch seed. But this would be starting over with new weeds, etc..
 
So... We have about 20 acres of expiring CRP and I DO plan to start to establish small stands of only switch (via spraying and then frost seeding). But I do have some NWSG areas that are pretty thick and stand up well that it would be nice to simply add switch in. Just curious if there was any practice that would work.
 
I want to get native grass started on my property but the cost of buying enough seed to plant the whole place is prohibitive. If I planted small areas of native seed how long would it take to spread?
 
I want to get native grass started on my property but the cost of buying enough seed to plant the whole place is prohibitive. If I planted small areas of native seed how long would it take to spread?
A long, long time. Seed can only spread as far as the wind will blow it (not far) or the birds will carry it and poop it out.

Probably better off just doing small sections within your budget at a time.
 
That is probably what I will do. Just seed small sections like you suggested. The other thing I have thought of doing is discing strips and letting the native grasses grow. According to my NRCS sources strip discing will spur the seeds to germinate and take hold.
 
I did apply with NRCS for assistance in establishing native grass on my property but I haven’t gotten anything back from them yet.
 
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