Switch grass too thick?

[wango tango]

Anyone have any sure fire way of controlling switch grass in the spring? I’m going to create diversity pockets in my 4 acre monoculture of switchgrass. I’m guessing herbicide will have limited results since there’s such a flush of top growth after I burn. I’m also reading that mowing it continually will eventually starve out the roots and it will die. Maybe I will try both. I have a tiller, but no plow. Any thoughts?


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[Ben.MN/WI]

Could you hit the switchgrass with a shot of round up when it is 6" tall in the spring? That should either kill it off or at least dramatically set it back and give some weed seeds in the soil a chance to grow.

 

[buckdeer1]

Are you wanting to stir up weed seeds?I am going to lightly till or disc after I burn to stir up weed seed.If you kill it you will delay new growth.I am also going to leave some of my NWSG this spring and drag tree tops into them.I want to try 2 things one is to see if I get weed and tree sprouts from bird droppings and I am hoping if I create thin brush piles maybe turkeys will nest here

 

[wango tango]

Are you wanting to stir up weed seeds?I am going to lightly till or disc after I burn to stir up weed seed.If you kill it you will delay new growth.I am also going to leave some of my NWSG this spring and drag tree tops into them.I want to try 2 things one is to see if I get weed and tree sprouts from bird droppings and I am hoping if I create thin brush piles maybe turkeys will nest here

Yes. I tilled strips in it last year and it did nothing. Came back just like I never really did.


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[wango tango]

Could you hit the switchgrass with a shot of round up when it is 6" tall in the spring? That should either kill it off or at least dramatically set it back and give some weed seeds in the soil a chance to grow.

I don’t know if glyphosate or any herbicide will really do that well in the spring. I plan on burning it first and there will be a tremendous flush of growth. I would think it would at least set it back. So I might mow and spray it multiple times.


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[buckdeer1]

I didnt spray any herbicide prior to planting the switch so I may have more weed seed in seed bank but if you till it should thin some,which is very important for game birds

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I don’t know if glyphosate or any herbicide will really do that well in the spring. I plan on burning it first and there will be a tremendous flush of growth. I would think it would at least set it back. So I might mow and spray it multiple times.


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Just make sure that after burning you aren't just spraying the cool season grasses. If you kill off the cool season stuff after burning the warm season stuff is really going to take off.