Switchgrass with diversity pockets

I would check with local NRCS offices for best adapted cultivars for your area. Then, I'd plant a few blocks of each to see what works best on your land if you're not in too much of a rush. @Brian662 's post above is exactly what I've learned about switch in my area. I'd consider outlining the perimeter of the area to be planted with clover and make those driving/walking paths. Eventually they could also serve as fire breaks.
 
I'd just kill it dead, using Oust and then again with atrazine and gly but plant it at a low rate. In theory you should have a thin enough stand that nature will fill in the voids and you'll have room to plant some shrubs or trees if you want to speed it up. I went the nuked seedbed route and had deer bedding the very first year. The following years I had undesirables start to join in. This year I mowed all my Kanlo and CIR at probably 3.5' tall because I couldn't stand to see the Canada thistles in it. The thistles hated being mowed and I'm really happy with how the switch looked this year... nice and clumpy and just has that "deer" look to it. Even after being mowed the switch still grew more than tall enough. I'll enclose a pic of how it looked yesterday. I can't use fire where I'm at, just a mower. Here's a new and improved version of Cave in Rock if anyone wants to give it a try. Says it can do well in WI and MI.

https://alseed.com/product/rc-big-rock-switchgrass/?v=a4e19ce04d72

20220118_105403_resized.jpg
 
I'd just kill it dead, using Oust and then again with atrazine and gly but plant it at a low rate. In theory you should have a thin enough stand that nature will fill in the voids and you'll have room to plant some shrubs or trees if you want to speed it up. I went the nuked seedbed route and had deer bedding the very first year. The following years I had undesirables start to join in. This year I mowed all my Kanlo and CIR at probably 3.5' tall because I couldn't stand to see the Canada thistles in it. The thistles hated being mowed and I'm really happy with how the switch looked this year... nice and clumpy and just has that "deer" look to it. Even after being mowed the switch still grew more than tall enough. I'll enclose a pic of how it looked yesterday. I can't use fire where I'm at, just a mower. Here's a new and improved version of Cave in Rock if anyone wants to give it a try. Says it can do well in WI and MI.

https://alseed.com/product/rc-big-rock-switchgrass/?v=a4e19ce04d72

View attachment 40431
I'm going to try some of that RC Big Rock stuff this spring in Southern MN. I'll report back on my findings after year 1.
 
I'd just kill it dead, using Oust and then again with atrazine and gly but plant it at a low rate. In theory you should have a thin enough stand that nature will fill in the voids and you'll have room to plant some shrubs or trees if you want to speed it up. I went the nuked seedbed route and had deer bedding the very first year. The following years I had undesirables start to join in. This year I mowed all my Kanlo and CIR at probably 3.5' tall because I couldn't stand to see the Canada thistles in it. The thistles hated being mowed and I'm really happy with how the switch looked this year... nice and clumpy and just has that "deer" look to it. Even after being mowed the switch still grew more than tall enough. I'll enclose a pic of how it looked yesterday. I can't use fire where I'm at, just a mower. Here's a new and improved version of Cave in Rock if anyone wants to give it a try. Says it can do well in WI and MI.

https://alseed.com/product/rc-big-rock-switchgrass/?v=a4e19ce04d72

View attachment 40431
This is a new variety to me. Thanks for sharing.

Out of curiosity, were the Kanlow and CIR planted at the same time? It sounds like they were the same height when you mowed them.
 
Yes, planted on the same day as an 8#CIR/2#Kanlow blend. I think the Kanlow gets around 8-9' tall and the CIR maybe more that 6' size.
 
Yes, planted on the same day as an 8#CIR/2#Kanlow blend. I think the Kanlow gets around 8-9' tall and the CIR maybe more that 6' size.
Could you see any differences in the Kanlow and the CIR for germination/emergence/growth rate?

I just planted a similar blend of them last year (mine was 4 lbs CIR/ 3 lbs Kanlow). I feel like the Kanlow was faster to emerge and grow. I think I can tell the difference between them because the Kanlow has a little more of a bronze color to it compared to some CIR by itself I planted adjacent to the area the year prior.
 
I'd just kill it dead, using Oust and then again with atrazine and gly but plant it at a low rate. In theory you should have a thin enough stand that nature will fill in the voids and you'll have room to plant some shrubs or trees if you want to speed it up. I went the nuked seedbed route and had deer bedding the very first year. The following years I had undesirables start to join in. This year I mowed all my Kanlo and CIR at probably 3.5' tall because I couldn't stand to see the Canada thistles in it. The thistles hated being mowed and I'm really happy with how the switch looked this year... nice and clumpy and just has that "deer" look to it. Even after being mowed the switch still grew more than tall enough. I'll enclose a pic of how it looked yesterday. I can't use fire where I'm at, just a mower. Here's a new and improved version of Cave in Rock if anyone wants to give it a try. Says it can do well in WI and MI.

https://alseed.com/product/rc-big-rock-switchgrass/?v=a4e19ce04d72

View attachment 40431

Looks great! When did you mow? Around May 1?
 
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