Miscanthus Gigantus....for bedding?

[j-bird]

What is the oldest MG plants you have growing? I read lots about how great it is for fast screening but haven't seen much about long term growth and maintenance. How easy is it to control or remove 15 years later?

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I would think killing it would be easier than killing say johnsongrass.....simply because it doesn't spread by seed. So smack it with cleth or gly and kill the rhizomes and I would think you would be fine. trying to kill it with tillage may be counter-productive. I just planted my first cutting earlier this year so I have no long-term history with the stuff.

 

[Frosted brassica]

Honestly don't remember but my oldest plants have to be at least 7 years old. They are the biggest in regards to width. Easily 5 to 6 foot wide.

It's main purpose is use as a biofuel that will produce much more than switchgrass. Everything I read on the biofuel information gives it a 20 year life. That may just be 20 years of producing top tonnage for biofuel. It will probably continue be useful longer to us habitat guys.

3 applications of gly will kill it. Spray June, July and August and it's done. I didn't say this but I would think 1 application of gly and diesel would get it done.

Thanks. Do you do anything to maintain health other than spraying the area when planting? Remove last year's growth at green up? Fertilize? Plant and forget?
Looks interesting

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[Bill]

Thanks. Do you do anything to maintain health other than spraying the area when planting? Remove last year's growth at green up? Fertilize? Plant and forget?
Looks interesting

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I try to do as much weed control as I can the first two seasons. After that none is required. You can mow it to the ground anytime after it browns down. I usually wait until early spring. This year it was to wet to get a tractor on the field to mow so I left it. The MG grew right up around the old canes so I'm not sure mowing is even necessary.

I have hit new plants with N but it didn't really make them grow any better than ones that were not.

Pictures need to be fixed because of photobucket but lots of info on it here http://habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/miscanthus-giaganteus-propagation-from-cuttings.480/

 

[Frosted brassica]

I try to do as much weed control as I can the first two seasons. After that none is required. You can mow it to the ground anytime after it browns down. I usually wait until early spring. This year it was to wet to get a tractor on the field to mow so I left it. The MG grew right up around the old canes so I'm not sure mowing is even necessary.

I have hit new plants with N but it didn't really make them grow any better than ones that were not.

Pictures need to be fixed because of photobucket but lots of info on it here http://habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/miscanthus-giaganteus-propagation-from-cuttings.480/

Thank you for the reply and the link. This is a great site for new ideas.

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[homegrownbucks]

I have used oust over it in spring prior to emergence with no problems

 

[tynimiller]

I've officially decided I'll be converting over a food plot section into a MG "plot" if you will. Gonna have clover and such throughout it but probably gonna shove rhizomes in the ground at about 1 every 4 by 4 foot section or so on about a .50 acre to .75 acre spot in the spring. Long term hope to have a stand that isn't ridiculously thick but too thick to see through and is an extension of a acre bedding area made up of scrub saplings which arouse after planting ceased years prior. Will track progress here over the coming years...may be grabbing some 2nd year pots from Maple River and shove a few of them in along the edges just to expedite the process.

 

[j-bird]

I've officially decided I'll be converting over a food plot section into a MG "plot" if you will. Gonna have clover and such throughout it but probably gonna shove rhizomes in the ground at about 1 every 4 by 4 foot section or so on about a .50 acre to .75 acre spot in the spring. Long term hope to have a stand that isn't ridiculously thick but too thick to see through and is an extension of a acre bedding area made up of scrub saplings which arouse after planting ceased years prior. Will track progress here over the coming years...may be grabbing some 2nd year pots from Maple River and shove a few of them in along the edges just to expedite the process.

I will follow very closely as I was considering something very similar. I however was considering an even wider spacing with maybe some switchgrass tossed in as well as some native "weeds" as well. I think a winding perennial food source thru it that just happened to wander past a elevated blind could be about as good as it gets! Maybe a small actual plot on each end of the winding portion for some different wind directions as well. With this type of a set-up you can literally design it as perfectly as possible...... Man I have a 10 acre corn field that I am having day dreams about based on this concept.....Dang you Tyni!!!

 

[tynimiller]

I will follow very closely as I was considering something very similar. I however was considering an even wider spacing with maybe some switchgrass tossed in as well as some native "weeds" as well. I think a winding perennial food source thru it that just happened to wander past a elevated blind could be about as good as it gets! Maybe a small actual plot on each end of the winding portion for some different wind directions as well. With this type of a set-up you can literally design it as perfectly as possible...... Man I have a 10 acre corn field that I am having day dreams about based on this concept.....Dang you Tyni!!!

I am when time allows writing up a land tour for my young to me (Purchased March of 16') but this spot will grow moving forward in years...just trying to compartmentalize the property and have a sense of accomplishment at times. This spot hopefully by year three will be thick enough it will mean I can brush hog/prep another contigious spot which is overgrown or not desirable for what I want and switch it over into this as well....a plot will be to it's immediate south...and there is winding ones to the East of it. PERFECT for our most likely W and N winds come November.

 

[tynimiller]

I may still go with a thinner approach as at full maturity my spacing most likely would be too crowded...I want them to be able to slip around and bed and such. May even slap a single oak or two in it for little daytime nibble or a norway or two...not sure.

 

[Bill]

I'm having delusions of trying this finally also. I also think 4 foot blocks will be way to tight. My plan is 8 to 10 foot blocks. Also some semi or full circles with openings. One thing I've learned for establishment is its nice to be able to mow around it. My double row road screens were planted to close together to mow between the rows.

In a field setting it would be nice to be able to get the 40 inch brush cutter in between them to stay on top of the blackberry and maintain some clover.

 

[tynimiller]

I'm having delusions of trying this finally also. I also think 4 foot blocks will be way to tight. My plan is 8 to 10 foot blocks. Also some semi or full circles with openings. One thing I've learned for establishment is its nice to be able to mow around it. My double row road screens were planted to close together to mow between the rows.

In a field setting it would be nice to be able to get the 40 inch brush cutter in between them to stay on top of the blackberry and maintain some clover.

Yeah I'm not sure I want to be able to get the big tractor brush hog through...but a rider through would be solid. thinking perimeter will be tighter plantings...inside looser.

 

[hillrunner]

Still haven't figured out how to really easily take my photo bucket hostage pics back. This is the best I can do..
Tractor supply sells a sub soiler? I spray the area I want to plant in early spring with gly and atrazine or (simazine). Run the sub soiler forward and backward a few times. Walk along and drop the rhizomes. Kick or rake dirt over them and then run the row over with the tractor tire or a 4 wheeler. I've planted a few thousand in few hours this way.

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That looks like a pretty slick way to do it. Are you just dropping the rhizomes in or do you take the time to place each one horizontally ? Do you know approximately what percentage of your plants survived with this method?

 

[Bill]

That looks like a pretty slick way to do it. Are you just dropping the rhizomes in or do you take the time to place each one horizontally ? Do you know approximately what percentage of your plants survived with this method?

Easily 95% or better. But I've been lucky with good growing weather when I planted. One year I put in a short screen and we recieved what I thought was to much rain. They like water but not soaked for long periods. Very few came up and I didn't bother with weed control the rest of the summer. Turns out they were growing I just couldn't see them. The next year most of them returned and grew well. No weed control that first summer put them a year behind others in terms of thick, tall growth but there doing well now.

 

[tynimiller]

I ordered from Lacy Creek in the past but they won't have any MG this coming spring...so Maple River is where I'm gonna order from now. Trying to decide if getting the MG cluster vs the individual is worth the difference?

Anyone with experience getting both from them in past would be beneficial and thanks in advance. I got the individual option from Lacy Creek and have never ordered a cluster...I'm assuming survival rate is higher with the root structure and that in turn should help shorten the window of time to a mature MG plant.

 

[scott44]

I've planted both the rhizomes and the clusters, the clusters will get you about a years growth compared to the rhizomes. I noticed these the other night on the way to the stand, this is what the clusters look like and the other pic is clusters I planted this spring with no prep work, they ended up 4-5' tall.

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[tynimiller]

Nice and thanks for the photo illustrating the points. The clusters are more robust than I imagined...granted no two are identical sure but that is impressive.

 

[hillrunner]

I ordered from Lacy Creek in the past but they won't have any MG this coming spring...so Maple River is where I'm gonna order from now. Trying to decide if getting the MG cluster vs the individual is worth the difference?

Anyone with experience getting both from them in past would be beneficial and thanks in advance. I got the individual option from Lacy Creek and have never ordered a cluster...I'm assuming survival rate is higher with the root structure and that in turn should help shorten the window of time to a mature MG plant.

I planted both last spring. The clusters grew to around six foot and fairly thick while the individual s grew closer to 4' and much thinner. I am curious to see how they will look this year. I am planning to plant a few thousand this coming spring and will probably do the individual due to price.

 

[hillrunner]

I should add that I also planted some 2 yr potted plants and saw no advantage to them over the clusters.

 

[Bill]

I am curious to see how they will look this year. I am planning to plant a few thousand this coming spring and will probably do the individual due to price.

I don't blame you. I think clusters would be great for a yard screen. A few thousand might hurt the pocket book.

Wish I had a small backhoe. I'd separate mine in quarters. A few by hand would be fine. But I could do a few thousand....and a glorified lawn tractor with a hoe would be nice.

 

[willy]

I ordered the individual rhizomes from Maple River but I swear the vast majority of what they sent were clusters. I don't know if its coincidence but the vast majority of mine are 8 feet or more to top of the inert flower/seed head.

They grew great in heavy clay with good timely rains.

I recommend Maple Farms for rhizomes.