Miscanthus screen

[Thetrooper]

For any of you guys who have planted miscanthus will a single row work for a screen? I have several thousand feet that I want to screen off and don't know if switchgrass alone will cut it due to topographic dips and humps in the field.

Don't want to be a cheapskate on the rhizomes but I would rather wait a few more years for it to thicken then quadruple the price and amount of rhizomes for a multi row screen.

 

[Mortenson]

I believe a twin row is the standard.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I had an area of a few yards that were a single row. You're going to want a double row.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Check out Bill's thread. He goes into great detail about what works and what doesn't.

You might be tempted to do a single row the first year and the second row afterwards. It limits how you can plant after. I'm definitely a huge fan of miscanthus after trying it in a few spots.

 

[Booner21]

For any of you guys who have planted miscanthus will a single row work for a screen? I have several thousand feet that I want to screen off and don't know if switchgrass alone will cut it due to topographic dips and humps in the field.

Don't want to be a cheapskate on the rhizomes but I would rather wait a few more years for it to thicken then quadruple the price and amount of rhizomes for a multi row screen.

I am 3 years in on a single row and it still isn’t a great screen. If you do a great job of managing competition the first couple of years I think a single row would be sufficient


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[Thetrooper]

What would the ideal spacing be on a double row every 2ft staggered?

 

[hillrunner]

Single row will eventually fill in if it lives. I've had a really hard time keeping the stuff alive. I have winter kill issues even on 3 year old plants. The stuff that makes it through past that point gets huge though.

 

[Tree Spud]

What would the ideal spacing be on a double row every 2ft staggered?

I would go with staggered 2 row, with 3' between plants. The base of stems can grow out to 2' in diameter.

 

[Bill]

Where are you located? I hate hearing about winter kill but it does happen. I’ve never lost any in N. MO.

A single row can work if you are a patient person. It’s going to take 5 or 6 years for the plants to be thick enough in a single row.

A two row system with rhizomes planted 2 to 3 feet apart in each row will be a screen in 3 years with some weed control and timely rains. Stager the plants between rows.

 

[Mortenson]

I've planted rhizomes twice, in various spots, just to watch it and see how I like it. I don't think much or any of it has winter killed. After observing it for a few years, I think I'm ready to make a road screen with it. I'll go twin row, but my spot isn't overly long, a few hundred yards. Northern IL

 

[Thetrooper]

Where are you located? I hate hearing about winter kill but it does happen. I’ve never lost any in N. MO.

A single row can work if you are a patient person. It’s going to take 5 or 6 years for the plants to be thick enough in a single row.

A two row system with rhizomes planted 2 to 3 feet apart in each row will be a screen in 3 years with some weed control and timely rains. Stager the plants between rows.

I put in a double row last spring that seems to be doing well just did it as an experiment. Sounds like a plan I was worried some suggestions on the sellers website suggest 3-5 rows and the cost just seems too much.

Bill I read your thread on the propagation or cuttings. If I was to propagate some for stock would it be worthwhile to grow several hundred clumps and then dig them up to divide? How many rhizomes would a mature clump produce? Don't know with your experience if the cutting method is more effective or just digging them up

 

[Mortenson]

I'd also be curious to know how many rhizomes can be cut from a large clump of 4 year old miscanthus. Maybe I wouldn't need to buy any. I have probably 25 mother clumps in random spots that could be sacrificed.

 

[Honker]

Dividing a clump of miscanthus is kind of a bear, but a good size clump you should easily get 50-75 rhizomes depending on how big you cut them. I have a single row, I would recommend 2-3 ft spacing. Go with 2 ft if you have the rhizomes. Some might not make it. If you want a a true screen a double row at 3ft would be my recommendation. I've learned they don't like wet feet, but can handle moist soil. I haven't lost any to winter kill, mine are in 4b.

 

[willy]

I planted a single row 2' apart 5 years ago and this year is first year it could be called a screen. It is along a crp field and I didn't do anything for weed competition.

as far as taking from standing stock, if you have access to a one or 2 bottom plow,, plow them up, then use a tile spade to cut out how ever many rhizomes you want and then stomp the remainderback down and walk away.. as long as you get good precipitation the old stand will come back fine.. if you have several large clumps of it you should be able to get a few hundred rhizomes from them.

 

[loshonhora]

Plant a single row, then in a couple years, take a plug out of each clump with a spade & transplant it about 4 feet away into your new second row. Takes a bit longer, but you only have to hut the rhizomes once. I have a single row where I planted rhizomes. In the summer, it is a solid wall. however, in the winter after the leaves drop, you can see through the remaining canes. I'll ne working on my second row next spring as they break dormancy

 

[Bill]

I put in a double row last spring that seems to be doing well just did it as an experiment. Sounds like a plan I was worried some suggestions on the sellers website suggest 3-5 rows and the cost just seems too much.

Bill I read your thread on the propagation or cuttings. If I was to propagate some for stock would it be worthwhile to grow several hundred clumps and then dig them up to divide? How many rhizomes would a mature clump produce? Don't know with your experience if the cutting method is more effective or just digging them up

It’s a time thing again. A cutting planted in a pot during the summer then wintered over where they won’t freeze basically gives you a rhizome for the next spring. So you’re a year behind just buying and planting a rhizome but you’re not out any $.

I’ve never dug up a mature root system and wouldn’t with a shovel. A shovel is cruel tool and I don’t like cruel tools

I have taken clumps off a full size root ball. I used a reciprocating saw with a 12 inch DeWalt blade to carve a piece out before digging. Then washed it heavily with a hose to remove the dirt and cut rhizomes. The root ball is a twisted mess but you can get a lot of rhizomes off one. Easily 100.

 

[j-bird]

So....you "can" do a single row. But it will take longer to become 100% effective. I have a single row on a plot, just to screen it a bit from the ag field. It's been in place I think for 2 years now (started with rhizomes) and its getting there. You can see where it's maybe 50% at this point in time. A second row would certainly help speed up the time it would take to become more effective. In this screen there is a bit of switchgrass that found it's way as well. Not intended, but it isn't hurting anything. This works to screen things at a greater distance, but obviously not 100% especially up close. I like the height of MG as the switchgrass I use/have tends to get grass about 5...maybe 6 foot high....where the MG will get a couple feet more than that.

 

[Thetrooper]

Looks good j-bird that's some substantial growth for 2 years nice. Funny about the switchgrass. Was actually thinking about doing a single row with a 10 ft border of switch. Most of my switch is 5-7ft at 2 year old and it seems to do the trick but only in flat land

 

[willy]

Was actually thinking about doing a single row with a 10 ft border of switch. Most of my switch is 5-7ft at 2 year old and it seems to do the trick but only in flat land

The switchgrass in front of the miscanthus really make it thick at the bottom and can't be seen through. I used this tactic for the screen to my wheelchair accessible blind where we have to drive the hunters to and pick up. If the wind is right we have gotten the hunter into the blind and still had deer in the plot it looks over after we drove away. I do use cedars in the portion directly around the blind as a thrid portion of the screen. It truly is blacked out until it gets to the height of the blind base. I have walked to this blind and got in and the deer in the plot never new I was there. You'll like the switchgrass backs miscanthus screens

 

[Thetrooper]

The switchgrass in front of the miscanthus really make it thick at the bottom and can't be seen through. I used this tactic for the screen to my wheelchair accessible blind where we have to drive the hunters to and pick up. If the wind is right we have gotten the hunter into the blind and still had deer in the plot it looks over after we drove away. I do use cedars in the portion directly around the blind as a thrid portion of the screen. It truly is blacked out until it gets to the height of the blind base. I have walked to this blind and got in and the deer in the plot never new I was there. You'll like the switchgrass backs miscanthus screens

How wide did you do the switch