Planting MG grass

[Howboutthemdawgs]

What is the most efficient and effective method to start MG grass over a long distance? I’m wanting to 3 row about 900’, so 2700’ total. Ive seen a bottom plow used to rip a trench, I don’t have one but I guess for a project of that size I could buy a cheap one but I’d rather not. All I have is a disc for planting purposes. And then the question comes if I did use a plow, do you manually have to cover the trench up cause that may take a week! What have yall done that has worked.

 

[Westwind]

I used a tree dibble for a much smaller project.

Was still pretty easy. I’m with you that filling the trench does not sound fun.

 

[Barndog56]

I've seen them planted where you just stick a shovel in at a 45 degree angle, lift up the soil and stick the MG in, and let the soil back down on top.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Yeah not gonna tackle that for a half a mile!

 

[T-Max]

Does your state forest service have a tree planter for rent? Could maybe figure out how to use it to plant the rhizomes.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Does your state forest service have a tree planter for rent? Could maybe figure out how to use it to plant the rhizomes.

Good call. I talked to the state forestry division locally and they said they do rent planters, but the guys out till after Christmas so he’s gonna call me. But you gave me an idea with that. I just hung up with my Farmer and he has two tobacco planters so he said that should work great. I think I’m gonna go that route.

 

[Westwind]

Have you looked into any herbicide? I was too busy to do anything with it last summer but would like to be able to spray around it

 

[Bill]

Hands down the best way I've found to plant something like you want is with a tiller. If you have or can get one till the strip. Then walk along dropping a rhizome, step on it, kick some dirt over it and step again. When I finished I used my side by side wheel to pack them in.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

But I’ve seen you want a row, wouldn’t a tiller just make a mess of the soil leaving an inconsistent planting strip?

 

[Bill]

Have you looked into any herbicide? I was too busy to do anything with it last summer but would like to be able to spray around it

You can hit it with gly before new shoots start in the spring. It's immune to 2,4-D if broadleaf is a problem. Also as a pre-emergent you can spray simazine.

 

[Bill]

But I’ve seen you want a row, wouldn’t a tiller just make a mess of the soil leaving an inconsistent planting strip?

When I did it I tilled 3 or 4 times and the dirt was fluffy. Made for easy planting.

 

[Westwind]

You can hit it with gly before new shoots start in the spring. It's immune to 2,4-D if broadleaf is a problem. Also as a pre-emergent you can spray simazine.

Got some of all that including simazine. I weed whacked around it a couple times and it shot up past the weeds but no competition would be much better.

 

[Bill]

Got some of all that including simazine. I weed whacked around it a couple times and it shot up past the weeds but no competition would be much better.

Don't be afraid to go a bit heavy with the simazine. It's not like you're going to be rotating a crop in that could be affected.

 

[Westwind]

Wife just retired and for some reason she is really hung ho on this project. I planted potted miscanthus along my driveway years ago and we harvested rhizomes last summer and replanted them. Did it pretty much the wrong way (in the 95 degree heat and planted them up and down instead of horizontal) and got good results so looking forward to getting at it this spring. Gonna be planting switchgrass too so I’ll have a sprayerload of Simazine mixed up. This is going to work good i think.

Looking at the prices of rhizomes, even just locals on fb marketplace I’m pretty happy to dig up my own. Holy sheepsh!t I might go in the rhizome biz.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Yeah I fully expect this will be $3k in rhizomes. Not looking forward to that

 

[Bill]

Yeah I fully expect this will be $3k in rhizomes. Not looking forward to that

I’ve posted this before. It’s worth every penny.

 

[somich]

I used this setup a couple times for planting MG. I sprayed to kill the area to be planted a couple times then tilled then tilled with cultivators down. Then just hand raked to cover and used the cultipacker to firm up the soil.

We grew a lot of garlic for a few years and I used this set up with 6 rows @6".

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I’ve posted this before. It’s worth every penny.

View attachment 86682

Do you find that it prevents deer from passing through…which I would really like to

 

[Mortenson]

What's the ideal planting depth again? How deep can you safely go? In my limited experience I've had skunks dig some of my rhizomes out before emergence.

 

[somich]

This was 2 rows planted 2' between rows 18" between rhizomes.


Yes, deer go though a few spots but they prefer to go around at my place.



These were moved here by squirels or something, none were planted there.


I think they may have been moved from this area, it's about 10' plus away.