What to do with standing switch

[Weed Wacker]

What do you all do with your switch grass if you don't burn? I am in PA where it's not leagal to burn.
This is the second year growth of RWW bedding in a bag. After this winter with ice and snow it's still standing tall.
I don't have equipment to mow and bale or rake it off the field.

 

[scott44]

I mow mine with a brush hog.

 

[trampledbyturtles]

Leave it be

 

[Weed Wacker]

Leave it be

That's what I would like to do but what happens if I leave it stand year after year?
Do you have any suggestions on weed control?
I am new at this, this is my first planting and I am very happy with the outcome. I am just not sure how to proceed from here being most recommendations are to burn every couple years.

 

[Bill]

That's what I would like to do but what happens if I leave it stand year after year?
Do you have any suggestions on weed control?
I am new at this, this is my first planting and I am very happy with the outcome. I am just not sure how to proceed from here being most recommendations are to burn every couple years.

In 7 years I have only mowed once. That was to knock back the blackberries. I have sprayed a few times with 2’4-D to kill the broadleaf weeds. My stand is still doing good without burning.

 

[Buckly]

That's what I would like to do but what happens if I leave it stand year after year?
Do you have any suggestions on weed control?
I am new at this, this is my first planting and I am very happy with the outcome. I am just not sure how to proceed from here being most recommendations are to burn every couple years.

Did you have a plan in place when you planted?

 

[Weed Wacker]

In 7 years I have only mowed once. That was to knock back the blackberries. I have sprayed a few times with 2’4-D to kill the broadleaf weeds. My stand is still doing good without burning.

This helps me a lot, Thanks

 

[Weed Wacker]

Did you have a plan in place when you planted?

That takes to much time LOL

 

[White Birch Farm]

The biggest concern is the grass forming a relatve monoculture, mixed with woody growth, that is too thick for small game to move in and to allow light to get to low growing forbs. Without fire, the prefered method to prevent that is strip discing. Divide the field into 3rds or quarters and disc 1/3 or 1/4 of the strips every 3 to 4 years. The effect it has on stand composition is dependent on the time of year that you disc.

 

[Mortenson]

I mow mine. This year I want to spray some brush killer in, too, for the thistles and poison hemlock.

 

[Rit]

I have a bit of a quandary. I have second year switch that I over seeded with more Kanlow switch this winter. I had some areas come up really good and others that filled in with foxtail. My plan was to hit all the switch with Simazine in early Spring. Yesterday I went out to check the field and there is no chance I get my tractor and sprayer in the field.

I decided to spray some areas with a backpack sprayer to get the simazine down. It was obvious the simazine wasn’t making it down to the soil. Everything I have read has stated Simazine is a better pre-emergent versus a post. I think I really need to mow off the areas of matted foxtail for the simazine to work and for the newly seeded switch to germinate and grow. My fear is though that it might be 6 weeks before I can get into the field. I would think at that time the established switch may not be dormant anymore. I don’t think the newly seeded switch will have germinated but I don’t want to injure the established switch by mowing or spraying something like glyphosate. Not sure exactly what my best option is here.

 

[Bill]

I would think a good heavy rain is going to get your simazine down into the ground.

 

[Rit]

I would think a good heavy rain is going to get your simazine down into the ground.

I thought about that also but had some concerns if it was to dry before a good rain. Do you think the matted Foxtail will be an issue or just act like a greenhouse?

 

[Bill]

I thought about that also but had some concerns if it was to dry before a good rain. Do you think the matted Foxtail will be an issue or just act like a greenhouse?

Not sure I’ve never had foxtail to bad in my switch. I wouldn’t worry much, you’re going into your third year and that’s really what it take for switch to get established.

 

[TreeDaddy]

i envy you fellas that have this problem.......

bill

 

[JFK52]

I just leave my prairie stand for the 5 years between controlled burns. Why can't you burn in PA?

 

[Weed Wacker]

I just leave my prairie stand for the 5 years between controlled burns. Why can't you burn in PA?

It's against the law.

 

[Weed Wacker]

The bottom 4 pics are 2nd year growth and the top pic is first year growth.

 

[meyerske]

Don Higgins told me if you can't burn, don't bother planting it.

 

[JFK52]

Meyerske, I agree with you 100%. Plain and simple, prairie plantings need fire for the best continued results. I will be doing my 7th controlled burn on my 12 acre prairie this spring. I had two 12 acre pieces on my land that were suitable for a prairie restoration. Both were former corn fields. When I had a prairie consultant out to my land before I planted the prairie, the piece that got the nod was the one that was the easiest to burn. Access to a paved road, ease of disking fire breaks, surrounding land composition and existing neighbors houses were some of the factors we talked about.