LETMGROW Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 I am looking for folks in the northern regions who have planted and grown switchgrass, Big bluestem, or Indian grass. I am interested in planting several acres and have done quite a little research. I'm kind of wondering what success or failure anyone has had. Pros-cons etc. Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 are you feeding horses or beef? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Actually neither. I am looking for wildlife cover in a large open field. While my main interest is deer, I am also looking for habitat for turkeys and upland birds. Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 we have a field of blue stem on our farm......... The deer I know travel through it there is always several nice trails going through it. But by late winter after snow and ice its all knocked down. During the summer it looks like a jungle......you can't see 3 feet into it. So I am sure spring,summer, early fall the deer bed in it alot. We burnt ours off a few years ago and it came back thicker than ever. WE did have another NICE area of switch grass but we burnt if off one year in hopes it would come back thicker as other grasses (fescue was getting thick)......but for whatever reason it DID NOT!!! The deer really loved that stuff.....always bedded in it and around it. I LIKED the switch grass better.....It seemed to be grow taller and the stems didn't seem to be as big around so it didn't seem to break off as easy as the blue stem stuff does....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Here is the area we burnt a few years ago.... Here is the same area the following spring with regrowth. By winter this stuff was 3 to 5 ft tall easily..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted January 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Todd, do you know what seed blend the switchgrass is? I have been leaning toward " Cave-in-Creek " from Ernst Seeds out of PA. Our local Cooperative Extension has been doing testing on different varieties for about four years now. This blend seems to be the best they have used. Their test sight is about twenty miles from my property. My overall climate shouldn't be a lot different than yours. Thanks, Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Sorry Lynn I have NO IDEA. It was something that was just there on our farm..... The blue stem that we have was something we planted because of the CRP we had part of the land in......If I remember right it was a mixture of several different types of native grasses. Blue stem was a dominant part of it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted January 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Todd, do you know what seed blend the switchgrass is? I have been leaning toward " Cave-in-Creek " from Ernst Seeds out of PA. Our local Cooperative Extension has been doing testing on different varieties for about four years now. This blend seems to be the best they have used. Their test sight is about twenty miles from my property. My overall climate shouldn't be a lot different than yours. Thanks, Lynn I apologize! The seed blend I have been looking at is " Cave In Rock " I have no idea why I called it Cave in creek. " Cave In Rock " seems to be a popular blend on some other sites I have visited. Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted January 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 I am surprised.. that there isn't more intrest in this topic. Check this thread on another forum out. Maybe that will help. www.qdma.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39050 Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.