has anyone grown a few acres of switchgrass?

[Geno C]

If so what blend and where did you get it? ive been reading its great for deer cover and other wildlife as well.

[SplitG2]

Doing 4 acres this year. Im planting shelter, Niagara. And CIR. got mine from ernstead seed in pa. Very hard to establish and takes three years to mature stand.

[growalot]

Doesn't it require periodic burning?

[Geno C]

Eveery 3-5 years back burn but you can mow down they say too..

[Geno C]

Doing 4 acres this year. Im planting shelter, Niagara. And CIR. got mine from ernstead seed in pa. Very hard to establish and takes three years to mature stand.

Howmuch was it for howmany lbs? I don't thinks it's hard to establish I think that it takes about 2 years to mature. How tall do you think it will be first year? Few feet maybe. I was also looking at sorghum, that should grow faster. Any input?

Switchgrass seems to be some amazing cover for deer bedding

[Pav2704]

I grew sorghum two years ago. I planted it mid June and it grew pretty quickly. The deer were all over it mid summer through early fall just before hunting season. It did provide great cover and I believe that whitetail institute advertised it has a great source of protein as well. The only downside that I found was that it was completely abandoned during hunting season.

[genesee_mohican]

I planted a half acre of switchgrass on my property 14 years ago. I wanted some cover for pheasants, and deer. it does take a year or two to really thicken up. Deer love to bed down in it and it's a good place for them to hide during deer season as long your leaving it as a sancuary. It's great cover and would be a good addition to any game managment plan.

[SplitG2]

$6 to $14 a pound.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Little story on switchgrass. I grew, maybe an acre of it 3 years ago. Think the seed cost me under $5 a lb. and the planting rate was 6 lb / acre. ( Don't quote me on that) I grew it for an experiment for dry hay production, not for wildlife. It grew to 3' the first year before cutting it. The second year, it came up alot thinner, and I eventually plowed it under. To this day, still don't understand whether cutting it to short to the ground, the first year, damaged the root, or it winter killed out. It did start to grow back nicely after 1st cutting. The ph was sitting about 6.4 which should be sufficient for grasses.

The same year, I planted winter wheat, frost seeding in the spring to trefoil, clover, grass mix. Still cutting good crop off that piece of land.

Edited February 19, 2013 by landtracdeerhunter

[landtracdeerhunter]

double post?

Edited February 19, 2013 by landtracdeerhunter