Switchgrass and herbicide timing
Whitetail Deer
Last fall I sprayed and killed a 9 acre Alfalfa field twice. Leaving it completely brown by mid October.
In January I frost seeded a mixture of CIR switchgrass with a small percentage in Kanlow.
There was a fair amount of dirt showing at this point and it was during a little thaw. I feel really good about the planting. I had scheduled the local elevator to come in and apply Atrazine around April first. Well they recently informed me they are too busy to spray my field and are working wheat. But they would be happy to spray Atrizine when they start corn. Say what? The weeds will be 2 feet tall by then.
So long story short I have to go at this myself of course without the use of Atrizine.
I plan on hitting the field ASAP with Simizine. There is some conflicting info out there as to whether it’s a pre or post emergent.
I then want to hit the field again with Quincloric (Drive) around mid April or as soon as I see some weed emergence, then hit the field with with Glyphosate just prior to May or around May 1st to burn down anything else living before any chance of switchgrass emergence. Does anyone see an issue with that timeline or have different suggestions on what has worked for you? I am in NW Ohio.
I have zero experience with switchgrass, but am looking at prepping to do some seeding this fall/winter. There is some good info on spraying and timing on iowawhitetail.com. Hope that helps you some!
Thanks T-Roy I have read Paul’s thread a few times it’s a great read. He really pushes Atrizine but with it being a RUP I am kinda out on that one. I can get over losing the money for the seed if this is a failed planting but I can’t get over losing a year of growth if I don’t hit this correctly.
That sucks that they left you hanging! Any chance of finding a local farmer that you could possibly contract to do it?
Farmers first what wrong with that?
Mow it when it gets 8-10” this spring. Then again when it reaches the same height.
Norseman X2! Save your money and the headache. Your switchgrass plot won't be perfect in the first year anyways regardless of weed competition. If anything spot spray noxious weeds but let it go and mow in the first year, next year's stand will be better and by year 3 usually its well established.
I don’t follow the headache. I have a tractor, 3 point sprayer and Simizine already. It’s really only a matter of hooking up the sprayer or brush hog.
I tried the mowing method for a smaller 2 acre patch. It’s year 3 and I am labeling it a failure. The weeds were so bad they really put a hurting on the switchgrass seedlings. This time around I prefer to eliminate all competition. I’ll put the Simizine down as soon as the weather cooperates and hope for the best.
I would think the coop would be on corn before may first and could spray the ATZ and your Roundup at the same time there by killing any emerged weeds and getting the rest with the preemergent. Have used Simizine on tree planting’s with limited success never tried on switch. The other approach is just walk in the Coop “a different one” and tell them you need 2 1/2 gallons of 4l Atraziane to finish up a field and see what happens if they sell it to you pay cash. This has worked before!
