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Is it too late to plant switchgrass?

I have a narrow strip between two food plots. This spring I sprayed it then planted switch grass. it was doing OK until the barrage of broadleaf weeds and other grasses overtook it and snuffed out the SG. So I just mowed it and I’m planning to spray in a week. this strip is in an irrigated area. I’d like to retry switch grass. Is it too late or should I wait until the spring to do the actual seating.? North Idaho. Thanks.

Probably best to wait until late winter to frost seed or mid may to June to plant

I’d recommend you wait until late in the winter/early spring, and frost seed it. Ideally, switchgrass seed needs to go through several stratification cycles. The best thing you can do is to prep that area now and into the fall, so you have the ideal seed bed to frost seed into this winter.

I’d HIGHLY recommend you go to Iowawhitetail.com, then go to the “Dbltree’s Habitat Corner” forum, then open the switchgrass thread. There is a TON of great information in there for establishing switchgrass.

Agree on the prep. You want a dead plot with lots of dirt exposed if you are going to frost seed. Also very important that if you decide to wait, kill it first now, disk/drag, wait 2 weeks and kill again before Fall/Winter. You need lots of patience with SG. Mine took 3 years to fully take and now looks like it's supposed to. Good luck.

Thanks. SG is very finicky I agree. I don’t use much herbicide for forage crops but this is different.

As stated;it will be three years before you have a decent stand.Planted mine about seven years ago;now nice and thick and 6-7' high.I burn off in the spring.

As stated;it will be three years before you have a decent stand.Planted mine about seven years ago;now nice and thick and 6-7' high.I burn off in the spring.

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