Establishing Native Warm Season Grasses

By GrowingDeer,

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Question
Hello Grant,

I purchased a small farm in southern Iowa last spring.  I had a small field planted in corn but I would like to plant this same field in switchgrass.  It’s a low lying field with a 58 CSR.  What would be the best procedure in accomplishing this?

I enjoy your website.  It is very interesting and educational.

Ty

Ty,

I’ve had my best results establishing switchgrass following a crop of Roundup Ready soybeans.  The Roundup Ready soybeans add nitrogen to the soil and allow weeds to be controlled.  The following spring, I simply use Roundup to remove any weeds and no-till the switchgrass seed into the weedless field.  Corn uses most of the available nitrogen, and therefore the switchgrass will be slow to become established and allow more weeds to develop.

Growing Deer together,

Grant