7/23/03
Native Warm Season Grasses: Warm season native grass is expensive and sometimes
difficult to obtain. Warm season
grasses are much more difficult to establish than cool season grasses.
Successful establishment is only possible on soils having less than 15
percent fines (silt and clay) passing the #200 sieve and are deep and
moderately well drained or better. Soils
meeting this criteria are the coarse textured outwash and ablation till
soils with soil textures that are loamy fine sand or coarser.
Establishment is very difficult on finer textured soils because of the
stiff competition from cool season grasses and broadleaf plants which flourish
as a result of favorable moisture levels and cool temperatures.
Warm
season grass seed is sold and planted based upon pure live seed pounds (PLS
lb.). This means that the total
weight of the seed is adjusted for the inert material and the dead seed in the
given lot.
Native
Cool Season Grasses: Not much work has been done in the past to collect and propagate
native cool season grasses. Most
native cool season grasses are expensive and hard to obtain.
RECOMMENDED
SEEDING RATES: Choose
at least 3 native grasses plus a legume to assure a successful
planting.
Well
to excessively drained, coarse textured soils:
Switchgrass
(Blackwell, Shelter) 2 lbs. PLS
Big
Bluestem (Niagra, Kaw) 2-3 lbs. PLS
Indian
Grass (NE-54, Rumsey) 2 lbs. PLS
Little
Bluestem (Aldous, Camper) 1 lb. PLS
White
Clover (Dutch White or Wild White) (with inoculant) 3 lbs.
Well drained, fine sandy loam and finer textured soils or
Less than well drained soils:
Deertongue
(Tioga) 2 lbs.
Virginia
or Canada Wild Rye 5 lbs.
Canada
Bluejoint 2 lbs.
Redtop
(Streaker, Common) 1 lb.
Sheep’s
Fescue (Bighorn) 5 lbs.
White Clover (Wild
White or Dutch White) (with inoculant) 3 lbs.
Fertilizer
and Lime: Fertilize
and lime according to soil test results. Refer
to a current soil test (one that is less than 5 years old) to determine pH,
phosphorus, and potassium levels. The
pH needs to be 5.5 or higher. If
pH is below 5.5, apply 1 to 1 ˝ tons of lime per acre to the surface prior to
seeding. Where grasses are to be
seeded alone or where legumes are less than 50% of the stand, apply 20-40
pounds of N per acre through the drill or by broadcasting onto the surface
prior to seeding. If the soil
tests low in phosphorous and/or potassium, apply 30 pounds each of P2O5
and/or K2O
through the drill or by broadcasting onto the surface prior to seeding.
If conventional seeding is being done, apply lime and fertilizer to the
soil surface prior to the final tillage (disking).
Seeding:
Plant .25” to .50” deep in firm, weed free seedbed as early in
spring as possible before May 15th (June
1st in
Aroostook County). Compact light fluffy soil with a roller prior to drilling.
Clovers need to be inoculated. A drill type planter is recommended.
A specially designed native grass seed drill is recommended for the
fluffy seeds of the Bluestems and Indian Grass.
If a conventional or no till drill is not available, then the seed may
be broadcast and incorporated with a very light disking.
Compaction needs to be done with a cultipacker (tines raised) or a
heavy roller.
Weed
Control: Unwanted
cool season vegetation needs to be controlled during
the first year or two of establishment by periodic mowing just above the
growth height of the grass plantings. This
is critical for the warm season grass plantings, and may be needed in other
plantings if quackgrass or unwanted herbaceous species become a problem.
Common
grazing practices,
including maintenance and necessary cultural practices, is permitted on the
land in a manner that is consistent with maintaining the viability of
grassland, forb, and shrub species common to the locality. Timely spot mowing
or spot chemical treatment is permitted to control unwanted herbaceous
vegetation such as bedstraw.
Haying,
mowing, or harvesting for seed production, is permitted subject to appropriate restrictions during the
nesting season for birds in the local area that are in significant decline or
are conserved in accordance with Federal or State law.
Mow as needed between August 1st and
August 30th to
avoid disturbing nesting ground birds and to control unwanted woody and/or
herbaceous vegetation and to maintain grass cover.
Timely spot mowing or spot chemical treatment is permitted to control
unwanted herbaceous vegetation such as bedstraw.
REFER
TO: Vegetating with Native Grasses in Northeastern North America
USDA NRCS and Ducks Unlimited.
Also
Ecological Tech ref. #2.
Arrow
Seed Co.
Box
722,
Broken
Bow, NE 68822
308-872-6826
Joe
Beebe
RD
4,
Towanda,
PA 18848
717-265-6536
Ernst
Conservation Seeds
9006
Mercer Pike,
Meadville,
PA 16335
800-873-3321
Cenex
Seed Co.
PO
Box 1061,
Grand
Island, NE 68801
308-384-1111
Marvin
Clark,
Box
444, Paola, KS
913-294-4041
Gammagrass
Seed Co.
Rt1,
Box 111A,
Falls
City, NE 68355
402-245-5842
Horizon
Seeds
Box
81823,
Lincoln,
NE 68503
402-475-1232
Manglesdorf
Seed Co.
PO
Box 327, 4500 Swan Ave.
St.
Louis, MO 63166
314-535-6700
Ohio
Seed Co.
PO
Box 87,
West
Jefferson, OH 43162
614-879-8366
Osenbaugh
Grass Seeds
RR
1, Box 106,
Lucas,
IA 50151
515-766-6476
Seeds
Inc.
307
Horsham Rd.,
Horsham,
PA 19044
215-675-2186
Seedway
Box
250,
Hall,
NY 14463
716-526-6391
Shepard
Farms
RR
1,
Clifton,
MO 65244
816-261-4567
Sharp
Seed Co.
RT
4, Clinton, MO 64735
816-885-8521
Southern
Tier Consulting Inc.
2701-A,
RT 305, PO Box 30
W.
Clarksville, NY 14786
716-968-3120
Stanford
Seed Co.
RR1,
Box 320,
Denver,
PA 17517
215-267-3805
BM Stegall
Box 227, RT 1,
Abingdon, IL
61410
Dean
Stevens Farm
RT
1, Box 45
Hiawartha,
KS 66434
913-742-3699
Stock
Seed Farms
28008
Mill Rd.,
Murdock,
NE 68407-2350
402-867-3771
Wildlife
Nurseries Inc.
PO
Box 2724
Oshkosh,
WI 54903-2724
414-231-3780