Warm vs Cool season grasses

B

badgerpastor

New member
Looking at planting part of our cropland (currently rented out) into grass in the next few years. I have been reading about the grasses, but looking to see what folks on here think about the advantages and disadvantages of warm or cool season grass. The area would be between 5-15 acres (not sure how much yet) bordering our swamp, if this makes a difference.

I have really enjoyed reading this forum!

Thanks!
 
badgerpastor said:
Looking at planting part of our cropland (currently rented out) into grass in the next few years. I have been reading about the grasses, but looking to see what folks on here think about the advantages and disadvantages of warm or cool season grass. The area would be between 5-15 acres (not sure how much yet) bordering our swamp, if this makes a difference.

I have really enjoyed reading this forum!

Thanks!
Click to expand...

BP, share your goals and objectives and that will help others give you godd ideas and suggestions.
 
Sorry, should have said more.
I want to plant nesting habitat. We have plenty of winter cover and food right now. Many of my neighbors release pheasants (a lot of hens) each year and most of them end up making their home on the 230 acres my family owns (of which my wife and I have 50).
I also want to restore some of my part of this valley to the original look/feel so I have been leaning toward the warm season native grass/flowers. Also, we most likely will be moving in the next 6-12 months, so I am concerned about the ongoing care for whatever I plant whether we are two hours or 12 hours away.
 
Big Blue Stem is probably native to your area. Makes good nesting and cover for pheasants. Add some Switch. There will be volunteer cool grasses. [seems like there always is] But not all that bad. Mixed grass is very good pheasant habitat.
 
Nesting mix

If I was going to plant nesting cover right now here is the mix I would use:

a good flower heavy type of alfalfa
mix of white & yellow sweet clover
tall wheatgrass & intermediate wheat grass

cheap to put in, easy to maintain and pheasants love it for nesting and actually can provide some good hunting cover too.
 
Sure is great to see all the interest in establishing cover on this forum. Uguide, I think your alfalfa/clover/wheatgrass suggestion could make some great cover, but he should maybe go fairly light on the wheatgrass seeding rate. WI will get about twice the annual rainfall (on average) that you get out in Charles Mix, hence he may have the problem we had with wheatgrass that got too tall and too thick for use by pheasant chicks.
 
Grey Fox said:
Sure is great to see all the interest in establishing cover on this forum. Uguide, I think your alfalfa/clover/wheatgrass suggestion could make some great cover, but he should maybe go fairly light on the wheatgrass seeding rate. WI will get about twice the annual rainfall (on average) that you get out in Charles Mix, hence he may have the problem we had with wheatgrass that got too tall and too thick for use by pheasant chicks.
Click to expand...

That is an excellent point Grey Fox. You are absolutely right. I may even suggest leaving out the intermediate and just going with tall wheatgrass as it is a bunch grass.

I would say maybe see the grass at 10% of total mixture.

??
 
Uguide, I'm no expert on this, just relating some concerns based on my experience. I would think that the 10% you are proposing would prevent a close in from the wheatgrass. The clover and alfalfa will provide plenty of ground cover, after all. Sounds like BP will have a real nice project there, 5-15 acres of nesting cover next to a swamp. I remember back in the 50's, when my dad and everyone else had alfalfa fields, how the pheasants would always be nesting in it. Some farmers installed flushing chains from a bar attached to the the front of the tractor to keep from killing the hens when they mowed their alfalfa. I also remember seeing a lot of pheasant broods feeding in the oats field after dad swathed it. The crickets and grasshoppers gathered under the swaths and the pheasants had a feast.
 
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