NWSG Planting

[ranwin33]

Order for some native warm season grasses has been placed and should be on the road to me as of yesterday. 
 
20 pounds Little Bluestem
10 pounds Big Bluestem
15 pounds Indian Grass
1 pound Switch Grass
and 3 pounds of CP-33 wildflower and forb mix.
 
Hope to get it planted this weekend and then with a little luck get some snow to cover it.
 
Thanks to Missouri for covering 75% of the cost - have to make back some of that money I paid for the inflated cost on the deer tags I had to buy this year.
 
If you haven't tried them, NWSG are a good way to change out a cool season grass pasture.  Great for quail and pheasant as well as deer and turkey.

[bowman12]

Ranwinn, quick question of the grasses you ordered.
 
I have recently bought 6 acres of land near our local river and it's very heavily wooded and I've been mowing down some of the brush and thinning the poplar trees to give the oaks and birch room to grow. What I want to do is plant a grass that will do well competitively, not get real tall (I've thought about planting rye grass but that gets well above my head), and that will help the wildlife feel safe. I want to keep the brush down so we can actually walk around the property without getting beat up, and try and get rid of some of the poison Ivy, if I look at it wrong I seem to get it. My wife and I are going to build there eventually but I'd like to hunt it for the time being, and if I do it now it will be set when we do build.
 
Any suggestions? Thanks

[ranwin33]

How tall are you looking for?

For what your asking, I don't think I'd go with a NWSG - it can take up to three years before they become established.  Cool season grasses may be a better bet as you will get earlier greenup in the Spring and I think they establish easier and more quickly.

Have you thought about just a plain old Brome grass.  Or maybe Orchard grass mixed with a red and white clover.  Orchard grass for some height, and the clover for food and to help shade out other grasses and weeds.  Maybe toss in some Little Bluestem and Bluegramma as a warm season grass to the mix just for fun.

A range quality Buffalo grass would be a good choice if you wanted to go the NWSG route, but I don't think it will get the height you will need to make wildlife feel secure, at least deer anyway.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

[bowman12]

Thanks! I think I'll look into the orchard grass because I really like the sound of putting clover with it.

[ranwin33]

Here's a pretty good website with some pictures and descriptors.
 
http://www.prairieoriginals.com/grasses.php
 
I like the clumping grasses as it doesn't create too dense of a ground cover and allows escape routes for quail and other ground nesting birds as well as small game.  Plus you can interseed some with clovers.

[bowman12]

Thanks for the info! I don't know which one to try but I think I'll order a few and see which one does the best.

[ranwin33]

I don't think I'd order from the place on the web unless they sell in bulk. 
 
I paid $9.25 a pound for Little Bluestem as an example of costs and $5.30 a pound for Indian grass.  Any place selling packets of seed is most likely charging a premium.