Another switchgrass question, sorry:

I'm sorry I can't help with your situation but I do like packing with a cultipacker for this reason. The seed will settle in the troughs and have the appearance of being drilled. It won't tend to puddle up which I'm guessing is what you will see

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I am waiting for mine for another 4 weeks. Late March. 3rd weekend likely.

 

It might have puddled together, but I wouldn't broadcast anymore personally. Too dense of a stand is actually worse and IMO, your seeding rate is already high by 20-30%.

 

I'd say you're fine , looks like a level area and a decent amount of thatch.

 

I have seen successful stands that were too dense by most standards. Lay down in it sometime, feels like a crunchy air mattress. They also like to bed on the backside of the dense areas, they use it as a windbreak.

 

Frostseeded spot that grew in somewhat wet area.

 

As other suggested, I would not reseed. So what if you have a few bare patches in your field. That isn't a terrible thing and can always be reseeded later. You don't want to get it too thick.
If I was allowed by my CRP contract, I would spray some spots in my field and plant some trees or bushes (structure). Structure in the middle of a NWSG field is where you will find deer bedded.

 

I am in agreement that a few bare areas are fine, but still of the idea that you can't make it too thick.

Maybe this, if it's a screen, a bedding area, etc., my thoughts are that thicker is better. If it's a CRP/switchgrass application that is dozens of acres, yes, plant at recommended rates.

 

You could be right about being too thick not being a problem. I haven't experienced that myself. My thoughts are, it doesn't really need to be very thick at all. In fact, all it needs to do is be able to hide a deer from "their" viewpoint. It doesn't take much grass to do that and the thinner the stand, the easier it is to mover around in and bed next to the clumps of SG that hides them. Keep in mind how big a clump of grass will eventually be coming from that one tiny little seed. It really does not take much seed at all to provide adequate cover IMO.

 

My CRP plan allows it and that's exactly what I am doing!!!

 

I agree, hunted a large CRP in Missouri with intermittent scrub trees and it had lots of deer.

 

I occasionally walk through my 36 acres of crep fields and will find a ton of beds butt up to russian an autum olives bushes that have started growing...

 

Right on the mark. The whole advantage of nwsg is that it grows in clumps and allows wildlife movement while still providing security. You're right, it doesn't take as much as you might think.

 

I love autumn olive.