NATIVE SPECIES FOR WILDLIFE HABITAT AND FORAGE

WARM SEASON GRASSES
Native warm season grasses provide wildlife with excellent habitat, nesting, and holding areas. Stubble from these grasses remains erect during the harsh winter period providing excellent cover for wildlife. Animal performance on warm season grass pasture is excellent, provided that grazing is done at the correct stage of maturity for each grass species. When establishing for pasture or hay, select only one species for each field because warm season grasses differ in growth characteristics making them difficult to manage in mixtures. Warm season grasses can be used to provide low maintenance cover and to provide erosion control in critical areas. Native grasses are sold on a pure live seed (PLS) basis, which is purity percentage times germination percentage.

Establishment
Warm season grasses have been traditionally hard to establish using conventional equipment. Big bluestem and indiangrass are chaffy and will not flow in a conventional drill unless the seed has been debearded. Non-debearded seed can be broadcast seeded with fertilizer. The field should be culti-packed two times after broadcast seeding. Excessive weed competition is probably the major cause of establishment failures. Atrazine can be used as a pre-emergence herbicide on certain soils when establishing big bluestem and switchgrass. Apply 1 pound active ingredient of atrazine shortly after planting, but do not incorporate. Atrazine injury can occur on soils with less than 2% organic matter and having neutral pH, and on soils where atrazine is in the root zone of the emerging warm season grass. Atrazine cannot be used when establishing indiangrass. When establishing indiangrass prepare the seed bed early. Allow weeds to emerge then use a burn-down herbicide treatment such as round-up or gramoxone. Indiangrass should be sown following burn-down without further tillage. Sow warm season grasses from April to early June depending on your area. Sowing at this time may help improve seedling emergence because cool soils help break seed dormancy by chilling seed. Native grasses germinate when soil temperature reaches 60 degrees. Soil should be prepared to produce a firm seedbed and grasses should be planted 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Culti-packing will help enhance emergence by improving seed to soil contact. Do not graze or mow during the establishment year. Control broadleaf weeds with 2,4-D applications.
Warm season grasses are not adapted to shade and will not persist in shady areas. Sideoats grama does the best with moderate shade.

Fertility
 Soils should be tested prior to establishment and P and K levels should be adjusted to bring soils to the medium level. Lime is not recommended if soil pH is 5.5 or greater. Nitrogen should not be applied at establishment because this will favor excessive weed competition. Nitrogen should be applied at the rate of 40-60 pounds of N per acre on established stands. Apply nitrogen when early growth is 3-5 inches, earlier applications will promote weed invasion of cool season species.

Warm Season Grass Descriptions

Big Bluestem
Very tall, 5-8’ warm season sod forming grass. Begins growth about one week earlier than indiangrass, and is later maturing than switchgrass. One of the most nutritious of the native grasses, it will grow under a wide range of conditions. Color ranges from bluish-green to reddish-brown in the fall. Seed at 10-12# PLS per acre.

Indiangrass
Very tall, 5-6’ warm season sod forming grass. In the spring, indiangrass is the latest to begin growth, and is later maturing than switchgrass. Seed at 10-15# PLS per acre.

Switchgrass
Tall, 3-5’ warm season sod forming grass. Begins growth about two weeks earlier than indiangrass. Its ability to remain in an upright position during ice and snow makes it an excellent wildlife plant. It is a good grass for summer grazing. Seed at 6# PLS per acre.

Little Bluestem
Medium height, 2-4’ warm season bunch grass. Will grow on poor soils and its reddish-brown fall and winter color make it one of the most beautiful grasses on the prairie. Seed at 10-12# PLS per acre.

Sideoats Grama
Medium height, 2-3’ warm season bunch grass. Will not tolerate "wet feet" and should not be sown in areas that have a history of flooding. Use with other grasses for hard-use areas such as playgrounds. Tolerates moderate shade better than other native grasses. Sideoats grama turns reddish-white in the fall. Seed a 10-15# PLS per acre.


Wildlife Seeds

Legume Descriptions

Birdsfoot Trefoil Perennial
Produces a cluster of bright yellow flowers arranged in a pattern resembling a "birds foot". Excellent for pasture and wildlife. Deer, rabbits, and upland game birds eat its foliage and seeds. Can be mowed and will re-grow and continue to flower until frost. A very aggressive and persistent crop that will re-seed itself. Seed at 6-12# per acre.

Crownvetch Perennial
Hardy ground cover forming a dense carpet of low growing foliage. Produces pink flowers that cover that foliage from June until frost. Controls erosion and will choke out weeds. Will re-grow following mowing. Birds and mammals feed on the seed and foliage. Seed at 15-30# per acre (0.5-1.0 pound per 1000 square feet).

White Clover Perennial
Short, low growing, creeping legume with small white flowers. Excellent for pastures and wildlife use. Will tolerate high traffic areas and lower pH soils. Will go dormant during periods of drought. Grouse, deer, and upland game birds relish this legume. Seed at 6-8# per acre.

Grass descriptions

Japanese Millet
Annual also known as goose grass, or black millet. Excellent for attracting ducks and geese where wild rice cannot be grown. Grows 2-5 feet in height. Provides very good blinds. Produces a large seed head loaded with an abundance of food. Sow from mid May to the end of June. Seed at 16-20# per acre.

Pearl Millet Annual
Produces well on infertile droughty soils. Grows to 5-6 feet in height. Seed heads are usually 6-16 inches in length. Good cover and feed for birds, deer, and other wildlife. Seed at 15-20# per acre.

German Millet Annual
Also known as manta, siberian, american, or finch millet. Does well on more than average moisture. Small seed makes excellent feed for waterfall, all upland birds, songbirds and also used extensively for caged birds. Seed at 40-50# per acre.

Proso Millet Annual
One of the newest, best and largest of the millet seeds for ducks, doves, and upland game birds. Will withstand more drought than Japanese Millet. Seed at 15-20# per acre.

Others

Buckwheat Annual Grain
Produces an abundance of food and cover in 10-12 weeks. Has a large kernel of grain that falls from the plant soon after frost. Plant at 50-60 #/acre.



Deer Creek Seed Articles and Information
 
    
© 2004 Deer Creek Seed, Inc. All rights reserved.