From Johnsongrass to Switchgrass
By Kent Hensley, Habitat Specialist Manager, KS
From Johnsongrass to Switchgrass:
A Habit Conversion Success Story
Habitat managers and landowners across the nation are often locked in a constant battle with invasive species. Exotic plants such as Sericea lespedeza, johnsongrass, and phragmites make it exceptionally difficult to restore upland habitat and native warm season grasses and forbs. In a four-year on-going project, Kansas Pheasants Forever Habitat Specialist, Matt Sostarich, and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks staff put forth a tremendous effort to conquer johnsongrass and establish over 1,100 acres of switchgrass and forbs on the Glen Elder Wildlife Management Area.
Mowing maintenance on the first-year switchgrass.
Photo by Matt Sostarich.
The Plan: No-till drill and convert approximately 250 acres per year of agriculture land to a permanent cover mix of Blackwell switchgrass, alfalfa, Illinois bundleflower, and clover. Aside from this mix, nearly 40% of the acres converted received a higher diversity mix consisting of big bluestem, little bluestem, switchgrass, sideoats gramma, alfalfa, and a 10+ species of forbs.
Site prep included planting glyphosate-tolerant soybeans for two consecutive years prior to drilling with a pre-plant spray application of 32 oz of glyphosate. The most crucial aspect of the project was the timing of first year maintenance. Initial pheasant nesting season dates in Kansas are approximately April- July. To accommodate nesting season, maintenance activities included setting a mower height of 10-12”, with mowing starting and ending in August. After mowing, and as soon as there was adequate regrowth of johnsongrass, Matt and staff timed a 1.5 oz / acre application of Sulfosulfuron, either for that growing season or the following spring, to deal the finishing blow to johnsongrass.
Switchgrass and forb planting on Glen Elder Wildlife Management Area during second year growing season (left) and third year dormant season (right).
Photo by Matt Sostarich.
Matt reflected, “The most important and difficult part of this project was the timeliness of first year maintenance. These additional acres will go a long way in increasing usable habitat for many wildlife species and additional acres for hunters to enjoy.”
Matt Sostarich
Glen Elder Public Lands Habitat Specialist