kansaswiderack

I have 150 acres that is mostly trees & grass w/ 5 food plots & one 7 acre field that is farmed annually for either wheat or milo. One 30 acre field that I turned into native grass has been REAL slow to come on & I have been assured by soil conservation people that the grass is there and will show development this year. I have another 30 acres that is CRP. The balance is pretty much trees, creek bottom w/ small areas of grass. I was considering going back in the native grass & planting crops that could be harvested but would also attract & hold deer or pheasants. Soil conservation tells me to broadcast some clover & allow the weeds & grass to take their course. What are your thoughts?

habitat

How long has the NWSG been planted?In all my CRP program planting the NRCS has gone away from the idea of clean native grass with no weeds as they found out that young birds and animals can't travel because it is so thick.You will either start burning the third year or strip discing to encourage the growth of forbs and weeds.I am also in Kansas,just south a little ways.I have around 30 ares in CP33,some wetland and about 20 acres of riparian buffer zones.On average look at 10 % in food and the rest in cover.Check out qdma.com lots of great info

carl1191

The NRCS is correct in that you need to be patient with the native planting. During the first 2 or 3 years the native grasses are establishing their root systems. It's not until that 2nd or 3rd year that you will start to see the results or your labor. Until then you need to do some weed control. Check with the NRCS on optimal timing of mowing in your area. Once established, a rotational burn plan will create more diversity in your plantings and help maintain the warm season grasses. If you want more forbs in your fields, you can always seed them in later.