Take a walk with me through the prairie......

[Native Hunter]

Time to walk again. We did some of the major prairie grasses last week. This time we will do some of the less desirable grasses.

Today we will look at:
Little Bluestem
Purpletop (aka Grease Grass)
Deer Tongue Grass
Vernal Sweet Grass
Annual Brome


Pic of Little Bluestem


Facts about Little Bluestem:

· If you plant LB, be sure to get one of the taller cultivars.

· Even the taller cultivars will only be about chest to waist high before they bolt. Once they bolt, they will be about eye height.

· LB is the last grass to bolt on my farm. It won’t bolt until several days after Labor Day.

Pics of Purpletop (AKA Grease Grass)





Facts about Purpletop:

· This is a native grass but seldom one that anyone plants.

· You won’t even notice it until it bolts in the fall just before Labor Day.

· I don’t mind seeing it mixed in with the other grasses, but it isn’t highly desirable because it doesn’t make great cover.

Pic of Deer Tongue Grass:



Facts about Deer Tongue Grass:

· This is one of many “Panic Grass” species that grow wild all across the US.

· This is an undesirable native grass because it doesn’t get very tall and flattens easily.

· It also forms a monoculture and chokes out other plants.

Pic of Vernal Sweet Grass:



Facts about Sweet Vernal Grass:

· This is an annual grass that you see early spring – then once it seeds, it just fades away.

· It is very aggressive and ruins lots of food plots for people. In a prairie, you won’t even notice it after late spring.

· I hate this stuff. It is an introduced species.

· Gets about knee high.

Pic of Annual Brome:



Facts about Annual Brome:

· This grass is a food plot invader in the early spring.

· Once it seeds in the spring, you won’t see it until next spring in a prairie.

· Not a desirable grass.


Tip of the week. This is why we cage our trees. Don’t pay $30 for a tree and have it end up on top of this guy's head.

 

[Kurt]

Have really enjoyed this thread. I am going to start work on some ground in central Kansas and curious to see what ends up growing there. Did think about tree tubes and wire cages if I try any trees. Of course donating to a buck that size is almost understandable.

 

[Native Hunter]

Have really enjoyed this thread. I am going to start work on some ground in central Kansas and curious to see what ends up growing there. Did think about tree tubes and wire cages if I try any trees. Of course donating to a buck that size is almost understandable.

Glad you are enjoying this thread. I do have some more pictures to keep it going, but my motivation is low right now. Hopefully I will get fired back up in the spring. Good luck with your Kansas land.

PS - I passed that buck multiple times during season and still getting pics of him. He looks mature but will be interesting to see if he puts on any more inches next year.

 

[Kurt]

Its fun to watch them. I have a mule deer buck here in Colorado that has wandered through my place each fall the last 4 years. He fluctuates based on drought conditions and is always in that 180-185" range. Some year he is gonna end up on the wrong place and his run will be over. Look forward to seeing if your deer puts on inches or if he is fully mature and done getting bigger. Sure is nice to let them get old like that though.

Just ordered Kanlow switchgrass for a test on 2 acres later this spring. The diversity you have is amazing. Not sure I will see that where I am at but give me 5 years and I'll get back to you!

 

[bearcat]

This is one of my favorite threads as well. Thank you for taking the time and effort on these posts!

 

[Native Hunter]

The cold winter brings a lifeless look to the prairie. Gone are the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, but hope for warmer days and the abundance of life is just around the corner. Keep the faith.

 

[Native Hunter]

I've been doing a little maintenance in the NWSGs recently. Below is an interesting picture of two plants side by side that resemble each other somewhat. One is the most invasive species that I've ever had to deal with. The other is arguably one of the finest forage plants that nature provides in a prairie. Which one would you kill?

 

[KSQ2]

Kill the top one?

 

[Native Hunter]

Kill the top one?

Yes, kill the top one. The top is a thistle called Pasture Thistle (aka Field Thistle) (Cirsium discolor). It's actually a native thistle, but I have found it to be very invasive. It's the only thistle that I have trouble with. This is due to the fact that it germinates all through the season and doesn't flower until late summer or fall. The flower is very dull and hard to see. When the NWSGs get tall, it hides them. You can find and kill them in the spring and early summer for a while after mowing, but you won't get them all.

The bottom is wild lettuce (Lactuca canadensis), which is our native lettuce. Deer love it, and I've even found this in turkeys when I clean them. This species is very similar to Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola), which is introduced. Both make good wildlife food.

 

[dogghr]

Good ole thistle varieties. I’m pretty tolerant of most plants but There isn’t much that makes me bring out curse words and a chemical but it will. Keeping ph up helps subdue it but it grows almost anywhere n a foodplot. I once let one go just to see, and it was 6ft tall before I finally killed it.
I get lots of the lettuce naturally occurring in my managed fallow fields. Don’t see much if any browse on it but cool to have.
Now answer me this. Why does thistle of any type never show in my fallow fields ?? Whatever , it would be nice to copy in my mixed plant foodplots.


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[lakngolf]

My Dad welded some Hay cutter blades onto old hoe necks that the hoe blade had broken off of. He kept one in his truck at all times. He would stop and quickly get any thistles.
Some fields would get so invested that he would have to turn us kids loose in it

 

[Native Hunter]

My Dad welded some Hay cutter blades onto old hoe necks that the hoe blade had broken off of. He kept one in his truck at all times. He would stop and quickly get any thistles.
Some fields would get so invested that he would have to turn us kids loose in it

The most common thistle is usually the Canadian with the big red flower that does everything early. Those are easy to spot and kill because they are so easily seen and predictably early. They are so easy that I have completely eliminated them. But this other one Is like an old buck in stealth mode.

 

[Native Hunter]

Here are some more pictures of Pasture Thistle. I will find us a new plant to look at soon.

 

[dogghr]

You haven’t answered my question I asked. Quit ignoring me.


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[Native Hunter]

You haven’t answered my question I asked. Quit ignoring me.


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LOL, yes I completely missed your post. It could be my age. I wish I knew why you don’t have them showing up there. I would steal some of your magic potion. Do you have any theories about it?

 

[dogghr]

I do but I’ll allow some other theories first. BTW your threads are always the awesome!!


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[Native Hunter]

I do but I’ll allow some other theories first. BTW your threads are always the awesome!!
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Don't wait too long or I will think you are ignoring me.....

 

[dogghr]

Lmao I would never do my friend that way. I’ll start another thread w that discussion.
South of you in Nashville. Going to Grand Ole Opry tonight. Did downtown circus last night and Predator Stanley cup playoff game. BTW they won double overtime. Late night for an old man. Come on down!


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[Native Hunter]

Lmao I would never do my friend that way. I’ll start another thread w that discussion.
South of you in Nashville. Going to Grand Ole Opry tonight. Did downtown circus last night and Predator Stanley cup playoff game. BTW they won double overtime. Late night for an old man. Come on down!


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Have fun my friend!!!!!!!!

 

[BenAllgood]

I do but I’ll allow some other theories first. BTW your threads are always the awesome!!

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I forgot what soil type you have. But, is it deep or rich soils? Lots of organic material?