Screening Cover

I have switchgrass...I have the same switchgrass in the picture (that is Don Higgins I do believe). 1 thing to keep in mind is YES, it works great for a screen for the deer. However....it doesn't make a tall enough screen for an averaged height man. The seed head height may reach 6 to 7 feet into the air, but the blades of grass are roughly only 5 feet tall. If you want a screen tall enough to hide YOU...then you want to look into something like Miscanthus Grass. Switch will make a nice plot buffer and I would suggest allowing other native weeds to grow in it as many weeds are deer food. Switch also tends to stand better in the snow and the like AND retains it's cover value better than many native weed sand grasses as well. But if your trying to screen your movements from the deer...I think you may want something even taller. What I find with my switch is that I can't see the deer in it....but they sure can see me walk by. I have also found that the deer prefer some sort of other "structure" in the switchgrass if your looking for bedding cover as well. Tree tops, cedar trees or other shrubs seem to draw deer to them in a "sea of switchgrass".

This pic was taken in early march a few years ago to give you an idea of how well it stands up...


Here is an idea of how I use it on my place to create a buffer between the woods and the plots.   You can see the green plot and then a mix of the switchgrass and other native "weeds" goldenrod, ragweed and the like.    You can't see the deer moving thru it in most cases.   But the deer certainly follow the edges of it scent checking....and thus why I am in the stand where this pic is taken from.




Here is a good contrast picture as well...   Here I have my switch planted and then a natural buffer of "weeds".   The thing is that come fall the weeds are a forest of sticks and offer little cover value, while the grass still provides lots of cover....and taller too!   This was taken in June a few years ago and there was at least a foot or more of difference in height.   This area is a buffer between a wooded bank and my crop field.   This is in a CRP program so the government pays me not to farm it AND I can create wildlife habitat at the same time.    Cover is a very limiting factor in my area, so the more the better.

I've got a bunch of switch grass, but wet snows and winter weather tend to flatten it down, and this often occurs before the end of deer season. For a grass "wall" a nice strip of Egyptian wheat is hard to beat.

ALAMO SWITCHGRASS I’ve said it time after time sits taller than what’s shown Snow and ice will beat it Flat but when it melts it will stand right back up It was developed for biofuel so it’s tougher than forage types I have planted Acre after acre and a lot for screens
I get my seed from Tom Applegate in Brook Indiana Call Him Tell Him Dale sent you his number is 219-275-3664 or 219-863-2136 I’ve drilled Hundreds of pounds of seed from Tom Never a problem Lot of fobs from him too I started using Forbs for my fire breaks when mowed they won’t carry a fire and lots of benefit for everything It’s still ok to plant now too if rain stops I’ve done ok planting as late as 4 /July