JOIN NOW LOG IN
iVillage GardenWeb iVillage GardenWeb THE INTERNET'S GARDEN & HOME COMMUNITY ADVERTISEMENT
Blogs
Garden Voices
Forums
Garden Forums Home Forums Nature Forums
Photo Galleries
Garden Galleries Home Galleries
Ask The Experts Tools & Directories
Organization Directory Events Calendar Hortiplex Glossary Zone Finder Garden Bazaar
       
Return to the Native Plants Forum | Post a Follow-Up

o
Indian grass VS big bluestem which is more aggressive

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings
Posted by zippo1 (My Page) on
Sun, Jan 31, 10 at 20:50

Between Indian and big bluestem which Is more aggressive In terms of spread rate? Im wanting the more aggressive of the 2 because I have alot of area I want covered so between those which would take over the fastest?

Also can both make it with no fertilizer and no care at all?

Follow-Up Postings:

o
RE: Indian grass VS big bluestem which is more aggressive

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

From the prairie restorations that I have seen Indian Grass appeared to be the more dominant of the two, at least initially.

o
RE: Indian grass VS big bluestem which is more aggressive

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

zippo 1...
Big bluestem and Indiangrass both have a similar root system...Switchgrass has a rhizomatous root system and will spread faster than the other two...Plant these three and little bluestem...The results will be more pleasing to the eye...and then let whichever wants too, take the driver's seat...
grasslander...

o
RE: Indian grass VS big bluestem which is more aggressive

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

Grasslander

I only have seeds of Big bluestem and indiangrass, I don't want switchgrass because that grass Is HIGHLY inefficient at setting seed because of Its Alleles (Gene forms) and It Is heavily dependant on Fertilizer. So Its completly out the question.

I think Big Bluestem will In time overtake completely Indiangrass because Indiangrass starts to decline In the absence of fire, No so with Big bluestem It continues to spread and there Is scientific research to back that claim up. In a 6 year plot that hadn't been burned Big bluestem took Indiangrass completely over. I guess Im going to plant them both and just see who can be the more aggressive of the 2.

And by the way Big bluestem DOES have a rhizomatous root system.

o
RE: Indian grass VS big bluestem which is more aggressive

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

I find that every year my small restoration changes, some years dominated by Indian grass, the next year by Big Bluestem. If I had to guess, it would be that the timing and amounts of moisture each summer determines which one thrives in a given year. And although I never included any switchgrass in my original plantings, it has gotten a toehold and appears to me to be very aggressively spreading itself...

o
RE: Indian grass VS big bluestem which is more aggressive

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

Prairie Moon Nursery's Seed Mix:
WET MESIC SOIL
7.02% Big Blue Stem
7.02% Indian Grass
MESIC SOIL
12.00% Big Blue Stem
1.20% Switch Grass
18.01% Indian Grass
The mix includes numerous other forbs too numerous to mention. Linked below is their site with good instructions. The best restorations I have seen celebrate diversity, no fertilization required.

Here is a link that might be useful: Prairie Moon's Instructions

  
 

 

 


Click here to learn more about in-text links on this page.



iVillage GardenWeb: The Internet's Garden & Home Community
Join | Garden Forums | Home Forums | Exchanges & Trading | Member Pages | Contact Us
© 2006 iVillage Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Policies FAQ | Advertising
  
  iVillage Home & Garden Network