Native Plants
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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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Wednesday - October 22, 2014
From: Beeville, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Edible Plants, Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Native Grasses as a Hay Crop in Beeville, TX
Answered by: Larry Larson
QUESTION:
I am looking to cut Hay on about 38 acres just west of Beeville, Texas. I want to convert the land to native grasses, but I still want to have a decent hay crop that I can sell. What is a good set of native grasses to establish in that region.ANSWER:
When Mr Smarty Plants went looking for references and information on this topic, he was pleasantly surprised! There is quite a bit of literature out there that supports hay production using native grasses.
Here are some of those references:
AgWeb: Hay Production with Native Grasses
Univ. of Tennessee: Producing Hay from Native Warm-Season Grasses in the Mid-South
Native Prairie Hay Meadows: A Landowner’s Management Guide
Missouri Dept of Conservation: NATIVE WARM-SEASON GRASS PASTURES
Univ. of Nebraska Extension: Switchgrass, Big Bluestem, and Indiangrass for Grazing and Hay
These grasses are both listed in the above publications and in the List of Recommended Species which covers the area around Beeville [Postoak Savannah] :
Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass)
Andropogon gerardii (Big bluestem)
Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)
From the Image Gallery
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