Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman)
Characteristics
- Yield based on 2 harvests/season
- Seeds/pound: 165,000
- Seeding rate: 10-12 lbs pure live seed/acre
- Seeding date: early spring, late summer before August 15
- Warm-season grass with most of growth in mid-summer
- Unacceptable forage quality for ruminants in NYS
- Erosion control for sand and gravel pits, mine spoil, and roadsides, cover for wildlife
Advantages
- good yield potential
- tolerates low fertility, acid soils
Concerns
- unacceptably low forage quality
- fluffy seed difficult to sow
- loses forage quality rapidly
- slow to establish
- must be grown in separate pastures
- intolerant of poorly-drained soils
- poor shade tolerance
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