JDog Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 (edited) Whenever I have seen this managed correctly ( it is a perennial therefore needs to be cut down annually ) it has always worked well as game cover and shelter for pheasants and partridges. M saccariflorus or M x giganteum would seem ideal. Why don't more shoots use it? At this time of year it remains strong and thick unlike maize cover which has been battered by wind and rain and is now mostly a straggly mess. Edited January 31, 2016 by JDog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 I think it's quite expensive, and would guess it needs specialist equipment to plant (I.e not just bunged through a drill or spinner) but I agree it does look good and would love to use it my self, but don't for te above reasons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 http://adlib.everysite.co.uk/resources/000/023/838/miscanthus-guide.pdf Have a read of that. Very interesting, and basically yes you need planting equipment not found on every farm but otherwise would be a good cover crop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 I think it is purely the expense, the initial outlay is prohibitive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 I would thing purely down to out lay, as I know of 2 estates that use it and its excellent, long time commitment to get return and feed costs increase. jdog you seem to know rather a lot about plants, what is the nearest thing I can get to this, growing from seed, as have small spinney I would like to try it beside at a low cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted January 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 I would thing purely down to out lay, as I know of 2 estates that use it and its excellent, long time commitment to get return and feed costs increase. jdog you seem to know rather a lot about plants, what is the nearest thing I can get to this, growing from seed, as have small spinney I would like to try it beside at a low cost. Sadly I know very little about plants. The quoted plants are grasses and in theory could be grown from seed. However ground preparation and weed control until establishment might just be too difficult. As for growing anything similar close to a spinney the north side will never really be suitable due to lack of light. Speak to Richard Barnes of Kings Seeds about suitable alternatives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 was going to get them going in a glass house on the farm. it's close to farm buildings so was just trying to make it more habitable for nesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted January 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 was going to get them going in a glass house on the farm. it's close to farm buildings so was just trying to make it more habitable for nesting. If you do that and the end result will be small plants by the end of the summer, carry out weed control on the ground where they are to be planted once per month during the summer. That will sterilise the ground and reduce weed competition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 Dwarf sorghum is low growing and provides good cover all winter, but is only an annual. It is grown from seed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted January 31, 2016 Report Share Posted January 31, 2016 After a longer term, solution, I have reed canary grass seed but just after a project really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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