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Switch Grass vs. Sage Grass

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Hunter 257W

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I've been intending to work up a couple of acres near a thicket to plant switch grass for a bedding area. I always read how well Switch Grass stands up through the Winter making it such a good year round bedding area. But recently I have noticed that more and more common Sage Grass is beginning to grow in this spot. Noticing the similarity between Sage Grass and Switch Grass is it worth all the work and money to plow up the Sage to plant Switch Grass? I don't see how it could be but I'm willing to listen to other's thoughts on the subject.
 
IMO, it is MUCH better. A couple of my IL friends use it for WHIP borders and over some of their CRP ground. It grows in much thicker than sage grass, and over twice the height. It makes some of the best bedding cover you can find, and is even a very good visual border along roads to cut down on some of the roadhunting issues.

If I had land, it would be one of the first things I would be planting.
 
Isn't being too thick the only reason fescue is so scorned by wildlife habitat people being that it covers the ground so completely that young quail can't run in it? I've always read that Switch Grass grew in clumps the same as Sage Grass and that both leave a lot of bare dirt between the clumps.

Anyway, I have a 50lb bag of Switch Grass seeds so might as well broadcast them.
 
Hunter257W,

I've helped plant hundreds if not thousands of acres of native grass over the last 15 years. Based on what I've seen, switchgrass is the best option IF you have to plant native grasses for bedding cover. Most of the other taller native grasses (indiangrass, big bluestem, etc.) have the tendency to fall over and lodge during the late winter. However, I would select one of the shorter varieties, such as Blackwell or Cave-in-Rock, rather than the taller varieties such as Kanlow or Alamo. The taller varieties can exceed 8 feet in height and fall over as well.

That being said, broomsedge (sage grass) can provide adequate cover also. It may not get as tall as switchgrass, but I have seen it exceed 5 feet on better sites.

If you want to establish native grasses for small game, there are much better options than switchgrass.
 

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