Side Oats Grama
Side Oats Grama has good seedling vigor and is easy to establish, however it is not very competitive with other taller grasses, but does do very well with shorter grasses such as Little Bluestem and shorter switchgrass varieties when planted in native prairie restoration fields. Side Oats Grama produces highly palatable nutritious forage and responds to nitrogen fertilization.
Side Oats Grama does well on dry soils but will adapt well to a wide range of soils and grows 1 to 3 feet tall. Side Oats Grama is good to plant between trees in orchards and is useful for erosion control on steep banks and slopes.
Establishment
Plant 1/4″ deep.
Management
Native grasses are slow establishing and weed control is vital during stand development. When grazing or cutting, do not graze Side Oats Grama under 8 inch heighth and do not cut/graze until it is at least 16 inches tall. Do not graze it below 8 inches. A rest before frost is a good idea to give the plant time to store carbohydrates in the stems and crowns. If cutting for hay cut the 1st crop early while it is still leafy and before it heads out.