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RE: Weak Grass?


The only time I have seen tall grasses matted down in southern Wisconsin was when deer decided to bed down, but this was in relatively small areas of the prairie.  The problem that I encountered this year was Ratibita pinnata, Monarda fistulosa, and some other common plants' flowering heads were laying down. The basal rosettes and non-flowering stems were just fine, but the flowering stalks had no support.  Some people were trying to tell me that was because they need grass vegetation surrounding them to help prop them up, but I definitely have enough grasses in the area to aid in the support of any forbs.
 
Drought conditions like you describe would definitely have an affect on the growth of the grasses, but I cannot comment on whether the laying over is a direct result or not.
 
Patrick Daniels
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-prairie@mallorn.com [mailto:owner-prairie@mallorn.com]On Behalf Of Ed and Gale
Sent: Thursday, September 24, 1998 9:21 AM
To: Prairie Group
Subject: Weak Grass?

This year the vast majority of our Indian Grass and Big Bluestem is laying over. We had hot weather and no rain at all for 5 1/2 weeks preceded by 4 months of above average rainfall. We haven't had high winds or storms of any significance. Could the weather be a contributing factor to this phenomenon? Some of our Big Bluestem is over 11' high but it never fell over like it is this year.
Ed and Gale


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