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    Planting trees and habitat improvement.

    THis may end up being the slowest/longest DIY project in TBH history. We bought a little piece of land outside of town, and plan to build a home someday, but in the meantime I decided to start to improve the wildlife habitat. It is about 10 acres of overgrowth, 30 acres of cropland, 40 acres of pasture.
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    MOst of this area has been converted to farm or cropland so the amount of cover is very limited, and most of the cover I do have is right beside the house. I decided to start planting some hardwoods, and since I'm in my 40s, the only one that made sence to me was the sawtooth oak. I placed my order and stated planting this spring with the help of the wife. I had bigger goals than what we ended up with, but I did get about 800 trees planted. I choose to start the planting by making a 40 yard boarder around the crop field and pasture.

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    It was a very wet spring, then went straight to HOT and DRY, but we did get about 800 in the ground. Keeping weeds out has been an issue, and still working on the best way to handle it. I've sprayed, tilled, and last time used a box blade. So far the blade seems to work best. NOtice soybeans are up, this was just a few days ago.

    Before bladeing the area
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    After blading
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    Watering has been another problem, but rigged up a barrel and waterpump to help. It is 55 gallon barrel, and takes about 600 gallons to water one time.
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    I'll try and keep the progress updated, but it will be a SLOW process! THe trees I planted in the pasture didn't fair too well. Most were either pulled up or stepped on by the cows and died. I'm going to have to rethink how I handle the cows. I'm either going to have to put up an inner electric fence or take them off. It is nice not to have to do any shreding, so I hate to take them off completly, but we'll see.
    Last edited by BrianL; 07-14-2011, 04:17 PM.

    #2

    Read the above thread on the QDMA forum. I planted about 1,000 trees last spring and put most of them in plastic. The ones I did not put in plastic are dead due to the hot dry weather. I have only received about 3" of rain since February. I have been watering as often as I can but not enough to save the trees not planted in plastic. Believe me the plastic works - keeps weeds away and conserves water. I would highly recommend it.

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      #3
      It didn't pull up a thread, just forum. What is the thread name? Thanks

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        #4
        make sure to put guards on them. when they get a little size to them they will be prime targets for bucks to rub, thus killing them.

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          #5
          Originally posted by Rockin' G Ranch View Post
          http://www.qdma.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=16
          Read the above thread on the QDMA forum. I planted about 1,000 trees last spring and put most of them in plastic. The ones I did not put in plastic are dead due to the hot dry weather. I have only received about 3" of rain since February. I have been watering as often as I can but not enough to save the trees not planted in plastic. Believe me the plastic works - keeps weeds away and conserves water. I would highly recommend it.
          Found it and read, and read, and read. Looks like a great way, but I would need over 10000 feet of plasic, just for what I planted this year. may try and do some plastic 3' squares though. I need to do some more reading, but I wonder if I could cut a slit in plastic to slide around current trees?


          I just realized I should have posted this under Game Management section.
          Last edited by BrianL; 07-14-2011, 09:14 PM.

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            #6


            Sorry, here is the thread. I put 6' and 3' squares around mine. I planted the tree then cut a slit in the plastic to put it around the seedling. Remember to put 3 staples per side and a few around the trunk to hold it down.
            I know it's a lot of work but it increases the chance of survival.
            Last edited by GLM; 07-15-2011, 07:07 AM.

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              #7
              have you thought about planting any wild plums or persimons?

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                #8
                Originally posted by hunt247 View Post
                have you thought about planting any wild plums or persimons?
                Yes, and I think persimons would do well in my area, but wanted to get these started first. I left an area in the corner that I wanted to plant some wild fruit trees.

                I NEED RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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                  #9
                  Don't we all? It's going to be tough hunting this year- dove, duck, and deer alike.

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                    #10
                    After another very wet spring, I had to spend a lot of time moving 3' weeds to find out what if any survived. Looks like I had about 75%+ survival. It took about 3 days of VERY sslow mowing to not mow them down by mistake. I waited to late to get my trees this year, and had planned to get 1000 more planted this year. These sawtooths are tough little trees to make thru the summer we had last year!

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                      #11
                      Got any pics? I'm looking forward to seeing the progress in 10 years. This is going to be a long DIY thread

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                        #12
                        Update what you have done.... pictures

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                          #13
                          ^^^^ This ^^^^


                          Been waitin for updates.

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                            #14
                            I should have taken some pics before I started, but will take some tonight. I have it shredded as low and close as possible, and think I am going to till the area up. It was easier to use the box blade to keep it clean. I think I will buy some milo to plant in between the 25' rows of trees to help with erosion. THe far north end was use for a food plot this winter and wheat and oats are 3-4' high. Looks like the hogs are starting to come in on the wheat, so need to get my gamecam back out to see what time of the day they are hitting it.

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                              #15
                              If you join the arbour foundation you can get 10 trees for $10. My mom has bought memberships for everyone in our family-- living and dead 3 generations back! :-)

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