Habitat Progress Pictures

[Spiider]

I really enjoy seeing everyone's progress pics, so hopefully this will force me to take more and share. Maybe not, but that's the goal :)

Some 2nd year Miscanthus X Giganteus from Maple River Farms. Heights range from 4' to just over 6' as of yesterday. Number of stalks this year range as low as 3 and as high as 15! Out of 200 that I planted last year. I can only find 2 that didn't do anything, they didn't die off, it's just as if they were never planted.

I also planted 200 more M x G this Spring and most look to be doing well. A few haven't come up at all, but most are between 1-2' as of yesterday.

I've got about 7 Chinkapin Oaks planted in some seasonally damp areas that are looking pretty good on the start of their 3rd year.

 

[tooln]

Looks good so far, keep it up.

 

[scott44]

Great looking MG!

 

[SmallChunk]

Heck yeah, keep the photos coming! I might have to try the MG next year if my sorghum/Egyptian wheat screen doesn't work!

 

[Spiider]

My wife standing in a row of 3rd year Hybrid Poplars from BigRockTrees. Winter Rye plot on the right and CIR Switchgrass road screen/bedding to the left.


A few of these HP's are already 15' tall! The middle one was the tallest, but a storm snapped the central leader...


This is a 300' row of Dappled Willows on the start of their 4th year. They are really taking off this year and filling in, roughly 6' tall (Deer browsed several of them this Spring. The 1st 2 years I sprayed them with Deer Stopper concentrate every 3 months (from Amazon) with great success). These were the 12" cuttings, planted in black plastic, with some Speckled Alder spaced out on the outsides. You can't see them but I've also got a double row of Norway and White Spruce planted. This is to screen from the roadside.


Some CIR Switchgrass coming up on the inside of Dappled Willow row.


Close up of a Dappled Willow and Speckled Alder.


2nd row of Dappled Willows in 300' row.

 

[scott44]

Great growth on the poplars, you're going to have a pretty cool looking hedge row with those dappled willows.

 

[sandbur]

I'm always impressed with the growth you guys get in "southern " climates!

Nice pictures.

 

[Spiider]

Thanks guys! Most appreciated :)

 

[Spiider]

Brush hogged all my trails and perennial clover plot yesterday.


Here is the MxG butting up to the clovers from the inside.


Here it is from the outside.


Here is my switchgrass field. Does just started using it this year. I've stayed out of it in case they have fawns with them. They've got good cover and food right next to each other.


Another view of the switchgrass. I mowed a wider trail around the perimeter this time though because I plan on doing a controlled burn next Spring and wanted a wider fire break.


Here's a view, on the right, of a row of Hybrid Willow's. This is the start of their 3rd year. They are planted in sandy loam and are in pretty dry areas. I think that's why they haven't grown faster. They are roughly 7' tall each, which still isn't bad. They are only the outside of my multi-staged visual barrier though. I've got these HW's, then 4 rows of Norway/White Spruce and Red Pine and the followed by the 2 acre switchgrass field.


Opposite view of the HW's, on the left.

 

[SD51555]

What is that post in your clover plot for?

 

[Spiider]

What is that post in your clover plot for?

It's a dual purpose licking branch and rubbing post. Basically a buried, 8' cedar post with 2 holes drilled in the top to cut off licking branches and then hold them in place. I need to add one, as it was pulled out recently. But the vine is a snug fit and doesn't pull out so easily. Basswood is pretty popular with the deer in my area so I usually put that in the 2nd hole. I do the same thing in my other food plots (and anywhere I want them to stop) with cut off Sumac's. Those are used more for rubbing though, unless I find some with a good licking branch at the right height after burying it roughly 2-3' with post hole diggers.

 

[Spiider]

We just started building on our property. We had a big tree that needed to be moved to dig the foundation. I was supposed to cut it down but the excavator started earlier in the week than he originally had thought, so he took the tree down with his digger. Can anyone see what I'm going to use these beauties in my switchgrass for? :)

 

[Spiider]

I really like how Scott used his quad for a visual against his MxG. This is year 2 for them. Here is my slightly shorter row that runs E to W:


And here is the side (same field) that runs N to S:


Same N to S row but from the opposite side:


These are going to be my long term screens that surround my Clover, Brassica, Cereal Mix (modified Dbltree) rotation.

 

[Satchmo]

Very impressive progress Spiider.

 

[scott44]

Looking good!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

The rows of spruce and pine combined with switch and HW should make for some good cover and screening. Having the plot of clover close by HAS to be attractive to does & fawns. Come fall, the does will draw other things !!!:cool:

 

[Bill]

Nice looking place.

 

[Spiider]

Thanks guys!

My Dunstans from Walmart, planted 3 years ago have more burs this year. 1 of the 3 last year had 1 single bur, which wasn't pollinated. 2 of the 3 have burs this year, but only 5-7 burs each. Exciting none the less to see these :)


On this Dunstan, the leader hangs to the right, should I put in a stake and help it? Or just let it go?


Here is either a Burgambel or Burenglish oak, also planted 3 years ago from Oikos. I planted 7 Burgambel, 7 Burenglish, and 7 Schuettes but I only used a permanent marker to label them, so I'm not sure which are which unfortunately... Only a few look as healthy and tall as this example. Should I let these grow out of the tubes long term, or at some point do I stake them, cage them, and let nature take it's course? Most of them are pretty slender whips and would break.

 

[wiscwhip]

Tree tube industry recommends leaving tubes on until the tree has about a 3" caliper, that's my plan for my trees in tubes (this time)

For some smaller tree species, that size would be a mature tree.

 

[scott44]

I have a bunch if trees coming out of the tubes this year, I'm leaving them in the tubes till they alomost fill them up, not sure how long this will be but guessing at least 4-5yrs. THanks for sharing your pics!