basswood planting

[Mike Castillo]

Hey Everyone,

I know the basswood doesn't get much love...but I love it. It grows fast, hinges awesome, stump sprouts like crazy, and the deer love to eat it. That is why I am considering planting a bunch of them along with white pine and white spruce in a clearcut area of my property. My Intention is to create a thick bedding sanctuary here, and I think the basswood will grow pretty quick and allow me to hinge it over they years to enhance the softwood cover.

What do you think and has anyone ever done this?

Thanks! Mike

 

[MoBuckChaser]

For cover I would plant a bunch of dogwoods or plum before basswood. But thats just me.

 

[bigeight]

They are definitely an attractive tree for all that you mentioned as well as rubbing. Not sure how you would protect them when planting them for the uses you mentioned ?
If it was a clear cut I'd add the evergreens like you mentioned and let nature run its course with the rest. Stump sprouting from what was cut, briars, etc that would fill in naturally. JMO
I'm with you that deer love them, which would make them that more difficult to establish. Our area they would have to be 3-4" diameter before we could remove the tree tube or they would get rubbed to death. :)

 

[Honker]

I planted a few hundred back in 2006. I couldn't find one now if you paid me. If you plant them, cage them.

 

[Tap]

They are definitely an attractive tree for all that you mentioned as well as rubbing. Not sure how you would protect them when planting them for the uses you mentioned ?
If it was a clear cut I'd add the evergreens like you mentioned and let nature run its course with the rest. Stump sprouting from what was cut, briars, etc that would fill in naturally. JMO
I'm with you that deer love them, which would make them that more difficult to establish. Our area they would have to be 3-4" diameter before we could remove the tree tube or they would get rubbed to death. :)

What bigeight said^^^^
I planted some with the idea they would become scrape locations and scent hubs. I caged them and after 4 years, I removed the cages on a few of them. Every one got heavily rubbed. I may have removed the cages a couple years too soon.

 

[j-bird]

Basswood for one reason of another seems to be a magnet for rubbing. I can't say I have seen the browsing issue as much but that may be deer numbers related.

As for the hard/sugar maple comment - keep in mind as hard maple matures it doesn't hinge as easily - it simply snaps. If allowed it produces a dense canopy and creates a lot of shade in your woods as well, which over time works against you. It is a prolific seeder as well so you may easily end up with more of them than you want in the long run. At least this has been my experience - I didn't plant mine, but once they exceed the reach of the deer they are of little general wildlife benefit. I have some I have remaining because of the timber value of them, but the "tweeners" get cut and smaller ones I try to hinge. I can grow a maple tree in the gutter of my house so they are pretty easy to grow or transplant as well.

 

[bwoods11]

Aspen might be a better option, but basswood does get browsed and rubbed!

 

[Bill]

If you want a rub tree plant a hybrid poplar. Trust me I have 100's of examples that they love rubbing them, Rat Bastards. :mad::(:D

 

[roofer 1]

Hey Everyone,

I know the basswood doesn't get much love...but I love it. It grows fast, hinges awesome, stump sprouts like crazy, and the deer love to eat it. That is why I am considering planting a bunch of them along with white pine and white spruce in a clearcut area of my property. My Intention is to create a thick bedding sanctuary here, and I think the basswood will grow pretty quick and allow me to hinge it over they years to enhance the softwood cover.

What do you think and has anyone ever done this?

Thanks! Mike

Where are you getting basswood seedlings i like to plant some to have something different