cover crop that is not deer food/bedding.

[Wind Gypsy]

I'm in process of converting a field that is largely reed canary grass into a food plot, screening, and some bedding. There is a chunk of this field next to the road that I want to keep open for access but free of anything desirable to deer to manipulate travel paths and to keep them away from my scent blowing in there from access/stand sites.

I was of the impression RCG could spread from rhizomes so thought it may be a good idea to try to get it replaced with something else. Is that a legitmate concern? If I just kept it mowed would that prevent it spreading into my screen and food plots?

If I were to remove it from RCG, what could I plant that would be undesirable to deer? Pollinators? I'll likely plant a few pumpkins or other with the wife/daughter in the future in this area. [Edit to clarify: I understand a pumpkin patch would be attractive to deer, just a handful would be planted.]

 

[SwampCat]

Get with nrcs or your dnr and see if they can assist you with pollinator plantings

 

[homerj1]

Deer eat plenty of wildflowers here. Not sure what pollinator plantings would be things deer don't eat?

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Might be easiest to just keep it mowed and hope the simazine used for the sorghum screen keeps it from expanding into the screen/plots.

 

[Brian662]

You're looking for things without structure that are undesirable to deer? My first response would be fescue or pasture grass of some sort.

 

[TreeDaddy]

You're looking for things without structure that are undesirable to deer? My first response would be fescue or pasture grass of some sort.

All things bermuda grass are of the devil.......

bill

 

[SD51555]

If you can mow it without too much trouble, I'd just do that. Odds are you'll suppress that RCG root mass by keeping the above ground solar panels down. That's my strategy on a very similar project I've got going right now. I'm keeping it mowed now to trim the root system without tilling or spraying. Sometime around Aug 1st, I'm gonna have it worked up and convert to rye/sweet clover and other stuff.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

If you can mow it without too much trouble, I'd just do that. Odds are you'll suppress that RCG root mass by keeping the above ground solar panels down. That's my strategy on a very similar project I've got going right now. I'm keeping it mowed now to trim the root system without tilling or spraying. Sometime around Aug 1st, I'm gonna have it worked up and convert to rye/sweet clover and other stuff.

Yeah, I think that's the easy button solution for now at least. It's probably less than an acre so wont take much.

 

[SWIFFY]

I had a spot on a slough edge that was solid 4' high RCG that I wanted to put a food plot. I mowed it and disced it and then sprayed with gly. I've had a GREAT plot there for about 9 years now. The RCG is just starting to fill back in. I havent disced it since the first year and I have had brassicas in it and clover now for the last 4. Its worked great. I need to change it up again now but its been a great plot surrounded by RCG.

 

[sandbur]

I had a spot on a slough edge that was solid 4' high RCG that I wanted to put a food plot. I mowed it and disced it and then sprayed with gly. I've had a GREAT plot there for about 9 years now. The RCG is just starting to fill back in. I havent disced it since the first year and I have had brassicas in it and clover now for the last 4. Its worked great. I need to change it up again now but its been a great plot surrounded by RCG.

Where those areas get occasional flooding, the results probably are different. I feel lots of RCG seed gets distributed.

If you are above that flood line, you might be ok. Our soil in RC areas is full of seed.


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[bigboreblr]

I'd plant rye. When the rye gets tall, deer dont like it much. They'll be in ot for awhile. Come hunting season, they'll not be that interested in it. If they are they can hide it in easily.

Egyptian grass is a cover option too.