Finally my nursery is growing

[Bill]

Started this bedding area 5 years ago. I can't tell u how many cuttings I've killed on this 3 1/2 acres. Drought killed most of them. Last year was a good moisture year but the survivors didn't do much. Maybe they had to feel better under ground before they could grow up.

Everything is cuttings except 50 American plum plugs. Those plums have struggled through some hot dry years. But it looks like this is the last year I need to mow. Their above the weeds now.

Here's some plums.

A few elderberry

Poplars on the right. Hybrid willow on the left.

Dappled willow on the outside to make it nice and cozy once inside.

From the other hillside. Also planted.

Hopefully I can start hinge gutting some of the willows and poplars in a few years.

This started out as all shrubs but the drought made me switch to some faster growing stuff. It still has the plums some button bush and dogwoods inter mixed.

The big trees on the right of the last picture is just a hedge row that wouldn't really hold deer. Bet that changes in a few years.

 

[scott44]

Looks good! I too have killed lots of plantings some by me and some by mother nature.

 

[brushpile]

Looking good Bill. Those hybrid willows and hybrid poplar will really take off with the rain Missouri had this year. Thin to a 5-6 foot spacing this Fall/Winter, and then 8-10 feet for the next thinning. I'm glad to see you having success!

 

[deepsleep]

That looks great Bill! I always love observing these larger long-term projects. Initially, when you finish, you think wow that looks great and pat yourself on the back. The next few years, you think, boy, what a waste of time, as your shrubs/trees aren't doing much and/or succumbing to natural forces. A couple years later, you think, man, I sure wish I had done more of these types of projects as they finally take off! I have a plum thicket that falls into this category, and some hardwood swamp converted to willows

 

[wiscwhip]

Bill, do you have your button bush in a low area or on higher upland ground?

 

[Bill]

Thanks guys.

Brad, where did you come from :)

I hope your right Deepsleep, I probably will wish I went bigger.

Wisc, the button bush is all on upland areas. I do have a few that were planted in the wrong spots where it's a bit wet. They get hit with gly every year and mowed and they still won't die.

 

[wiscwhip]

I wouldn't mow them, they thrive in wet soil, I would consider those areas to be "prime" spots for BB, not the "wrong" area for them. You likely wouldn't be able to kill them unless you sprayed them with Tordon or Garlon anyway. We promote them in all the low areas, dogwoods and mulberry's should grow well with them in the lower spots also. It is great to hear you have them growing good in the upland areas as well, they are a very versatile shrub for wildlife and can tolerate many different conditions.

 

[brushpile]

Someone told me that lots of my old friends were over here. Good to see you again Bill!

 

[Rally1148]

I wouldn't mow them, they thrive in wet soil, I would consider those areas to be "prime" spots for BB, not the "wrong" area for them. You likely wouldn't be able to kill them unless you sprayed them with Tordon or Garlon anyway. We promote them in all the low areas, dogwoods and mulberry's should grow well with them in the lower spots also. It is great to hear you have them growing good in the upland areas as well, they are a very versatile shrub for wildlife and can tolerate many different conditions.

I'd say they are almost as versatile as ROD. Upland is doable, but they'll thrive with wet feet.

 

[Bill]

Someone told me that lots of my old friends were over here. Good to see you again Bill!

Stick around. We ain't so bad.

Rally,
I've been thinking I need more cause their so hard to kill.

 

[sandbur]

^^^good to see you here brushpile :)

Agreed!

 

[sandbur]

Bill- I see you are working on a bedding area.
I am not familiar with your soils or country at all. What type of grasses were growing there to begin with? What would grow if you just ran a disk through strips of the grasses or if you would roundup strips and then disk them?

When I ask what would grow, I am referring to the natural seed bank.

 

[Rally1148]

Bill, I've got some ninebark seed left over if you'd like some!

 

[Bill]

Bill- I see you are working on a bedding area.
I am not familiar with your soils or country at all. What type of grasses were growing there to begin with? What would grow if you just ran a disk through strips of the grasses or if you would roundup strips and then disk them?

When I ask what would grow, I am referring to the natural seed bank.

When I bought the place that particular area/field was in alfalfa being hayed by the neighbor. It was prone to erosion so I made different plans. Back when the buffalo roamed it was all NWSG. Since then settlers and birds have brought all kinds of stuff. Soil here is very heavy lots of clay. Our seed bank is very diverse and very full. Spray round up and walk away and its a crap shoot. I've done this on many fields preparing for tree, clover or NWSG plantings. I had one field explode with yellow Biden. Another come up in bluestem so thick you'd swear it was planted then others became carpeted with clover. I killed off an old clover plot in what was timber recently and got a pure stand of purslane. Unfortunately the predominant bloomer after gly is foxtail. So much so, that I'm now afraid to to spray gly alone and walk away.

The one constant is dragging a disk and walking away. Do that and you'll have a solid stand of ragweed. I've done this on purpose in a few areas over the years for the quail.

Bill, I've got some ninebark seed left over if you'd like some!

Thanks for the offer but I think it would be wasted. Ninebark is on my list of don't bother. I tried cuttings and bareroot ninebark in numbers when I first bought the place. I've yet to see one survive.

 

[chummer]

Looks great Bill. How old are those plumbs? I planted 50 last year. Most are still alive but they have zero growth in two years. We have had a lot of rain both years. At least they survived the winter!

 

[Bill]

Looks great Bill. How old are those plumbs? I planted 50 last year. Most are still alive but they have zero growth in two years. We have had a lot of rain both years. At least they survived the winter!

I planted small plugs spring 2011. They also didn't do much the first 2 summers. Most of the growth was las summer. They were one of the only trees that responded to better growing conditions

I think this may be my good tree year. This is a willow poplar screen planted 2011 also. Willows are finally above browse height and off to the races.

Wonder what the neighbors will think when I hinge cut every other one next winter :D