How many fruit trees to plant?

[rogersb]

I live in an area that is almost all woods with basically no ag. There are a couple hay fields around but very few and not much acreage. The woods are mostly oaks.

We have 7 acres and there were 5 wild crabapple trees here when we moved in so I planted about 20 more apple trees, 1 grafted persimmon, a handful of chestnut trees, 6 pear trees, and 6 pawpaw. I have 20 pear root stocks ordered to graft and plant as well.

I have been cutting down trees that have no wildlife value and replacing but since my plantings are for attraction during hunting season, can I get to a point that I'm going overboard? Our deer density is supposed to be around 16 dpsm in my unit. We are higher here around my house.

 

[Angus 1895]

What grow zone ?

 

[rogersb]

I'm in 5b

 

[Angus 1895]

I have read late dropping pears are da bomb!

 

[Prof.Kent]

What are you trying to accomplish? Draw more deer to your unit? Then plant year-round footplots. You'll get more food/acre with foodplots than with fruit trees.

 

[Mortenson]

What are you trying to accomplish? Draw more deer to your unit? Then plant year-round footplots. You'll get more food/acre with foodplots than with fruit trees.

But aren't sweet tasting fruits more of a draw than a turnip?

 

[Angus 1895]

The problem I might face are the mag pies

They can slurp a lot of fruit

 

[BuckSnort]

It’s kind of like drugs, you shouldn’t have started to begin with. THE ADDICTION IS REAL!!

 

[TreeDaddy]

The answer is " as many as you can"

bill

 

[Prof.Kent]

But aren't sweet tasting fruits more of a draw than a turnip?2 ascre of

For a short season, yes, fruit can be a good draw (I've done it myself) but for overall production, you can't beat browseable food. A 1/2 acre of turnips can produce 10 tons of food and provide it from October through the winter months.

 

[Mortenson]

For a short season, yes, fruit can be a good draw (I've done it myself) but for overall production, you can't beat browseable food. A 1/2 acre of turnips can produce 10 tons of food and provide it from October through the winter months.

10 tons per half acre? Wow that's a killer plot. But I do agree, it's more. I'm attacking from all angles.

 

[Prof.Kent]

10 tons per half acre? Wow that's a killer plot. But I do agree, it's more. I'm attacking from all anglesFarmers

 

[Prof.Kent]

10 tons per half acre? Wow that's a killer plot. But I do agree, it's more. I'm attacking from all angles.

Farmers can get well over 20 tones per acre of sugar beets in teh Saginaw Valley, MI. Turnips an get big IF planted right. Here's apicture of my largest Purple-top turnip, broadcast-planted, no fertilizer.

 

[Prof.Kent]

Farmers can get well over 20 tones per acre of sugar beets in teh Saginaw Valley, MI. Turnips an get big IF planted right. Here's apicture of my largest Purple-top turnip, broadcast-planted, no fertilizer.

 

[gunfun13]

I'd be willing to bet that for the average habitat manager, mature orchard and food plot yields are comparable per acre. I don't know too many food plotters growing successful high yield sugar beat plots (I know a few do) and for many of us, tons of turnips will rot in the field. Fruit is a high power attractant..like beans or corn when the weather turns cold. Planting an acre of diverse orchard can be a high power attractant that lasts an entire season by planting trees of various drop times or trickle down fruit. Try an acre of corn or beans in a high deer density and see how long it lasts.

 

[Angus 1895]

For turnips to produce attractions they must freeze. Early Archery seasons need a different deal.

Besides I never dreamed of making mead with turnips.

 

[homerj1]

For turnips to produce attractions they must freeze.

huh?

 

[Prof.Kent]

"For turnips to produce attractions they must freeze."
Yeah that's what I read, too. We don't have a lot of ag fields around here. Around here the deer learned in a year or two to like tunips. Now they browse them when green, but more so after a frost. Foodplots are immediate. Tree crops take years to start to produce.

 

[Prof.Kent]

huh?

Turnip leaves are rather stringent. After a hard frost the leaves turn sweeter, more palatable. Which is good, the deer usually let hem grow and target other food sources until the first frosts.

 

[Angus 1895]

The actual turnip changes in sugar content after freezing. That’s why it is so good late season (Nov,Dec)