Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
Might burn those blossom buds a bit, but plenty of leaf buds that are dormant yet.
j-bird
Moderator
Well I was able to get out over the weekend and check up on some things....
Put some elderberry cuttings in the ground. This in in the bank of the waterhole in the north. I thought it was sort of early for moss....but what do I know! I do know the elderberry like moist soil so this is about as "moist" as I can get. These are all just experiments to see what works and what doesn't.
We put some in some other places as well - the intent will be to get these caged soon - otherwise I fear they may simply get pulled back out as deer food.
My grafts still are not showing signs of life, so I cut one and it seems to still be green, but may be lacking moisture. I did tape up thosewound when I was done. The trees the grafts came from are all opening, but my grafts.....not so much......so we wait some more.
This is the north triangle plot we burned off and planted. No signs of chicory or clover yet, but mother nature is providing her own green food at the moment. Mostly spring time broadleaf plants of the woods. I am not too concerned just yet..... Orange ribbons show where we planted a cluster of the elderberry cuttings as well. I had plenty....so why not!
Annual plot update. The SW plot that was soybeans and was overseed with winter wheat is well used. The soybeans are stripped clean and the wheat is ok - it could use a bit of fertilizer I am sure, but this will all be tilled under around memorial day any way. I did mow the bean stubble. The south bottom plot was a different story. This was soybeans and corn mixed with some winter wheat added as well. The soybeans still had a lot of beans in the pods and the corn never amounted to anything. Spring flooding also left debris piles for me to clean up. So I pushed the debris piles out of the plot with the FEL and mowed down all the beans and corn stubble. I am not sure what the beans will do as many appeared to still be in decent shape. Because the deer are not fully utilizing this plot I am making some changes and will reduce this plot in size. I am thinking 1/3 will be corn or soybeans, 1/3 may be a fall annual plot and 1/3 may be converter to trees and shrubs. I see no point in planting food the deer won't eat.
Put some elderberry cuttings in the ground. This in in the bank of the waterhole in the north. I thought it was sort of early for moss....but what do I know! I do know the elderberry like moist soil so this is about as "moist" as I can get. These are all just experiments to see what works and what doesn't.
We put some in some other places as well - the intent will be to get these caged soon - otherwise I fear they may simply get pulled back out as deer food.
My grafts still are not showing signs of life, so I cut one and it seems to still be green, but may be lacking moisture. I did tape up thosewound when I was done. The trees the grafts came from are all opening, but my grafts.....not so much......so we wait some more.
This is the north triangle plot we burned off and planted. No signs of chicory or clover yet, but mother nature is providing her own green food at the moment. Mostly spring time broadleaf plants of the woods. I am not too concerned just yet..... Orange ribbons show where we planted a cluster of the elderberry cuttings as well. I had plenty....so why not!
Annual plot update. The SW plot that was soybeans and was overseed with winter wheat is well used. The soybeans are stripped clean and the wheat is ok - it could use a bit of fertilizer I am sure, but this will all be tilled under around memorial day any way. I did mow the bean stubble. The south bottom plot was a different story. This was soybeans and corn mixed with some winter wheat added as well. The soybeans still had a lot of beans in the pods and the corn never amounted to anything. Spring flooding also left debris piles for me to clean up. So I pushed the debris piles out of the plot with the FEL and mowed down all the beans and corn stubble. I am not sure what the beans will do as many appeared to still be in decent shape. Because the deer are not fully utilizing this plot I am making some changes and will reduce this plot in size. I am thinking 1/3 will be corn or soybeans, 1/3 may be a fall annual plot and 1/3 may be converter to trees and shrubs. I see no point in planting food the deer won't eat.
j-bird
Moderator
From what I saw this weekend - it didn't seem to hurt them any.....
j-bird
Moderator
I am almost due west of Cincinnati (Cincy is 39.1 degrees N, and I am 39.2 degrees N).
As for spring....I sure hope it's here to stay. We got a few farmers starting to turn dirt and spraying in prep for planting. I don't think the soil temp is quite ready for that yet, but I think some folks just like claiming they are first..... If the weather holds out it won't be long. I figure my farm fields will be planted by mid May IF the weather holds out. I won't plant my summer plots of corn and beans until later in May....
j-bird
Moderator
How close are you to Lima? My boy went to college at UNOH and I have driven from Fort Wayne and Muncie into Lima before (he actually lived between Delphos and Elida). I am not overly familiar with that area, but I have passed thru a time or two. We typically would just take the interstate but a few times I decided to take a more rural path. Your tag said NW OH and that was why when you said that I may be due west of you I thought that wasn't the case. I am in Decatur COUNTY.
Telemark
5 year old buck +
The confused the crap out of me for a while. I thought the two of you had lost your marbles.
I'm near Dayton, OH for the moment.
H20fwler
5 year old buck +
About 30 miles, I work in Lima.
I don't know Indiana counties that well and figured Decatur the city would be in the same county...guess not. My youngest went to college at Ball State in Muncie.
j-bird
Moderator
No the town/city of Decatur is NOT in Decatur County.....I didn't make that decision and nobody asked me in the first place. On interstate I-74 between Indy and Cincinnati there is a town called Greensburg (that is the county seat of Decatur county). Columbus, IN (along I-65) between Indianapolis and Louisville isn't far either......if you are more familiar with that part of IN as well.
j-bird
Moderator
Well I know where I am......been here the whole time
Actually that is why I specifically list "Decatur County IN".
Telemark
5 year old buck +
Well I know where I am......been here the whole time
I can dig it, jail-bird.
j-bird
Moderator
Well I got out again this weekend and took a few pics along the way.
Weather was to be better Saturday than Sunday so I took the kids to the pond and did some fishing.... The bass where spawning, but the crappie where active! Nothing with "shoulders" but they are still fun to catch...
Headed out to see how things are moving along on Sunday.....
My only mature white oak tree is flowering and waking up....
The Elderberry cuttings AND even the plant I cut the snot out of are doing well also...
My triangle plot has me concerned..... The natural woodland plants seem to be doing what they do best and I am concerned about them causing issue with the chicory and clover planted. Part of me says wait it out, while another says spray and see what happens. I was not able to see any germinated chicory, but there was some clover. What to do, what to do.....
The farm is planted in corn and we got a good rain shower on Sunday......not all of us however where able to wait out the rain shower in a nearby shooting house! The boy and I waited out the shower, while the dogs refused to just head on back to the house.....
The north chestnut trees seem to be waking up as well.....got my first actual nuts last year so I am very hopeful for these this year.
I also picked up some seed from a local place for a few trials and projects. The youngest wants to grow sunflowers...not a big deal....until she figures out how big these are going to get! I also have a hair-brained idea about growing beans and peas inside a cage for the deer and the let them have at it for a youth hunt in late September. I think I will have to have a couple of staggered planting dates, but it's worth a shot! I'll have a few bucks and some time in to it so if it fails.....I'm not out much.
Also have to make comment about the perfect hat for me. It was my birthday recently and my daughter bought me the perfect hat for me. It covers the two "seasons" as far as I am concerned.....Cubbies Baseball season and Hunting season!!!! My son bought me a new Browning trail cam, that I have high expectations for.....but so far all I have are pictures of me staring at it with my typical "what the hell?" look on my face while trying to figure out how to program the damn thing....hundreds of them! Don't laugh......you all have done the same thing!!!!! It kept taking a burst of photos while I was trying to figure out how to set the date and the like (which I tend to never do) as well as how to set it up for video..... I did get it figured out and it is on a mineral site so we will see how it does in a week or so.
My son has also been after a turkey and has had some close calls and is learning along the way, but hasn't quiet gotten thing to work out just yet. I'm rather tickled that we seem to making small strides in a better turkey population.
Weather was to be better Saturday than Sunday so I took the kids to the pond and did some fishing.... The bass where spawning, but the crappie where active! Nothing with "shoulders" but they are still fun to catch...
Headed out to see how things are moving along on Sunday.....
My only mature white oak tree is flowering and waking up....
The Elderberry cuttings AND even the plant I cut the snot out of are doing well also...
My triangle plot has me concerned..... The natural woodland plants seem to be doing what they do best and I am concerned about them causing issue with the chicory and clover planted. Part of me says wait it out, while another says spray and see what happens. I was not able to see any germinated chicory, but there was some clover. What to do, what to do.....
The farm is planted in corn and we got a good rain shower on Sunday......not all of us however where able to wait out the rain shower in a nearby shooting house! The boy and I waited out the shower, while the dogs refused to just head on back to the house.....
The north chestnut trees seem to be waking up as well.....got my first actual nuts last year so I am very hopeful for these this year.
I also picked up some seed from a local place for a few trials and projects. The youngest wants to grow sunflowers...not a big deal....until she figures out how big these are going to get! I also have a hair-brained idea about growing beans and peas inside a cage for the deer and the let them have at it for a youth hunt in late September. I think I will have to have a couple of staggered planting dates, but it's worth a shot! I'll have a few bucks and some time in to it so if it fails.....I'm not out much.
Also have to make comment about the perfect hat for me. It was my birthday recently and my daughter bought me the perfect hat for me. It covers the two "seasons" as far as I am concerned.....Cubbies Baseball season and Hunting season!!!! My son bought me a new Browning trail cam, that I have high expectations for.....but so far all I have are pictures of me staring at it with my typical "what the hell?" look on my face while trying to figure out how to program the damn thing....hundreds of them! Don't laugh......you all have done the same thing!!!!! It kept taking a burst of photos while I was trying to figure out how to set the date and the like (which I tend to never do) as well as how to set it up for video..... I did get it figured out and it is on a mineral site so we will see how it does in a week or so.
My son has also been after a turkey and has had some close calls and is learning along the way, but hasn't quiet gotten thing to work out just yet. I'm rather tickled that we seem to making small strides in a better turkey population.
Jordan Selsor
5 year old buck +
Place is looking good J! I too am crossing my fingers for a solid chestnut crop this yr. My oldest chestnut trees are 5th leaf. Had a ton of burrs last fall but very little pollination. Your chestnut crab from turkey creek looks bigger then the one he sent me!? Cant believe he would give a cubs fan a bigger tree than me! Will have to give him some crap about that
Did your grafts ever come to life?
Did your grafts ever come to life?
j-bird
Moderator
I have no idea just how old my chestnuts truly are. I bought them as 3 gallon trees and have had them in the ground for a few years now.....I would have to go and look for an actual date. I got actual nuts last year for the first time. Many burrs had only 1 real nut with 2 other "attempts". Hopefully I get more and more now as time passes. I also plant my trees in groups of 3 to help with the pollination issue as well. I am sure TC "cherry picked" the trees just for me!!!!Place is looking good J! I too am crossing my fingers for a solid chestnut crop this yr. My oldest chestnut trees are 5th leaf. Had a ton of burrs last fall but very little pollination. Your chestnut crab from turkey creek looks bigger then the one he sent me!? Cant believe he would give a cubs fan a bigger tree than me! Will have to give him some crap about that
Did your grafts ever come to life?
He was like...."this will get the Selsor guy....I bet he's a cards fan.....I give bigger trees to a fans of a rivals of the cards.....hahahaha....this will screw with him!!! Hahahaha, I am sure TC did know such thing, and least that I am aware of. I was very pleased with the trees I did get from him and he was very helpful in helping me select which ones to get. He will certainly be where I turn to for more. So far no life showing as far as the grafts go. I figure at this point it's a failed cause, but that won't keep me from trying again next year. I didn't "fail"....I just learned how not to do it!!!! I think I tried too soon and I think the tree may have decided to simply put it's efforts into the other branches as well. I may cut the piss out of it and try again and see what happens. If it dies....big deal, it's an ornamental crab....let the deer have at it!
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
HA! I am neither a Cubs or a Cards fan. Royals all the way .... even if they arent very good!
Jordan Selsor
5 year old buck +
Well we are all in the same triangle at least;) Repeat customer here! More than happy with all my trees:)HA! I am neither a Cubs or a Cards fan. Royals all the way .... even if they arent very good!
j-bird
Moderator
But,but, but, he's an AL guy! I better not hear any garbage about how the DH is better! I will agree with Jordan as far as Turkey Creek being my first place to look for future fruit tree orders. I have sent a few folks that way as well..... They got some pretty sharp pics on their web-site too! Have to talk to TC about some sort of endorsement deal!
j-bird
Moderator
Just as a reference point we had gotten off on a tangent on another thread discussing how I can plant such small plots get away with it and how my place has far more food than the deer could ever eat. You will see that my county averages only about 25% as being actual deer habitat. We are a grossly agricultural area with corn and soybeans being the primary crops. My place is a little better than the county average as I am more like 30 to 35% deer habitat, but that still doesn't leave a lot of room to hold a significant deer population. If you dig thru the thread you will see I participate in CRP programs where it makes sense in an effort to try to increase my deer cover without loosing the household income from the tillable ground. I thing I have a quality habitat as I tend to have lots of traditional browse plants for the deer and I do not have signs of too many deer.....in fact many plots have food left in them when I till them under and re-plant.
j-bird
Moderator
Trying to make the most of my holiday weekend and took an extra vacation day to try to get everything on "the list" done.....
Got some good news and some not so good news.
My MG cuttings seem to be doing well so far....interested to see how they do with the heat and humidity that I know is coming.
My apples and crabapples are doing well....seems like I will have more apples this year than last....
I even had some of my grafts take! it's only about 30 or 40 percent rate, but for never doing it before I am pretty tickled.
I also had to re-cage some of my sawtooth saplings as they had grown so that is a good issue....
I also looked over my "weedy" clover plot and it seems the deer seem to like the weeds as well.....which is just fine by me.
The bad news.....it seems I have a sick chestnut and I am not sure what the deal is as the other 2 in the same area are fine....
I sprayed gly on the north wood plot that had been taken over with weeds as well and should have my corn plots planted in the morning if all goes well......
Got some good news and some not so good news.
My MG cuttings seem to be doing well so far....interested to see how they do with the heat and humidity that I know is coming.
My apples and crabapples are doing well....seems like I will have more apples this year than last....
I even had some of my grafts take! it's only about 30 or 40 percent rate, but for never doing it before I am pretty tickled.
I also had to re-cage some of my sawtooth saplings as they had grown so that is a good issue....
I also looked over my "weedy" clover plot and it seems the deer seem to like the weeds as well.....which is just fine by me.
The bad news.....it seems I have a sick chestnut and I am not sure what the deal is as the other 2 in the same area are fine....
I sprayed gly on the north wood plot that had been taken over with weeds as well and should have my corn plots planted in the morning if all goes well......
