Jump-starting succession in a field with brush piles?

[bigboreblr]

You have some sort of flow to the piles? Lets say you change your mind, or it's starting to get too tall. You have lanes you can bush hog every few years. Keep rows of brush, but can mow a bit in there and cut down stuff getting too tall.

I find it's good to kinda survery what you want to do. Put some sticks and surveryors tape to rough in what you have in mind. I do that with my little food plots spots up north. I find it handy, expecially when you limited to mostly manual labor. Just can't push it over 20 feet in a minute like a tractor bucket could.

 

[chickenlittle]

On our property, most of the new growth would be autumn olive and stilt grass. I’d have to plant a few desirable things and spray to control the others for a few years.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

On our property, most of the new growth would be autumn olive and stilt grass. I’d have to plant a few desirable things and spray to control the others for a few years.

I’m most worried about the bush honeysuckle but we do have some autumn olive around too..I’ll keep an eye on it (it’s right above my house and my little guy loves to go up there) and if i start seeing some undesirable species popping up I can h it but with gly..

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Update: brush piles have definitely attracted critters (deer and others)…by burning the field near the piles this spring, it created a flush or goldenrod and other weeds (main goal was to get rid of the existing hay and it seems to have happened)….

Deer trails in and around Northern brush pile…

Southern brush pile is in the center of this pic..

Plan to add to the existing piles and make at least 1 other one this winter….

 

[SD51555]

The brush pile has been the number one most effective factor in re-establishing highly desirable species on my place. I discovered it completely by accident too. I had made a pile of logs and brush when I was expanding a food plot. It made a small impenetrable area safe from the deer, and that little patch exploded in ROD.

I’ve got others now that are protecting new stands of jewelweed. I also started planting cedars and white pines inside those brush piles as well.


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[SD51555]

And I’ve got eyes to make the first $1,000 ROD bush out of brush next spring. I’ll start building the brush enclosure over TG weekend.


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[Telemark]

What makes a ROD bush worth 1000 bucks?

 

[SD51555]

What makes a ROD bush worth 1000 bucks?

I’m planning to put 500 bare roots in one spot. I’m assigning a $2/ea value. Chief River has them at $1.73/ea for 500, but mine will be much bigger than theirs.

If I used their 2-3’ price, it’d be a $6,000 ROD bush.


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[Brian662]

How big of an area are you going to plant there 500 dogwood in?

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

What is ROD and why is it something you northerners all talk about?

 

[SD51555]

How big of an area are you going to plant there 500 dogwood in?

Probably a 5x20’ area.


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[jsasker007]

What is ROD and why is it something you northerners all talk about?

Red Osier Dogwood

 

[SD51555]

What is ROD and why is it something you northerners all talk about?

Red osier dogwood.

It’s the perfect habitat shrub. It’s 100% edible from bark to leaves to stem to fruit, stays the right height, it’s also cover, feeds every critter in the woods, can grow almost anywhere, easily transplants, and very abundant in the landscape.


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[TreeDaddy]

The brush pile has been the number one most effective factor in re-establishing highly desirable species on my place. I discovered it completely by accident too. I had made a pile of logs and brush when I was expanding a food plot. It made a small impenetrable area safe from the deer, and that little patch exploded in ROD.

I’ve got others now that are protecting new stands of jewelweed. I also started planting cedars and white pines inside those brush piles as well.


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I have two large ones that I seeded hairy vetch at the edges this fall

An SD inspired C:N experiment

bill

 

[Catscratch]

Used brush piles many time to start habitat. Works great!