Plant the right grass

[Derek Reese 29]

Would these grasses work for a good cover stretch in between 2 food plots? In the pic, you can see the mowed thin, rectangular plot to the left (cafeteria plot) and the start of my fruit tree/food plot on the right. In the middle is a 2 year post burn hayfield cover/bedding area (about an acre) that is starting to get some briars and thicker hay in it, but I’m just thinking that high grass would be great and most importantly, unique, cover as there isn’t anything like that around my little corner of Northern PA. I also have a stand that could look down into the grass so they might not be as hidden as they think (I’m thinking the ultimate ambush site)..

 

[Native Hunter]

Would these grasses work for a good cover stretch in between 2 food plots? In the pic, you can see the mowed thin, rectangular plot to the left (cafeteria plot) and the start of my fruit tree/food plot on the right. In the middle is a 2 year post burn hayfield cover/bedding area (about an acre) that is starting to get some briars and thicker hay in it, but I’m just thinking that high grass would be great and most importantly, unique, cover as there isn’t anything like that around my little corner of Northern PA. I also have a stand that could look down into the grass so they might not be as hidden as they think (I’m thinking the ultimate ambush site)..
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It depends on how tall and thick the grass is. Mature bucks won't feel safe traveling through it unless they feel like they are hidden from a human at ground level. Unless you get the height and thickness to make them feel secure, you have a butterfly garden instead of cover. Yes, they will use a mowed lane, but the surrounding tall grass is why they aren't afraid to do that.

 

[Telemark]

Food plot species won’t last long before getting choked and/or shaded out. Putting your plot at the edge of tall grass fields works better. However, some really aggressive native forbs like tall partridge pea are tough enough to survive in the field and do provide food.

I thought there should be forbs in among the grasses. I've never planted grasses for cover, so I'm not sure how to do it properly. I just see some grass monocultures in Ohio, and they get very little activity from deer.

I'm planning some cover with switch once I get the trees killed off and manage to get sun to the ground. It's a couple years off, but I've been reading a lot on here and other sites where people plant grasses at a light rate in order to get forbs growing in among them.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

It depends on how tall and thick the grass is. Mature bucks won't feel safe traveling through it unless they feel like they are hidden from a human at ground level. Unless you get the height and thickness to make them feel secure, you have a butterfly garden instead of cover. Yes, they will use a mowed lane, but the surrounding tall grass is why they aren't afraid to do that.

i would want it to be as tall and thick and durable as possible .....i have a 2 brush hog width path already mowed from the plot to the west into the plot to the east and the deer use it like crazy...betting they would use it even more if it was surrounded by 6-9' grass...

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I thought there should be forbs in among the grasses. I've never planted grasses for cover, so I'm not sure how to do it properly. I just see some grass monocultures in Ohio, and they get very little activity from deer.

I'm planning some cover with switch once I get the trees killed off and manage to get sun to the ground. It's a couple years off, but I've been reading a lot on here and other sites where people plant grasses at a light rate in order to get forbs growing in among them.

You may not need to plant anything depending on the seeds in your soil. I have been surprised how quickly NWSG and other native forbs move in once you start getting rid of the cool-season grasses. I have been planting mixes and just seeing what comes up from the soil, but really only intentionally plant switch now if I want a screen for access or a place where I don't want deer to travel.

 

[Telemark]

You may not need to plant anything depending on the seeds in your soil. I have been surprised how quickly NWSG and other native forbs move in once you start getting rid of the cool-season grasses. I have been planting mixes and just seeing what comes up from the soil, but really only intentionally plant switch now if I want a screen for access or a place where I don't want deer to travel.

In Ohio, clear ground gets taken over by grass, teasel, marestail, honeysuckle, and Callery pear.

In Ontario it goes straight to a carpet of maple seedlings.