Hey all, I was wondering if you all have any success planting old logging roads? My property has some pretty steep sections & a lot of runoff from the mountain above. The existing logging roads have areas where quite a bit of erosion has already occurred. Many of the others are covered in Japanese stilt grass currently which DCNR is going to be treating in the coming week. My hope is to first, protect the areas that still have some topsoil with some planting after DCNR treats & return in the future to address the areas where most topsoil is gone. Game utilize these roads routinely, and I'm sure will continue to do so more especially if I'm able to grow some sort of beneficial forage on them. I have some timber work scheduled for this year too to open some canopy and provide some density to areas as well to improve bedding off these roads. It won't be able to be drilled or anything, so will be a bit of a battle with no-till efforts for now. I was thinking rye and white dutch clover? Sorry for the long winded explanation and as always thanks for sharing your expertise.
Planting Logging Roads - 5b
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Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
I got info from a Penn State turf specialist professor for just such a situation at our camp. He suggested Kentucky-31 fescue if there's sufficient sunlight on our roads. His suggestion for Kentucky-31 was just to maintain the roads from erosion - not as a food plot item. K-31, once established, is a tough, durable grass that makes a good sod, so roads don't wash out. We have decent wheeler traffic at times, so we needed something to take the beating of being driven on.
I guess it depends on what you want your roads to be, and how much traffic they may see. I'm sure others will have ideas of what to plant.
I guess it depends on what you want your roads to be, and how much traffic they may see. I'm sure others will have ideas of what to plant.
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
I food plot in a snowmobile trail on my clubs lease.
Clovers are tolerant of low light levels and some vehicle traffic. Oats and rye have done ok. Plantain does well, and stay on the land for a long time. Deer treat it like chicory and brassicas. They like it after a frost or two.
You may want to give the areas a bit more afternoon light. Do some thinning firwood from west side. Some debate morning vs afternoon. The air warms up the soil in the morning, but the afternoon light tends to warm up soil more than morning. This helps with growing on season
's edges.
Done hairy vetch too. Good to plant in the spring so it goes to seed and reseeds itself for next year.
Clovers are tolerant of low light levels and some vehicle traffic. Oats and rye have done ok. Plantain does well, and stay on the land for a long time. Deer treat it like chicory and brassicas. They like it after a frost or two.
You may want to give the areas a bit more afternoon light. Do some thinning firwood from west side. Some debate morning vs afternoon. The air warms up the soil in the morning, but the afternoon light tends to warm up soil more than morning. This helps with growing on season
's edges.
Done hairy vetch too. Good to plant in the spring so it goes to seed and reseeds itself for next year.
Thank you! I use the trail from time to time with my quad but don't have a problem staying off it in the interest of establishing/maintaining some erosion control and forage on it. Lord knows I should walk up and down in the interest of exercise anyway haha. I appreciate the advice. I think I'll try a quick pass with a quad/sprayer this spring, a little chainsaw work, and broadcast an array of seed this spring and see how it turns out.
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
Construction folks have to mitigate erosion in building sites. Many of them use the same italian / winter rye we use.
Check facebook marketplace, some farmers sell rye at a decent price. Picking up (2) 80lb bags for $21 each when I drive to camp. Farmer is along the way. Local guy only has it a few weeks in august, but is $13 for 50lbs.
100-150lbs/acre is a decent to good amount.
Check facebook marketplace, some farmers sell rye at a decent price. Picking up (2) 80lb bags for $21 each when I drive to camp. Farmer is along the way. Local guy only has it a few weeks in august, but is $13 for 50lbs.
100-150lbs/acre is a decent to good amount.
