Planting mix for logging road

[Lee Haakenson]

All, what do you suggest for planting logging roads and trails in wisconsin. I was thinking clover and chicory blend in August. My goals are just to keep the weeds down om access trails. Also if you have pics of your trails with certain seed blends, that would be great. Soil near by is a 5.7 ph with no amendments yet

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Lee Haakenson]

Another pic

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Someday isle]

Yours seem to have better looking dirt than mine. I started mine with the standard LC mix in the fall of 2016. I’m in the process of turning them into permanent clover. After each of the first two seasons I Frost seeded a blend of Ladino and Kopu 2 white clovers. They’re coming along.

 

[JFK52]

I would think that you have two issues you will need to address. The first is that the ph of the soil will tend to be acidic if pine needles have been falling and decomposing on it for years. The size of the pine in the picture seems to indicate this might be the case. Next you have soil compaction due to the heavy equipment driving on these roads. What is the compass orientation of these roads? I have better luck with East to West roads than North - South roads. The East-West tends to get more sunlight.
Due you want to build up the soil first or go right into a permanent planting? I put in winter rye in my fire breaks after my every third row thinning of pines opened up the understory. It grew just fine and then I disked in down. It is a cheap seed to buy in bulk and tends to grow just about any where. If you want to go with a clover of some type, a fall planting is best.

 

[Lee Haakenson]

My main objective is to get something to cover the ground for weed and erosion control, then lime and plant something permanent later. The pines are about 13 yrs old. Before that it was ag.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Livesintrees]

I’m starting in a similar situation. My soil is 5.3 ph. Amendments are going in next weekend. Little late due to previous projects still underway. After some phone calls and reading and input on here from members, I’m going to do a mix of annual and perennial clovers, winter rye, chicory, and brassica. I expect a few years of less then perfect results but by the third year I should be in a position where I have better soil and more options. Something about chicory in the fall that has been in commercial mixes brings the bucks in like nothing else. The roads I’m working with look something like this from this winter.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Will they be driven over regularly ?? That may change the suggestions.

 

[Lee Haakenson]

Just 4-5 times a year with an atv

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk