planting trees in food plots

[Gross144]

Question, planning on getting some crab apple trees and was wondering everyone's thoughts about where to plant. Obviously the most sunlight would best and to achieve that I think I would have to plant in the middle of my little woodland plot.

My concern as because this is an active foodplot, even if I put the trees in a four foot wide cage to protect them, would they still experience root damage is the plot needed to be disced in the future. I don't use a tiller, as my ground is too full of rocks and roots. However, every couple of years I do disc it under to kill off and weeds and to incorporate lime and fertilizer before I plant.

Just don't want to go through the hassle of planting them and caring for them to have them damaged down the line. Not sure how wide a circle around the tree would be safe.

Option B would be to plant along the edge of the plot for more safety but a little less sun. This is a maybe 1/4 acre food plot in a mature forest on the side of a slight hill.

Thanks in advacne

 

[Catscratch]

I plant trees in plots but I don't till soil at all so I'm not much help to your specific questions. I do feel plots make great places for fruit trees in general because of the mowing, amendments, and various things we do for the soil in a plot benefits the trees too. If you like to disk and use implements in the plot then trees can be kind of a pain to work around.

 

[bwoods11]

We have designed plots then added fruit trees on the edges. Another option is to use existing trees and put plots near them. We have some big wide oak trees that drop a lot of acorns (most years) and nothing is better in my opinion for a camera location or early season hunting spot than clover with acorns dropping into it.

 

[homerj]

Keep any herbicide applications/drift in mind when purposely planting fruit trees in food plots. Also keep pesticide applications to your fruit trees in mind. No need to kill a bunch of pollinators by spraying your apple trees with pesticide while there's blooming white clover underneath them.

 

[willy]

I have planted pear and apple trees in my plots and they are a great draw (especially the pears) with the standing beans and clover that surround them. I no till plant most years but on the rare occasion I need to disc I stay about 10' from the trunks. So far I have not seen a problem with the trees. I've only disced twice since the trees have been planted. They'll have been in the ground 6 years this spring. Most of my plots are in more open areas and larger than you describe but I have one plot that is similar to what you describe. I have the trees planted at least 30' from the timber edge and get good fruit production. I am very careful when I spray herbicide on beans and clover to not hit the trees. So far so good and I spray pre and post herbicide carefully by hand sprayer around the trees.

The trees do cause me to lose some time when I plant or spray as they have created an obstacle course but I believe the inconvenience is worth it. Make sure if you do plant them that you plan for shooting lanes. The trees will vegetate out at least 6' from the base, more is much more likely, depends on the variety. It will be costly to move later if you have to and cutting them down is a colossal waste of previous time. Don't plant them if you aren't going to cage them and then later when they start producing fruit, one can remove the cages but put heating/cooling duct work around the trunks from 18" to 48" high. The coons can't climb and the bucks don't rub. I use cut pieces of garden hose with wire threaded through and hang from tree branch crotches. That has been my experience and the duct work idea came from a fella on this forum I believe. I two trees I didn't have duct work to hang this year, coons climbed branches and their fat asses combined with fruit weight broke the branches off. I got cam pics of one happening. My fault for not going back and getting the job done.

 

[jsasker007]

I always plant trees outside the plot to avoid having to work around them later.

 

[chummer]

I think general rule is roots grow out as far as branches.

 

[Apple Junkie]

I think that over time (years), your food plot with a strips of fruit trees, will morph into an orchard with strips of food plot.

Initially, your opening will be mostly food plot, with strips of trees taking up maybe 6’ or so. However, assuming you disc outside the drip line of your fruit trees, as your trees grow larger, your food plot rows will grow smaller. Let’s say you space your rows 25’ apart. In 10 to 15 years, your food plot strips will be much narrower, but you will have a wealth of fruit. If you increase the spacing between your rows (say to 40’) you will have more food plot, but less fruit.

The other option is to do as jsasker007 suggest, and just keep your fruit trees separate from your food plot. If you go do this, plant your trees so they get maximum exposure to the sun.

Personally, I just mow beneath my fruit trees. I don’t plant anything special, and I don’t spray. 12 months of the year, I have deer feeding on the whatever grows naturally on mowed ground beneath the trees. No matter how you proceed with your food plot / orchard, be sure to keep us posted. If you find the right formula, you’ll have all plenty of company doing the same thing - or similar!

 

[Catscratch]

I think that over time (years), your food plot with a strips of fruit trees, will morph into an orchard with strips of food plot.

Initially, your opening will be mostly food plot, with strips of trees taking up maybe 6’ or so. However, assuming you disc outside the drip line of your fruit trees, as your trees grow larger, your food plot rows will grow smaller. Let’s say you space your rows 25’ apart. In 10 to 15 years, your food plot strips will be much narrower, but you will have a wealth of fruit. If you increase the spacing between your rows (say to 40’) you will have more food plot, but less fruit.

The other option is to do as jsasker007 suggest, and just keep your fruit trees separate from your food plot. If you go do this, plant your trees so they get maximum exposure to the sun.

Personally, I just mow beneath my fruit trees. I don’t plant anything special, and I don’t spray. 12 months of the year, I have deer feeding on the whatever grows naturally on mowed ground beneath the trees. No matter how you proceed with your food plot / orchard, be sure to keep us posted. If you find the right formula, you’ll have all plenty of company doing the same thing - or similar!

I could see that happening. If I lived in a mostly wooded area I would use the time it takes for fruit trees to outgrow the plot to clear for more plots. Eventually your woods would be replaced with fruit orchard. Since I live in a see of grass/pasture I'm fine with orchard, it's actually nice cover to have a tree or two.

 

[Native Hunter]

I do it, but try to keep them out of the way. Despite that, I've messed up twice and hung a bushhog into a cage. If you've not seen a fruit tree that has had a cage pulled over it for its entire length.......let me just say.....it ain't pretty......

 

[BuckSnort]

I have 1 apple tree in the middle of our food plot and it is a scrape MAGNET! Last year, there were 4 different ones under this tree. We tied a clearcut into the food plot, my plan is to plant apple trees along the outer edge. We don’t till deep but I still am careful to work around the tree so I don’t damage the root system.

 

[willy]

I have 1 apple tree in the middle of our food plot and it is a scrape MAGNET!

Bucksnort, good point, the scrape opportunities are incredible. I always leave a branch on the trees in the plots to grow within reach of deer to browse and lick. It has made for great trail cam placements and buck visits.

 

[Chainsaw]

A great food plot here draws a lot of deer. An apple grove here of fifteen or so apple trees draws a lot of deer. A drainage here is a hot spot for deer. Extra thick cover here draws a lot of deer. Put all four together and most of the mature bucks in the area here will be THERE often during daylight hours. So splitting a food plot up with an apple orchard bordering a drainage surrounded by heavy cover is a grand slam every time. A little extra effort in maintaining it all is nothing compared to the extra special moments created.

 

[buckdeer1]

I have 15 fruit trees in my 4 acre plot and I will thin a few this year by moving to another location but you can't hardly work ground under the limbs so if you are outside limbs no issues

 

[Tree Spud]

Question, planning on getting some crab apple trees and was wondering everyone's thoughts about where to plant. Obviously the most sunlight would best and to achieve that I think I would have to plant in the middle of my little woodland plot.

My concern as because this is an active foodplot, even if I put the trees in a four foot wide cage to protect them, would they still experience root damage is the plot needed to be disced in the future. I don't use a tiller, as my ground is too full of rocks and roots. However, every couple of years I do disc it under to kill off and weeds and to incorporate lime and fertilizer before I plant.

Just don't want to go through the hassle of planting them and caring for them to have them damaged down the line. Not sure how wide a circle around the tree would be safe.

Option B would be to plant along the edge of the plot for more safety but a little less sun. This is a maybe 1/4 acre food plot in a mature forest on the side of a slight hill.

Thanks in advacne

You have conflicting objectives with food plot vs fruit tree. Both competing for water/nutrients with different soil structure & care needs.

What is missing from your food plot that you think the fruit trees will replace?

I would consider the crab tree planting based on the apple maturity,hang & drop date different than the food plot. In other words ... you have spring, summer, fall, & late season food & potential deer/hunting needs ... you can't meet all of those goals in one plot.

If I had a 1/4 acre food plot in the forest, I wouldn't waste time on crabapples, you need a minimum of 6-7 hours of sunlight and then lots of pollinator flowers, shrubs, etc for any fruit tree production.

 

[yoderjac]

Question, planning on getting some crab apple trees and was wondering everyone's thoughts about where to plant. Obviously the most sunlight would best and to achieve that I think I would have to plant in the middle of my little woodland plot.

My concern as because this is an active foodplot, even if I put the trees in a four foot wide cage to protect them, would they still experience root damage is the plot needed to be disced in the future. I don't use a tiller, as my ground is too full of rocks and roots. However, every couple of years I do disc it under to kill off and weeds and to incorporate lime and fertilizer before I plant.

Just don't want to go through the hassle of planting them and caring for them to have them damaged down the line. Not sure how wide a circle around the tree would be safe.

Option B would be to plant along the edge of the plot for more safety but a little less sun. This is a maybe 1/4 acre food plot in a mature forest on the side of a slight hill.

Thanks in advacne

With small food plots, I like to plant trees along the non-southern edge. Trees that need the most sun go on the northern edge. Trees like chestnuts that like morning sun go on my western side and trees that like afternoon sun but don't need all day get planted on the east.

For large food plots, I like the idea of planting clumps of trees in patches in the plot. Deer seem to use plots earlier when they have a clump of trees in them. I think it gives them just a bit more sense of security.

I've moved to min-till and no-till so discing is not an issue. This is a much more sustainable long term way to plot where the soil health is not degraded by tillage. I use T&M, surface broadcasting, min-till, and a small no-till drill depending on what I'm planting. I like to use clover as the base for small plots with trees.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[BenAllgood]

I don't have experience with it, but I thought I remembered seeing people planting clover in orchards for numerous benefits. Here's one publication about that. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjABegQICxAI&usg=AOvVaw1aIHB91rlYJr8m_ANYoBoS

 

[j-bird]

I pout my fruit trees in my plots simply to make the most of the limited area available. I don't work the soil near the trees simply to avoid harming them. However most on my plots I do this in are perennial in nature so its not a big deal. Just make sure you have room for working between they trees when they are mature.....not just a mower, but a sprayer or the like as well. If you are planting an annual plot in the area of the fruit trees I would leave a section more dedicated to that purpose to reduce the chance of damaging the trees.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

No way I would plant trees in the middle of an annual plot. I would line them on the sunny side edge. Would clear more along that edge if need be. Would maybe consider an orchard with clover as ground cover though. But no tillage. Just my 2 cents

 

[H20fwler]

I use my orchards as food plots, the fruit trees are my #1 priority. After trees are in the ground and protected I plant a clover mix with chicory as ground cover and it all works out pretty good.