Pollinator plantings

[Double Creek]

I'm considering planting 1/2 an acre or so of one of the Roundstone Seed conservation pollinator mixes. What has been your experiences with these types of plantings? Are the truly perennial and has it been worth the cost? This would not be any type of conservation program, just on my own dime.

 

[somich]

I'm considering planting 1/2 an acre or so of one of the Roundstone Seed conservation pollinator mixes. What has been your experiences with these types of plantings? Are the truly perennial and has it been worth the cost? This would not be any type of conservation program, just on my own dime.

Ours was a program so we had mandates.

We've done roadside and it wasn't successful, mainly because we didn't spray kill, then till, allowsome seed bank regrowth, spray, till, allow regrowth. You get the idea.

Our program was47 acres and 3 years of prep wasn't enough to prevent weeds.

Do it, with half an acre you'll be able to do a lot of removal of unwanted plants.

I'd also suggest a weed wand for unwanted plants.

 

[marlin]

I'm considering planting 1/2 an acre or so of one of the Roundstone Seed conservation pollinator mixes. What has been your experiences with these types of plantings? Are the truly perennial and has it been worth the cost? This would not be any type of conservation program, just on my own dime.

One of the members on here has an excellent thread on pollinator planting. It’s called. Take a walk with me through the prairie. I’ll bring it up as a current thread.

 

[Native Hunter]

Here you go:

Thread 'Take a walk with me through the prairie'

Jun 21, 2020

First of all, this is not a property tour thread. It about plants that grow in a prairie. Most of you are aware that I manage roughly 60 acres of NWSGs and forbs on my farm. I'm going to start a thread using some old pictures, pictures I took this spring, and some pictures I plan to take through this year to show some of the various plants (both good and bad) that grow there.

I will add new pictures and verbiage every few days off and on as time allows. Feel free to interject your own thoughts as well.

The focus of this thread will be:

• The pictures and identifying features of...

• Native Hunter
• Replies: 237
• Forum: Native Habitat

• 

 

[SwampCat]

I planted about four or five acres. Seed and herbicide provided by our Game and Fish. Took one year to prep. Sprayed the ground about three times. Sprayed twice following spring and lightly disked. Spread seed. Not much the first year. Started seeing some plants the second year. Third year really burst forth. Mostly spring and summer blooming plants. Not a lot of fall bloomers.

 

[marlin]

I planted about four or five acres. Seed and herbicide provided by our Game and Fish. Took one year to prep. Sprayed the ground about three times. Sprayed twice following spring and lightly disked. Spread seed. Not much the first year. Started seeing some plants the second year. Third year really burst forth. Mostly spring and summer blooming plants. Not a lot of fall bloomers.

Some good information here. I established 7 acres with the Bee & Butterfly Habitat program. They held my hand through the whole process. The words I kept hearing were patience and persistence It’s a process. I believe it’s the most beneficial and rewarding habitat work that has been done to this property.

 

[marlin]

Year one after two years of prep. So disappointed almost all weeds.

Year 2. almost all weeds gone and perennials are starting to show their colors. Some areas better than others, but really looking forward to this year.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I found that Pheasants Forever was a little more diverse of a mix than anything that was available through traditional seed sources, and they tended to be near the same price. For a relatively small area I would actually just plant them via seed vs terminating existing cover and then seeing what comes cup from the seed bank.

Make sure everything is dead for several growing months before planting. You don't have to use one, but a drill is more effective for establishment compared to frost seeding. For the size of area you are talking, you could also just grow some out in pots as an insurance policy. I did that because I wanted to learn more about the plants and there were some I wanted but couldn't get in the mixes. Attached are the ones I grew this spring and will plug into my pollinator areas in a few weeks'

 

[SwampCat]

My pollinator field last year. It is just now starting to bloom this year. The fall bloom is really weak - mostly natives that were already there. I wish I would have bush hogged last fall. I may spray cleth this year to try and stay ahead of the grass. I am going to have to take care of some persimmon and honey locust sprouts

 

[somich]

View attachment 92028

My pollinator field last year. It is just now starting to bloom this year. The fall bloom is really weak - mostly natives that were already there. I wish I would have bush hogged last fall. I may spray cleth this year to try and stay ahead of the grass. I am going to have to take care of some persimmon and honey locust sprouts

We're doing a cleth spray right now. Hoping it will knock down the cool season grasses to give pheasant/pollinator plants to get a better start to this spring.

God knows we've had enough rain for awhile. Hasn't rained for 2 days, so we're forecast for another 1.5" tonight. Then a few more days of no rain to finish spraying.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Yarrow, asters, and goldenrod are late summer / fall bloomers. Joe Pye weed for moister areas. All attract pollinators.

 

[TreeDaddy]

View attachment 92028

My pollinator field last year. It is just now starting to bloom this year. The fall bloom is really weak - mostly natives that were already there. I wish I would have bush hogged last fall. I may spray cleth this year to try and stay ahead of the grass. I am going to have to take care of some persimmon and honey locust sprouts

SwampCat,

Now, you're just showing off

thanks

bill

 

[Fryguy]

I went with bee and butterfly habitat also. Seeded in winter of 24. Had a decent looking stand last summer and mowed it down again. Sprayed clethodim on it a couple weeks ago. Im anxious to see it this year. Should start looking pretty good. And yes....patience

 

[Double Creek]

Thanks for the info and links. I’ll think I’ll try a small area and see how it does on my land before I commit a lot of acreage

 

[Lee Haakenson]

Some good information here. I established 7 acres with the Bee & Butterfly Habitat program. They held my hand through the whole process. The words I kept hearing were patience and persistence It’s a process. I believe it’s the most beneficial and rewarding habitat work that has been done to this property.

I just did 3 acres through them as well

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[Lee Haakenson]

I went with bee and butterfly habitat also. Seeded in winter of 24. Had a decent looking stand last summer and mowed it down again. Sprayed clethodim on it a couple weeks ago. Im anxious to see it this year. Should start looking pretty good. And yes....patience

Was clothes their recommendation? I know the mix i got from them had a few grasses in them

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[Fryguy]

Yea it was. I converted an old pasture and had alot more cool season grasses coming back in this spring than I wanted. So I emailed them about spraying cleth to get em out of there. She said absolutely and even sent a video link about doing that very same spraying

 

[Telemark]

I'm doing a native flowering forb plot, with a low rate of grasses. I ordered a bunch of forbs that are good for deer and small game, to which I will add grasses at a rate of about 2 lbs per acre. I don't have wild game birds in the area, so my mix is focused on deer and rabbits.

If I had game birds, I would probably choose a mix geared toward them and then juice it with some forbs foor deer. The area is several acres, but I am starting small to see how it goes.

Plan is to mow, spray, harrow, repeat. Then broadcast the seeds and harrow once more. Then I'll just leave it until next year when I return to spot spray invasives (honeysuckle and Callery pear).