Prairie Pit-Stop

trampledbyturtles

5 year old buck +
Figured it was time to open up a land tour,
an welcome in anyone interested in a quick qlimpse aka a pit stop on the prairie.
The fastest shrinking ecosystem on planet. One I have had a passion for my whole life.
It's not much, but trying to do everything I can to make it something.
 
(Reserved for back story)...

Don't have the time currentlly, will edit later.
 
And now to the post that lead to opening up the land tour. Considering I could not find a related tread an realized no one probably gave a darn.

And we have a winner, first out of his 5ft tube, 2nd leaf red oak. Kinda surprised considering my 6.5-7.4 pH soils. Competing against 2 other reds an 3 swamp whites. Believe he was the only one not afflicted by something, i.e. chem drift, double leader completion, tent catipilers or an experimental no tube no weed fabric test which I don't recommend anyone else testing. Not worth it. Ha

Update : 7-7-18
He is still flying out of his tube, not sure what I did during planting or what but he is smoking his compadres.
 

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I tried some reds a number of years ago didnt give them much care. A few hung on for a while, but as you alluded to life on the prairie is harsh and most trees need some babying at least the first few years to even give them a fighting chance. Hopefully I will get some new varieties once I get moved next year and can spend some time babying things.
 
Man I love seeing and reading the land tour threads!
It is so interesting to see all the different habitats people are working with such varied conditions and plant life.

Looking forward to seeing your thread progress Trampled.
 
Yeah kinda surprised myself, have 99% percent burr in the ground. Just got a wild hair to try something different. From talking with the local soil science guys they don't think they will make it. Around year 10-15 the iron chlorisis will finally catch up to them an they will die out, with the rare exception they say.

As far as they know the only old stands of red oak in my area are in sicci hollow.

But I get ya, I can't plant near the number of trees some fellas can. To give them a punchers chance most things I plant get 2 years of pampering (weed mat an water) before they are on their own.

Find the grass tends to overwhelm most others without guidance.
 
While not real practical on a large scale, but I have started experimenting with acidifying (6- 6.5pH) my supplemental water this year. We will see if it makes a difference. Iron chlorisis is a problem here as well. Pretty easy to add water soluble iron into the water as well.
 
Quick update, got the fabric down on the windbreaks on Friday an just in time. Finally caught a break an got .75in of rain last night. First measurable rain over .25 in over a month. Just seem to be missing out this spring. West river is way above average.

Also if anyone can identify an have any info on this fellow I would appreciate it. He is eating my sandbar willow plantings from last year so fast they are struggling to keep up.
 

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Some type of beetle, maybe some type of Rose Chafer Beetle. Plain old Sevin seems to work well for me on them and at least here when you knock the population back once or twice they dont seem to be a problem the rest of the year.
 
Chafers have a short adult lifespan, typically only living for the month of June. They can wreak some havoc during that month though. They've destroyed all my rose and peony blooms, and done lots of damage to a few young chestnut and fruit trees. Worst I've ever seen them this year.

At the end of June, females will lay up to 25 eggs, which will hatch into grubs. The grubs then feed on roots, living in the soil until next June.

Your options are insecticide now to kill them before they can lay eggs, or cultivation in July to kill the eggs and newly hatched larvae. I've got soooo many here, neither option is going to work very well. Lol
 
Keep telling myself a couple more couldn't hurt...

Local CD district had some left overs that I felt needed a home.

25 Red-dogs, replacing a portion of my spring planting that straight up leafed out an died.
22 juneberry, these r for me, wanna see what kind of wine they will churn out.
15 ninebark, planted right next to a stand in my experimental shrub planting spot.
4 raspberry, again for me

If we had not experienced a massive cool down the past week with an inch an a half of rain I wouldn't have pulled the trigger. None the less I couldn't resist.

Took 3 hrs after work but they are in the ground. Praying for the rain they r calling for.
 

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Up an down day so far.

Down:
Planned on spraying the plot at first light, but woke up to dark clouds an a forecast calling for rain, which I would gladly take. But like clockwork it's been a bust with only a a few drops here an there.

Up:
Decided to hang a stand in a new spot, trying out the milenium 150 monster. Honestly puts all my other stands to shame from my initial observations. Still using some my dad made back the 80's

Down:
Open the box for the new tree steps from rivers edge treestand. Only one step had a strap, not impressed. Lesson learned, check all new stuff before heading out to the field. Waste of a trip to the farm an half a day...
 

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^^^ That's no fun. I hope your new plantings make it.
 
Got a bit of work done today.
Made the rounds with the water wagon.
Got the cages up around the raspberry patch im putting in.
Got in a couple mock scrapes with grape vine licking branches.

Also, the work last year on the old orchard is paying dividends. Fert, water, weed fabric, an spray has resulted in the first fruit the tree has thrown. Trees are around 8 years old. Decent crop, excited to try one. No idea of the variety.
 

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Looking good!

What is that clipped up in the top of your apple tree? Some kind of a bug trap?
 
Limb training weight.

In the process of overhauling the old orchard. Giving them what will be their second haircut next spring. Started training some of the upper laterals for better growth angles.
 
Starting to wrap up some loose ends here with August fast approaching.

Got the primer N paint down on Dads blind.
The MG surrounding it is coming up but slowly. Don't think it liked the hot dry spring we had. Cant wait to see what it looks like in 3 years when the grass is fully grown.

Plan to finish it this morning with camo see through window tint this morning.

Update: 7-8-18

Got the screens in, made a big difference.
Think he will like it.
 

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Forgot to add

Put in a water hole about a week back in a shady summer hang out spot for when the grass just gets to hot during midday. Happy to see the fawns r loving it. Surrounded by litte bitty tracks.
 

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Needed a way to hunt a north east wind, an without any decent trees to put a treestand in, decided I would try a tripod out. Got a big game tripod from cabelas. 117 on sale an using a few saved cabelas bucks. Thing seems built decent, instructions were easy enough. Only complaint would be the size of the deck plate. Pretty tight fit, might have to shoot from a sitting position. Left the gun rail off. Think it blends in decent enough.

Had to quit at noon an hit the lake, to dang hot.

Also updated a few of the above posts with new pics.
 

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Quick update from the prairie.
Figured I'd toss up some Apple pics.

Happy with how my 6 second leaf Macintosh are shaping up. Adding good caliper with appropriate height. No rust, just a few flecks of scab.

1 leaf honeycrisp, very clean looking, growing into a monster already.

1 leaf prairie fire crabapple, for the birds an pollination. Located between 2 orchards about 120ft apart.

Finally any ideas on what Apple variety this guy might be? Know its not much to go off.
Guessing it might be fireside, not sure. Needs at least a couple more weeks to fully ripen.
 

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