Screen a gravel road

[Snowshoe Acres]

One of my most productive hunting spots is a field with soybean or corn situated on a gravel road, the opposite side adjoins hundreds of acres of forest. I would like to screen it so that the deer use it even more. The county mows and sprays the ditch. I can’t plant trees because the power line runs along the road. I could ask the county to stop spraying the ditch, allowing me to grow something, but that takes time to get planted and grow. I also have the issue of the farmer over spraying herbicides. Currently the ditch grows poison ivy, lots of it! What have you used for screening? I am looking for a cost effective solution that is easy to install. Would love to see some pictures if anyone has some.

 

[Bill]

Miscanthus giganteus
But you may have to get after the sprayers to not over spray. And or tell the farmer you need a 10 foot buffer.

Notice the power lines overhead.




https://mapleriverfarms.com or Don Higgins.

 

[Snowshoe Acres]

Miscanthus giganteus
But you may have to get after the sprayers to not over spray. And or tell the farmer you need a 10 foot buffer.

Notice the power lines overhead.

View attachment 39203


https://mapleriverfarms.com or Don Higgins.

Bill, thank you, I will investigate. If I could duplicate that I would be delighted. Our property sits in the center of Minnesota, so it needs to be hardy.

 

[LoneRooster]

I think we are too far north (Zone 3B) for MG unfortunately Bill...would love to hear from other northerners on the forum though. I seem to recall a few Wisconsin guys trying MG out but to no avail.

 

[Bill]

Yeah I’ve read zones 4 to 9. I should have asked where before answering.

John is in 4a and has some that are 10 years old so they can survive there.

 

[buckdeer1]

Find out from the county or electric company how wide the utility easement is and plant past it

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I'm just south of you guys on the 3b/4a line. Have a very similar sounding situation with my main field being wide open and up against the road.

My plan for screening to get started this year:
1. start a long term permanent solution - norway spruce
2. plant a line of hybrid willow cuttings parallel to the spruce that will hopefully help by 2023 although not a full wall especially after leaves drop
3. Plant northwoods whitetail hybrid sorghum annual screen further inside from the trees. This will cover some access routes as well.

 

[NT179]

I live across from minnesota in the rainy river district. I know our ag research center has mg growing, i am thinking its about 5 feet tall. No idea how old it is.

 

[Brian662]

I'm going to put a two row screen along my ag field adjacent to the gravel road this spring. After talking with Tom from Big Rock Trees, we decided to go with silky willow cuttings for the first row and hybrid willow trees for the second cutting.
The silky willow should get 10-12' tall and if the power company mows them off (the power line will be under about 20' of my screening) they will grow back. The silky willow will also hold leaves until early December. These cuttings will be planted 4' apart.
The hybrid willow will grow 4-6' per year and be the second row of screening. They will be planted 6' apart.

Neither species is invasive and the NRCS has a pdf on the silky willow which you can find on Big Rocks website.

I've got the items mostly priced out and to do 500' with a weed mat will cost me around $1,000.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I'm going to put a two row screen along my ag field adjacent to the gravel road this spring. After talking with Tom from Big Rock Trees, we decided to go with silky willow cuttings for the first row and hybrid willow trees for the second cutting.
The silky willow should get 10-12' tall and if the power company mows them off (the power line will be under about 20' of my screening) they will grow back. The silky willow will also hold leaves until early December. These cuttings will be planted 4' apart.
The hybrid willow will grow 4-6' per year and be the second row of screening. They will be planted 6' apart.

Neither species is invasive and the NRCS has a pdf on the silky willow which you can find on Big Rocks website.

I've got the items mostly priced out and to do 500' with a weed mat will cost me around $1,000.

Did they say how tall the silky typically gets first year on a spring planting?

 

[Brian662]

Did they say how tall the silky typically gets first year on a spring planting?

He said it takes 3-5 years to reach maturity, but I didn't ask specifically how much growth per year on the silky.