Spraying food plots with fruit trees

[Mattyq2402]

How do you all recommend spraying a food plot with fruit trees established in the plot. Also should I keep a tiller away from trees? How far away? My trees are 30 feet apart and cover about a quarter acre, should I just not plant this portion of field?

 

[Mortenson]

That's probably what I'd do. Not worth the risk with the time and expense involved in fruit trees.

 

[Kooch]

I spot spray with glyphosate on a calm day and shove pumpkin seeds in the ground where I spray. Then I pray for rain and warm weather.

So far I haven’t killed any trees. But I’ve only been at it three years.


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[Telemark]

Probably better to just spot spray as needed, keeping an eye out for root suckers. Adjust the nozzle to spray larger droplets, which are unlikely to drift on a calm day.

I would avoid tilling near them.

 

[Mattyq2402]

I do have some nutsedge trying to populate around this plot so we have to deal with it, spot spray it is. Thanks!

If I broadcast clover seed into poor existing frost seed in this area would it possibly take without having the ground worked?

 

[Prof.Kent]

"If I broadcast clover seed into poor existing frost seed in this area would it possibly take without having the ground worked?"
That's a good idea. Or just mow under trees to stunt the grass.

 

[Native Hunter]

Don’t till near the trees. A member here posted recently where that caused him a real problem. Maybe he will see this thread.

 

[Bassattackr]

If I broadcast clover seed into poor existing frost seed in this area would it possibly take without having the ground worked?

Yep, sure will. Personally, I would go this route. Could either establish now by planting with rye, oats or just frost seed the clover alone this winter.

Either way you choose, the area in and around young tree orchards makes a great perennial clover spot.

I’m actually establishing a strip of perennial clover along a tree line tomorrow by broadcasting it with cereal rye (not ryegrass!).

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I do a little of everything in my orchard plots. I will run a drag a couple passes through the middle, staying away from trees, I will spray clethodium for grasses, I will hoe the thistle, and other undesirables, I will mow what and what I can. I plant clover thick, and plant winter rye every fall. My orchards are suppose to be a thick clover field, but it is usually a mix, and it is always been a work in progress. I have about 3/4 acre area with 20 trees. The trees are anywhere from 1 year to 8 years. In my area the bear ween out the weak trees, and prune them ugly. I also try to keep the ph, and the fertilizer where it is suppose to be. It helps with a lot of the undesirables as well.

 

[cavey]

You can use a wick boom for killing weeds around your trees in the food plot if you dont want the spray and over drift .... or lay towels over your booms and get them saturated, letting them drag across the weeds ... works on the taller weeds.... just another option....

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Don’t till near the trees. A member here posted recently where that caused him a real problem. Maybe he will see this thread.

That might have been me, Native. We lost a bunch of apple trees some years ago - back in the 90's - that were growing well. Some members plowed and disked between the tree rows to plant soybeans & clover. The plows and disks got to within 4 or 5 feet of the apple trees and we lost many of them. After some research, we found out that feeder roots for apple trees can go out 20 feet from the tree itself - so we had our answer. No Round-up or other weed spray was used around those trees, so the cultivation was the cause.

In our latest (since 2013) apple & crab plantings, we haven't allowed ANY cultivation near the apple trees and haven't lost one in that orchard. We just have grass growing in the main orchard now, and keep it mowed to help keep mice and voles visible to hawks, owls, foxes, bobcats, etc. Lesson learned.

 

[Native Hunter]

That might have been me, Native. We lost a bunch of apple trees some years ago - back in the 90's - that were growing well. Some members plowed and disked between the tree rows to plant soybeans & clover. The plows and disks got to within 4 or 5 feet of the apple trees and we lost many of them. After some research, we found out that feeder roots for apple trees can go out 20 feet from the tree itself - so we had our answer. No Round-up or other weed spray was used around those trees, so the cultivation was the cause.

In our latest (since 2013) apple & crab plantings, we haven't allowed ANY cultivation near the apple trees and haven't lost one in that orchard. We just have grass growing in the main orchard now, and keep it mowed to help keep mice and voles visible to hawks, owls, foxes, bobcats, etc. Lesson learned.

Yes, it was you. Thanks for sharing your observations.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Yes, it was you. Thanks for sharing your observations.

No problem. Just don't want anyone else to make the same disastrous mistake. Starting from scratch is no fun!!

 

[TreeDaddy]

No problem. Just don't want anyone else to make the same disastrous mistake. Starting from scratch is no fun!!

And that is why I get so much from this forum

Thanks for the lesson,Bows

bill

 

[Mattyq2402]

Good to know! What and how do you guys plant in and around your trees? Any recommendations that have been successful.

 

[j-bird]

I control most of mine with mowing and spot spraying. Tillage near trees is asking for trouble. Usually once or twice a year I will attack my orchard with my clearing saw/super duty weedwacker. I have found that deer like to eat young growing weeds. Overseed clover seed all you want...what grows, grows. If you toss out some cereal grains in the late summer like oats, wheat or rye those may grow as well for you. Biggest issue I see with spraying is catching the booms on trees and cages...it doesn't end well. Any trouble spots are best treated with spot spraying. You just can't keep your head on a swivel enough and sooner or later you mangle a few cages, kill a few trees and F-up your sprayer a time or two and you will stick with mowing and spot spraying....

 

[buckdeer1]

Gly doesn't drift much and spraying has never caused me any issues,As far as tilling no I wouldn't plow next to the trunk but you could till an inch deep 3ft from tree and plant clover or spray and frost seed

 

[TreeDaddy]

I control most of mine with mowing and spot spraying. Tillage near trees is asking for trouble. Usually once or twice a year I will attack my orchard with my clearing saw/super duty weedwacker. I have found that deer like to eat young growing weeds. Overseed clover seed all you want...what grows, grows. If you toss out some cereal grains in the late summer like oats, wheat or rye those may grow as well for you. Biggest issue I see with spraying is catching the booms on trees and cages...it doesn't end well. Any trouble spots are best treated with spot spraying. You just can't keep your head on a swivel enough and sooner or later you mangle a few cages, kill a few trees and F-up your sprayer a time or two and you will stick with mowing and spot spraying....

You should see my cage graveyard........

bill

 

[Apple Junkie]

My routine is similar to j-birds, but on a smaller scale. I have found just mowing between the trees, and hitting the area inside my cages with round-up works best for me. That said, I have found that simply frost seeding clover mixes into the existing weed/grass cover can yield some benefit as the clover does become a noticeable portion of the “salad”. I guess what I end up with is more of a tasty smorgasbord than a true food plot.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

I have a bunch of pear trees (I think 9) planted below a grass strip that is overrun with briars, canary grass and poison ivy...is there anything I can do short of nuking the whole space and killing the trees that will get rid of all that stuff....its probably 80% poison ivy and briars with some canary grass and other thick grasses sprinkled in..would like to keep the pear trees as they are older and producing tons of fruit this year...thanks!