Trees/Shrubs by seed?

[Catscratch]

I've done a lot of plants by seed in pots for transplant. I start them in the winter and grow them until transplanting in the fall. Great success doing this but it's quite a bit of work for a relatively small amount of return. I have about 20 acres I would like to thicken up by just planting seeds. I know oaks are difficult without protection as everything wants to eat acorns and seedlings. But what about other seeds? I would like to plant; Red Mulberry, ChokeCherry, and American Plum. They are all three native so I know they can grow here. Have any of you guys done mass seedings of tree/shrubs like this? I do not plan any protection what-so-ever.

 

[JJOSU9]

You can propogate black choke cherry with cuttings. They root very easily.

 

[trampledbyturtles]

Yeah, in the process of trying.
Dad makes A. plum wine every year.

I save all the pits in a ice cream pail over winter. Then just stick them in the ground in the spring when things soften up. So far have not noticed much. Think for the most part grass smothers them out. But if only 5% make it, it should help thicken up the the A plum hedge row, it's starting to show a bit of age an thining a bit.

 

[Native Hunter]

Catscratch, I was just noticing this fall how many volunteer plants that are coming up on my place from the seed of species I planted. To the best of my knowledge, none of these were there before I planted them and now the fence rows are starting to come alive with shrubs like Witch Hazel, Arrowwood Viburnum, Red Osier, Elderberry, Hazelnuts and probably others I'm not thinking of right now.

When they come up on their own like that, you will see some browsing, but most will just keep growing and not be adversely affected. I noticed that many of the Arrowwwods that have come up were browsed really hard, but it isn't hurting them.

 

[Catscratch]

Yeah, in the process of trying.
Dad makes A. plum wine every year.

I save all the pits in a ice cream pail over winter. Then just stick them in the ground in the spring when things soften up. So far have not noticed much. Think for the most part grass smothers them out. But if only 5% make it, it should help thicken up the the A plum hedge row, it's starting to show a bit of age an thining a bit.

I've been doing the same thing but not seeing much for results and don't have access to the native seed on my place for my plans of 20 acres. Good luck to ya!

 

[Catscratch]

Catscratch, I was just noticing this fall how many volunteer plants that are coming up on my place from the seed of species I planted. To the best of my knowledge, none of these were there before I planted them and now the fence rows are starting to come alive with shrubs like Witch Hazel, Arrowwood Viburnum, Red Osier, Elderberry, Hazelnuts and probably others I'm not thinking of right now.

When they come up on their own like that, you will see some browsing, but most will just keep growing and not be adversely affected. I noticed that many of the Arrowwwods that have come up were browsed really hard, but it isn't hurting them.

It's good to know that you have had success and the plants are propagating themselves. I would love to get this started and see it take off. This is also why I want to stick to mostly natives. I fight invasives a lot and don't want another to battle.

 

[Catscratch]

Here's my actual plan...
-Put cattle on the pasture early spring and graze it down very low.
-Throw out seed for the trees and shrubs I listed above, as well as some red and arrowhead clovers.
-Cube the cattle on the seed strips to stomp the seed into the soil.
-Remove the cattle for the spring and summer to give things a chance to grow. They could be returned if I thought it would benefit the plantings but I imagine brushhoging would be a better option if natives start out-competing the seeding.

Comments or ideas?

 

[KDdid]

I’m pitching a lot of nuts,seeds and berries into the edges of my warm season grasses, and I’ve started to see black cherry, elderberry, red osier dogwood, maples, and mulberries popping up there. As they take over I plan to Bush-hog them in 2-3 year cycles to set them back and keep the cover and browse in the reach of deer. I’m also sticking dogwood, willow, and elderberry cuttings in every wet spot I have, last year I did several hundred of each, and by summer’s end about 50-75% had survived. We had an excellent spring/summer rainfall wise, which helped.


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[Native Hunter]

I forgot to mention that I've had some Chinese Chestnut sprouts to emerge close to the trees. Not many, but a few, and I dug them and transplanted them to different locations.

 

[MojoRisin]

I’m pitching a lot of nuts,seeds and berries into the edges of my warm season grasses, and I’ve started to see black cherry, elderberry, red osier dogwood, maples, and mulberries popping up there. As they take over I plan to Bush-hog them in 2-3 year cycles to set them back and keep the cover and browse in the reach of deer. I’m also sticking dogwood, willow, and elderberry cuttings in every wet spot I have, last year I did several hundred of each, and by summer’s end about 50-75% had survived. We had an excellent spring/summer rainfall wise, which helped.

Can you explain the process of planting cuttings. Are these just cut branches from a mature plant that gets placed in the dirt? Can one buy cuttings in larger amounts? I had an opening on my land created and it is fairly wet but I need some growth in there so the deer will use it. I would love some natural browse.

 

[KDdid]

The three species I mentioned all will root readily, without the addition of rooting hormone, provided that they are kept sufficiently damp. I have plenty of all three on my farm, mostly along the creeks. I cut the whips with a set of pruners, and shoved them as deeply as I could into the ground-I used a 24” masonry bit on a cordless drill to make pilot holes in my heavy clay soils. I sprayed around the cuttings to control weed/grass competition, but didn’t mulch or cage them.


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[Bill]

Can you explain the process of planting cuttings. Are these just cut branches from a mature plant that gets placed in the dirt? Can one buy cuttings in larger amounts? I had an opening on my land created and it is fairly wet but I need some growth in there so the deer will use it. I would love some natural browse.

Check this thread.
http://habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/harvest-your-own-cuttings.4986/

Poke and Hope usually doesn’t work for me with cuttings. A little weed barrier goes a long way.