What to plant in apple tree plot?

[4wanderingeyes]

I started off with a 3/4 acre food plot, then decided to add a couple apple trees to it, now it is more an orchard then a food plot. I would like to compliment the apple trees with some food plot that will help the apple trees. I have been planting turnips and radishes on the 4th of July, with winter rye broadcasted on Labor Day. This way the winter rye comes back in the spring. But with 20 trees planted on that 3/4 acre, it is getting a little tight to disc things up, and spraying is too risky around the trees. I don't want to plant something to draw in rodents, so I am not sure what to plant in it? I was thinking clover, but I have a clover plot less then 50 yards away. I was just wondering what others plant in your orchards? This is in NW Wisconsin, zone 3b.


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[Duck Creek]

I would make my orchard plot a clover/chickory mix. Then all you have to do is mow it. As for your current clover plot I would convert it into a brassica plot once it reaches 3 to 4 years old. The following spring you would have a new slate and could plant what ever in it. I really like a RR soybean plot and then over seeding them with winter rye in September.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

4wanderingeyes - We have just grass planted in our orchard areas. Easy to mow, easy to spray for bugs ( no bees hurt - like in clover perhaps ). We don't disk or cultivate near our apple trees to protect root systems. We have other food plots right next to some of our trees, so deer can just take several steps for clover, BW, turnips, etc.

 

[H20fwler]

In my big orchard I have chicory and ladino clover along with some grass. Deer are in it every night browsing and will bed in it all the time if I stay away from it.