Which method is better for establishing early successional plant communities

[BenAllgood]

In this photo, can you tell which half was planted into pollinators vs not planted? Just a quick glance, you would assume the one with all the pretty flowers was planted. But, it's the opposite. The left side was a fall planted food plot last year of crimson clover, radish, and turnips. Red clover was frost seeded. It was disked in the fall. No maintenance was done after frost seeding. The right side was sprayed twice with glyphosate and planted into a pollinator blend early this summer. That side is almost all foxtail with a few pollinator species coming up. Makes you wonder if it might just be better to not plant early successional plants.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Some perennials take longer to flower than others, so it will probably look a lot different next year. Lots of the CRP fields around us look really poor the first year, then really look great a couple years later.

I agree though that your left side looks really good in that picture.

 

[Bassattackr]

Disking exposed the native seed bank, and brought the sunlight to the soil again.

Very neat.

 

[BenAllgood]

Disking exposed the native seed bank, and brought the sunlight to the soil again.

Very neat.

Yep. Dr. Harper talks about not needing to plant in some cases. Like you said, soil disturbance exposed what was laying beneath. Spraying alone did nothing but allow some non-natives to rear their heads. Things like foxtail, johnsongrass, and yellow nutsedge took advantage of that. Dormant season disking is a real benefit in some cases like this. I don't doubt I'll have some of my planted species come up. It's just more expensive and perhaps not needed for my goals.

 

[Bassattackr]

Yep. Dr. Harper talks about not needing to plant in some cases. Like you said, soil disturbance exposed what was laying beneath. Spraying alone did nothing but allow some non-natives to rear their heads. Things like foxtail, johnsongrass, and yellow nutsedge took advantage of that. Dormant season disking is a real benefit in some cases like this. I don't doubt I'll have some of my planted species come up. It's just more expensive and perhaps not needed for my goals.

We do this along edge feathered sections of the field to increase the edge. Beyond foxtail, we get quite a bit of giant ragweed as well. 6' tall cover in one season!

 

[TreeDaddy]

We do this along edge feathered sections of the field to increase the edge. Beyond foxtail, we get quite a bit of giant ragweed as well. 6' tall cover in one season!

.......works well for me too while it stands

mine tend to fall over late summer and cause a noxious rash on contact

common ragweed gets browsed pretty well here

bill

 

[Bassattackr]

.......works well for me too while it stands

mine tend to fall over late summer and cause a noxious rash on contact

common ragweed gets browsed pretty well here

bill

Interesting.. my ragweed stands thru winter typically. Even with snow. Some browse here and there, we just have so much of it. Pic about a month ago, I'll have to dig and see if I have any winter pics somewhere..



Foxtail on the other hand folds like a cheap suit at the first sign of a wet snow.