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Osage orange trees

I believe the theme of this thread was eradicating hedge trees, but I would love to plant some. I have hedgerows in my blood and want to do my part in replacing a small percentage of the miles that bored farmers have removed.

Has anyone done this? How did the old timers do them? bare roots, or just make a trench and plant the hedge apples in it?
 
I picked up some osage oranges, cut them in pieces and buried them on a grassy ridge. That was fall of 2024, haven't been back to look at them. Planted a handful of acorns and chestnuts in the same line.

I've read that some people made a slurry of oranges and dumped them in a trench. Seems laborious to me but bet it works.
 
JNRBRONC said:
I picked up some osage oranges, cut them in pieces and buried them on a grassy ridge. That was fall of 2024, haven't been back to look at them. Planted a handful of acorns and chestnuts in the same line.

I've read that some people made a slurry of oranges and dumped them in a trench. Seems laborious to me but bet it works.
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I'm thinking that's one of those that has to pass thru the digestive system of a bird or animal to be viable. I would be curious tho!
 
If I had a hedge thicket such as you describe:

1. Remove the locusts, except for any that are thornless.
2. Smoke all the honeysuckle to be found.
3. If any hedge can be cut and sold as fenceposts and left to resprout.
 
Snail3496 said:
I believe the theme of this thread was eradicating hedge trees, but I would love to plant some. I have hedgerows in my blood and want to do my part in replacing a small percentage of the miles that bored farmers have removed.

Has anyone done this? How did the old timers do them? bare roots, or just make a trench and plant the hedge apples in it?
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My grandpa told me back in the day some farmers threw hedge balls in a grinder/mixer and drove down a shallow plow furrow to plant them.

1983 - the hedge seeds do not have to go through a bird or animal to be scarified. I have a small hedge row by my house that I lawn mow under and they sprout right from the rotted down hedge balls. I do think the seeds can make it through a cows digestive system based on how they spread across a pasture.

From my experience in my pasture they grow pretty easy.
 
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Muskrat24 said:
My grandpa told me back in the day some farmers through hedge balls in a grinder/mixer and drove down a shallow plow furrow to plant them.

1983 - the hedge seeds do not have to go through a bird or animal to be scarified. I have a small hedge row by my house that I lawn mow under and they sprout right from the rotted down hedge balls. I do think the seeds can make it through a cows digestive system based on how they spread across a pasture.

From my experience in my pasture they grow pretty easy.
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That makes sense. They certainly weren't planing bare roots from a nursery, so was wondering if that wasn't how they got established. Going to try it.

Do they grow fairly quick? I can't recall ever seeing a young one to observe, just the 100yo ones that already exist
 
Snail3496 said:
That makes sense. They certainly weren't planing bare roots from a nursery, so was wondering if that wasn't how they got established. Going to try it.

Do they grow fairly quick? I can't recall ever seeing a young one to observe, just the 100yo ones that already exist
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Quick would be relative to expectations. LOL. IMO when keeping them out of cattle pastures yes they grow quick but as far as expectations for growing cover I’d say averages foot per year for the first10-15 years (approximately of course). In the wide open without much competition or pruning they grow out as well as up.
 
JNRBRONC said:
I picked up some osage oranges, cut them in pieces and buried them on a grassy ridge. That was fall of 2024, haven't been back to look at them. Planted a handful of acorns and chestnuts in the same line.

I've read that some people made a slurry of oranges and dumped them in a trench. Seems laborious to me but bet it works.
Click to expand...
Apparently cattle farmers would make the slurry and pour it into trenches and in 5 years have an osage fence cattle stayed inside of.
 
Southern Iowa, Northern Missouri have a advantage for deer hunters in that cover left untouched becomes a jungle in X amount of years.

In Minnesota for example … you have to plant something, a lot of old pasture in your regions blows up with hedge, cedar, shingle oaks and more… all great cover.

Some invasive too… but it’s definitely an advantage to a landowner who wants to add cover to the farm !
 
Hardwood11 said:
Southern Iowa, Northern Missouri have a advantage for deer hunters in that cover left untouched becomes a jungle in X amount of years.

In Minnesota for example … you have to plant something, a lot of old pasture in your regions blows up with hedge, cedar, shingle oaks and more… all great cover.

Some invasive too… but it’s definitely an advantage to a landowner who wants to add cover to the farm !
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To this day I am not sure you can beat a nasty hedge thicket for holding power. Trumps even oak hardwoods.
 
I bought some osage orange seeds that were supposedly dormant last year. I soaked them in water for 48 hours and are now in the fridge in damp peat moss. I guess I will see if they grow this spring. We currently have zero osage orange trees on the property but thought I would try to plant some to create some tickets for bedding. If deer like to eat the leaves, do I need to cage or tube them?
 
Nrharris said:
I bought some osage orange seeds that were supposedly dormant last year. I soaked them in water for 48 hours and are now in the fridge in damp peat moss. I guess I will see if they grow this spring. We currently have zero osage orange trees on the property but thought I would try to plant some to create some tickets for bedding. If deer like to eat the leaves, do I need to cage or tube them?
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What area you from?
 
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  • Reason: Dup
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