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Tree Planting

letemgrow said:
I'll continue trimming for good tree structure then instead of balancing the root/shoot ratio since that is okay to do per their recommendations :D

Die back (natural pruning) happens on some transplants and they re-sprout from the base and catch up the ones that did not die back in 2 years time. Not sure how that is possible since there is no chemical from the top to support the roots when it initially dies back???
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Those limbs that grow back are called epicormic shoots and one of the places they arise from is the branch collar when the apical meristem is no longer present to suppress them. They are physiologically different from the limb they replaced.

As for the corrective pruning your referring to, that shouldn't be done for at least couple years after they're planted.
 
iabwhntr said:
Those limbs that grow back are called epicormic shoots and one of the places they arise from is the branch collar when the apical meristem is no longer present to suppress them. They are physiologically different from the limb they replaced.

As for the corrective pruning your referring to, that shouldn't be done for at least couple years after they're planted.
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I'm talking die back to the root collar, not branch collar. Those dieback trees end up catching up and often times passing the transplants that continue to try and support the full top with what little bottom they come with.

Those full transplant trees can take 3 years before they really do some growing. Sleep, creep and then leap for those transplants.

Die back to the root collar transplants creep or leap the first year and then start leaping after that in my experience. They skip the sleeping part under good growing conditions.
 
Had dieback happen on some shumard oaks a couple years ago. All those super wet springs/summers has them obviously lacking the root mass in one form or another to support the top under those dry conditions. That was corrected with the recent droughts and they died back to the base 2 years ago.

Last year, they had already caught back up to where they were to start with and now grow 3+foot a year even under the dry conditions.

2011 before the die back



2013 after dying back to the base and re-growing

 
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Hey guys, Does anyone know what is the best residual spray to use in establishing seedling and transplant red and white cedars?
 
Thanks for almost 100 pages of information here guys!

As I browse the thread I see lots of scattered information. Hopefully someone can help with a quick synopsis...

1 What has been your top choice for producing mast asap?
2 Most desirable mast during hunting season?
3 Easiest/most reliable mast producing trees to grow?
4 Has anyone had any success improving existing river bottom groves in or close to South Dakota?
 
DHaffner said:
Thanks for almost 100 pages of information here guys!

As I browse the thread I see lots of scattered information. Hopefully someone can help with a quick synopsis...

1 What has been your top choice for producing mast asap?

Think short and long term. That way you see benefits early from dwarf chinkapin oaks and various shrubs like chokeberry and hazelnuts. Plant larger oaks and chestnuts for longer term benefits 20-30 years down the road.

2 Most desirable mast during hunting season?

This goes in a step process. Dwarf Chinkapins and other white oaks will be highly sought after to start with. Once depleted, deer and other game will move onto the red oak varieties starting in November (least on my place). Variety is the key since no oak produces yearly so mix and match as many varieties as possible for greater success with yearly yields.

3 Easiest/most reliable mast producing trees to grow?

Dwarf Chinkapins, chokeberry, hazelnuts, and various dogwoods.

4 Has anyone had any success improving existing river bottom groves in or close to South Dakota?
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Try and report back your results. :)

Not sure if you have bur oaks there, but they are a VERY hardy type white oak and I'd try some of those for sure if I were you. Along with northern red, shingle and pin oaks.
 
letemgrow said:
What type trees do you have growing in the river bottoms now??
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It is hard to say, I have not done a proper survey. The only time I've been in the main block of trees was last December before we purchased the property. Once we were the proud owners the timber became a 17+- acre refuge. No humans for any reason unless you shoot a deer and it runs in there. After reading Dbltree's thread on deer coming to the sound of a chainsaw I may relax that theory once the season is over to do some improvements. I can see some cottonwoods and I'm pretty sure some ash from the outside. Otherwise I don't really know what I have in there.
 
DHaffner said:
It is hard to say, I have not done a proper survey. The only time I've been in the main block of trees was last December before we purchased the property. Once we were the proud owners the timber became a 17+- acre refuge. No humans for any reason unless you shoot a deer and it runs in there. After reading Dbltree's thread on deer coming to the sound of a chainsaw I may relax that theory once the season is over to do some improvements. I can see some cottonwoods and I'm pretty sure some ash from the outside. Otherwise I don't really know what I have in there.
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Deer definitely learn the chainsaw means breakfast, lunch and dinner. :D

I have deer watching me cut and they move naturally along when I take my breaks within 150 yards or less of me...like I am not even there. Had had does watching me from 40 yards away waiting anxiously to see what snacks they could get when I left.

They will be there within a few hours of you leaving once they learn what the saw means. A chainsaw is no different than a tractor to deer...till you start trying to shoot them when you have either or. They just do not view it as a threat, but regular farm activities per say.
 
I see that deer don't seem to browse the swamp white oak as much reading through the thread , what are the pros and cons using these in place of white oaks. I am going to do some work hinging in March and want to plant some red cedars as well as white oaks in the areas I am working on as well have a creek bottom that needs some oaks also.
 
Jbohn said:
I see that deer don't seem to browse the swamp white oak as much reading through the thread , what are the pros and cons using these in place of white oaks. I am going to do some work hinging in March and want to plant some red cedars as well as white oaks in the areas I am working on as well have a creek bottom that needs some oaks also.
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If at all possible, tube the oaks or at least as many as budget will allow and consider a mix of swamp white, burr and white oaks. Hinged trees will create more/new browse and allow you to semi-protect seedlings by planting amongst downed tops.

In your area it would be worth the drive to Forrest Keeling Nursery for RPM grown stock and hybrids such as...

Quercus X bebbiana

http://www.fknursery.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=2212Schuette Oak

Search quercus on their site to see all oak varieties

Oikos Tree Crops also has a great selection of hybrid oaks and chestnuts.

This not the place for a mass planting, plant fewer high quality trees and protect them with tree tubes and you will be rewarded with high survival and early bearing trees.;)
 
Permanent Screens

In most cases tree screens are the ultimate when it comes to permanently screening property from roads and neighbors and conifers such as red cedar and Norway spruce make a solid, tall screen.



The downside is that they may take 8-10 years to make a viable screen, which makes fast growing shrubs and willows attractive. Unfortunately they only provide screening for a portion of the year...so what to do?

The following is just an example combining different screening possibles to cover all bases



Miscanthus takes at least 3 years to fill in and become a screen, but it can withstand a fair amount of ice and snow and keeps screening nearly around. Egyptian wheat can provide a screen in 60 days but is not infallible, weather of all kinds can stymie growth or bring it down in storms, making it best used as a temporary screen.

EW can be planted between tree rows if space is a problem.

Chief River Nursery and Cold Stream Farm are a couple great sources for conifers and shrubs.

Big Rock Trees is a great economical source for cuttings and supplies.

Thujas are pricey but another screening option.

Info on Growing Egyptian Wheat

and Miscanthus x Gianteus

New landowners should not under estimate the need for and value of screening your property from poachers and making deer feel safe and hidden. Those who are long time landowners with established screens of any kind, please share what worked or didn't work for you and help others just getting started... :way:
 
So if I planted a 5 foot clover strip along my road front and planted my red cedars in that clover strip that would be a great fire break for my CIR and give good weed control for my cedars with herbicides correct or dumb Idea ? Figured I could just spray the around the trees with Back Pack sprayer to keep the grass out. Or would be best to plant EW strip and confers behind that for several years till established.
 
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Jbohn said:
So if I planted a 5 foot clover strip along my road front and planted my red cedars in that clover strip that would be a great fire break for my CIR and give good weed control for my cedars with herbicides correct or dumb Idea ? Figured I could just spray the around the trees with Back Pack sprayer to keep the grass out. Or would be best to plant EW strip and confers behind that for several years till established.
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Clover will attract deer which you don't want along a road, I'd use EW and then till in good to create a dirt fire break for CIR.
 
Happy New Year everyone. I have a farm in Mercer Co. MO that I am very interested in developing some road screens to screen alfalfa fields from the road. I have not done any fall prep. There are some spots that have power liners to consider. Any area I use will be removed from cash rent, so I would like to minimize the width.
Here is my plan: Spray and till a 20' wide strip this spring and plant with EW to provide a screen this year. Spring of 2015 plant 2 rows of Red Cedar and continue to use EW between the rows for several years to provide a screen until the trees are large enough.
Questions: Are there shorter varieties of Red Cedar to use near the power lines? If so, does anyone have information on where to buy these? Is there an alternative plan I should consider.

I appreciate all the information on this site. Thank you!
 
Arrowhead78 said:
Happy New Year everyone. I have a farm in Mercer Co. MO that I am very interested in developing some road screens to screen alfalfa fields from the road. I have not done any fall prep. There are some spots that have power liners to consider. Any area I use will be removed from cash rent, so I would like to minimize the width.
Here is my plan: Spray and till a 20' wide strip this spring and plant with EW to provide a screen this year. Spring of 2015 plant 2 rows of Red Cedar and continue to use EW between the rows for several years to provide a screen until the trees are large enough.
Questions: Are there shorter varieties of Red Cedar to use near the power lines? If so, does anyone have information on where to buy these? Is there an alternative plan I should consider.

I appreciate all the information on this site. Thank you!
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That's a good plan, perhaps consider miscanthus under powerlines, almost all conifers can reach 40-50 tall although it would decades.
 
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