Creating New Green Fields

[Gobble4me757]

I plan on creating two new 1.5 acre green fields in southwest Alabama on two 15 acre spots we own. I want to do everything possible to make these incredible. I have a guy with a Mulcher coming to clear them out in December. Would love opinions on shape of plot, any fruit/acorn trees to plant etc.

Spot 1: all 7-10 year old pines. Should I have them clear the road going south as well as it goes to a hardwood smz? I could keep it thick by hinge cutting those on the road but clearing it would help with the turkeys from the hardwoods to the field etc There are turkeys over here and plan on establishing a nice big perineal clover plot here for the deer and turkeys. Thoughts on adding trees etc? Shooting house at bottom left on 8ft platform just off the field as will likely top a few pines to give me cover.

Spot 2: overgrown clear cut about 10-15 years ago though never sprayed so super thick. Most of the deer will come from the south or south east corner as the road is relatively busy up north. Red is the road with the white x as the shooting house. Will round off the point to help with field planting in future. Plan on planting annuals here. Any tips with this one? Extra trees etc? Will have so I can enter/exit without being seen.

Both I plan on getting soil tests and liming hard as well as will get a landrake to clean it up in January. Will also spray in mid April to knock down regrowth. I am genuinely excited about creating this as I love putting this type of work and planning into spots.

 

[megalomaniac]

In your second pic, is the plot right on the property line? If so, I'd move it back onto your place by at least 50 yards. Nothing like doing all the work and spending a ton of $$$ to have your neighbors sit right on the line and pick off the deer coming to your plot.

 

[BSK]

In your second pic, is the plot right on the property line? If so, I'd move it back onto your place by at least 50 yards. Nothing like doing all the work and spending a ton of $$$ to have your neighbors sit right on the line and pick off the deer coming to your plot.

One habitat "rule" I always stress to my clients is: "No matter how good your relations are with your neighbors, NEVER create a food plot in view of your neighbor's property." Big bucks cause people to lose their minds.

 

[Gobble4me757]

So it's super thick all around on all the neighbors but y'all are correct. Met with the guy and will have to bring a dozier in as well.

In the first pic, we are trying to buy the 25 acres to the west of the new plot as it's vacant and will hopefully buy in the future. He will grade it some as well as leave a few white oaks in the plot and all. The second, we are actually moving it north a hare to take advantage of keeping more oaks on that prop line as well as getting off of it. Here is the updated pic. I will continue to update this thread as he will be working on it in November.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

One habitat "rule" I always stress to my clients is: "No matter how good your relations are with your neighbors, NEVER create a food plot in view of your neighbor's property." Big bucks cause people to lose their minds.

Good Rule!! I have one on the property line, under a TVA easement, and the new neighbor put a ground blind 20 yards from it. The old neighbor didn't hunt.

 

[Gobble4me757]

Spot 1 update! Just received pictures this evening! 1.5-2 acres in size.

 

[deerhunter10]

One habitat "rule" I always stress to my clients is: "No matter how good your relations are with your neighbors, NEVER create a food plot in view of your neighbor's property." Big bucks cause people to lose their minds.

We also live by this. And our food is centered around the middle of our places as possible.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Nice! Looking good! Always exciting to make progress and see a plan come together...it can be very rewarding...enjoy the process.

 

[Gobble4me757]

Question…with this field, I want to add dunstan chestnuts, persimmons, and pear trees…how would y'all place those trees? Around the peripheral or do a line down the middle? Etc will be making this into a yearly clover plot over the next couple of years

 

[DoubleRidge]

Question…with this field, I want to add dunstan chestnuts, persimmons, and pear trees…how would y'all place those trees? Around the peripheral or do a line down the middle? Etc will be making this into a yearly clover plot over the next couple of years

Consider the hours of sunlight with whichever location you choose....we did a similar project where we opened up a log loading deck, removed stumps and created a 2 to 2½ acre plot...off of one side of the plot we planted a row of Dunstan Chestnuts along with a few Chinese Chestnut...but we didnt plant them tight to the edge of the woods....we planted them off the edge where we can bush hog around them and also so they have plenty of room to grow...so far they are doing well and we hope to add more this year...Oh...add a weed mat with mulch to reduce weed competition and cage them if your planting larger trees.....we have the larger chestnuts in cages and the smaller sawtooth seedlings in tubes....protect your investment....good luck with your project!

 

[TNlandowner]

I suggest trees along the edges. Persimmons are somewhat shade tolerant, but obviously grow better with full sun. Chestnuts, sawtooth acorns, and pears may drop earlier than you want. Add a late season fruit tree if possible. We have Arkansas Black apple that drops late October - December. I hope to get more of these trees planted soon.

 

[Chickenrig]

Man thats lookin good . Always love to see folks do habitat enrichment !!!!! It pays off for years to come . I would plant them in small groups around the perimeter of the plot . You can also plant a small group of Sawtooths in the middle for late season drop
My $.02

 

[TNlandowner]

Our Sawtooth acorns drop very quickly from September - early October. The deer love them early mast though...

 

[DoubleRidge]

I suggest trees along the edges. Persimmons are somewhat shade tolerant, but obviously grow better with full sun. Chestnuts, sawtooth acorns, and pears may drop earlier than you want. Add a late season fruit tree if possible. We have Arkansas Black apple that drops late October - December. I hope to get more of these trees planted soon.

Fruit trees is something we havent added yet but really want to....and great point on later dropping fruits...we will check out the Arkansas black apple....not just this plot but on the property as a whole....we want to add early dropping mast as well as late to just extend the time span we have mast on the ground....we naturally have white oak, red oak and persimmon...and have added chestnut and sawtooth...hoping to add fruit trees in the future....also interested in trying to start some later dropping variety of persimmon.. didnt mean to side track the conversation...interesting conversation.

 

[BSK]

Fruit trees is something we havent added yet but really want to....and great point on later dropping fruits...we will check out the Arkansas black apple....not just this plot but on the property as a whole....we want to add early dropping mast as well as late to just extend the time span we have mast on the ground....we naturally have white oak, red oak and persimmon...and have added chestnut and sawtooth...hoping to add fruit trees in the future....also interested in trying to start some later dropping variety of persimmon.. didnt mean to side track the conversation...interesting conversation.

We're attempting to do this. We've been collecting seeds from late-dropping persimmons and growing them in pots. However, what we don't know is if late-dropping persimmons produce other late-dropping persimmons. I guess we will find out in 5-10 years!

 

[DoubleRidge]

We're attempting to do this. We've been collecting seeds from late-dropping persimmons and growing them in pots. However, what we don't know is if late-dropping persimmons produce other late-dropping persimmons. I guess we will find out in 5-10 years!

The previous thread on this topic is what prompted me to start looking...and I've found three trees that are currently dropping and still have plenty of persimmons hanging on...Im going to try starting some from seed as well...I've got several chestnut and sawtooth in the refrigerator now...might as well add some persimmon...fun projects.

 

[BSK]

I strongly suspect late-droppers produce late-droppers, as there's a grove of four persimmon in my neighborhood and all are late droppers. They will still be dropping a few fruit in early January. I've collected quite a few seeds from those trees.

 

[Bucket]

I've collected quite a few seeds from those trees.

"Honey, that strange guy is in our yard picking up persimmons again!"

 

[BSK]

"Honey, that strange guy is in our yard picking up persimmons again!"

Thankfully, they overhang the road, so I pick a few up. But I did talk to the owners so they know what I'm doing.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Thankfully, they overhang the road, so I pick a few up. But I did talk to the owners so they know what I'm doing.

BSK...was it you that shared a technique that you or your brother did...cleaning the persimmon seed with hydrogen peroxide? If so please share that process again....after cleaning are the seeds stratified in the refrigerator? Or?
I remember a high germination rate being reported....hoping to collect some of these late droppers soon.