Fertilize logging roads

[diamond hunter]

I have some brand new logging roads. These and all the other roads on my farm are a wet muddy mess. Am I crazy to fertilize these roads now hoping to get stuff growing faster and better to prevent washing and better browse ? If so what is the best fertilizer?

 

[Boll Weevil]

If you can get your hands on some old round bales, go crazy with'em vs blowing money on fertilizer which is sky high right now. If you've got any cattlemen around they almost always have hay that's beyond its shelf life but still holds together well enough to transport and roll out. Compost, seed, and mulch all in one and they'd probably love to reclaim the space for future hay storage.

I've even had hillside roads of crappy clay that would neither hold or grow much of anything until round bales were rolled. One full growing year later I was mowin'em.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

If you can get your hands on some old round bales, go crazy with'em vs blowing money on fertilizer which is sky high right now. If you've got any cattlemen around they almost always have hay that's beyond its shelf life but still holds together well enough to transport and roll out. Compost, seed, and mulch all in one and they'd probably love to reclaim the space for future hay storage.

I've even had hillside roads of crappy clay that would neither hold or grow much of anything until round bales were rolled. One full growing year later I was mowin'em.

I remember you recommending this to me. We haven't had those roads made yet.

One thing is for sure, you need sunlight. We are looking for erosion control and early successional growth as well diamond hunter. We will be hinge cutting and hack-n-squirting about 10 yards each side of the roads for sunlight. Obviously more in some areas than others. These roads will also be our fire breaks.

 

[BSK]

That's great advice Boll Weavil. I would also add that I would spread pelletized lime before I would spread fertilizer. Most soils in TN, especially the Nashville Basin, are pretty acidic, but not necessarily nutrient poor.

 

[diamond hunter]

Yes sir that sounds great ,Ill call the lime man.

 

[Boll Weevil]

I had low spots and ruts that held water so well could probably stock fish and they'd survive…exaggeration but you get the idea. Boxblade it best you can, maybe tilt your box so you build a little crown, put in your turnouts, lay a bunch of those hack n squirt saplings across the worst dips, and roll out the old bales.

And stay off your roads altogether when they're rotten. What takes 10 seconds to ride over and tear up in a truck or atv will take an hour on the tractor to tighten up again (once it's dry enough which could be months).

The trespasser threads reminded me of the most PO'd they made me over the years…tearing up roads while I'm trying to rehab. I spent countless hours, fuel, and sweat just getting all my roads back in the early years. Ain't about to lose all that to careless riding when it's sloppy.

 

[Thelonegoose]

If you can get your hands on some old round bales, go crazy with'em vs blowing money on fertilizer which is sky high right now. If you've got any cattlemen around they almost always have hay that's beyond its shelf life but still holds together well enough to transport and roll out. Compost, seed, and mulch all in one and they'd probably love to reclaim the space for future hay storage.

I've even had hillside roads of crappy clay that would neither hold or grow much of anything until round bales were rolled. One full growing year later I was mowin'em.

I will have to try this. I have one hillside road with clay that I cannot for the life of me keep from getting washed out because nothing will grow on it. I will put out some round bales on it in the next few weeks and see how it does this spring.

 

[TNTreeman]

I will have to try this. I have one hillside road with clay that I cannot for the life of me keep from getting washed out because nothing will grow on it. I will put out some round bales on it in the next few weeks and see how it does this spring.

You might also try wood chips. If it's accessible get a tree service to dump chips, over time they will amend the clay soil and it'll grow for you. Ive dumped massive loads on rocky clay areas and have had a lot of success. It does take some time but works.

 

[Nsghunter]

I have some brand new logging roads. These and all the other roads on my farm are a wet muddy mess. Am I crazy to fertilize these roads now hoping to get stuff growing faster and better to prevent washing and better browse ? If so what is the best fertilizer?

It's an indirect answer but I would spend money on a few soil samples before I would spend money in this ridiculous fertilizer market. Our local COOP does them here but idk where you could go.

 

[skipperbrown]

The old hay idea makes good sense. It should be cheap, it will be full of seeds, and it will help with erosion. Fertilizer uptake in low pH soil is very limited.