Land cleard with Hydo-axe..what do I plant.

Tennessee Deer Sporting & Deer Hunting Community Forum

Help Support TNDeer | Tennessee Deer:

urdubob

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 5, 2006
Messages
156
City & State/Province
smyrna
I just had 5 acres cleared with a hydro axe. We took out all the ceder and left only the big hard woods. I tried to leave about forty feet between the trees. I have a thick mat of shrededed wood all over the ground...two to three inches thick.
I wish to plant the edges for Dove and the center for Deer. What will work with that thick mat of mulch?

Thanks urdubob
 
Unfortunately, that's exactly what you DON'T want to do for deer. That thick mat of woodchips is going to act like mulch, preventing regrowth and limiting pseeding and germination without disking/tilling.
 
It sounds like ground preperation will be tough, with existing roots that undoubtedly permeate the ground. I would recommend plowing disking then tilling to attempt to mix as much of the chips as possible with the soil. After this a good first crop would be some sort of grain( wheat, oats or rye) and by this fall enough of the chips should have decayed to the point you have something to work with. As for the dove field, whatever you plant this fall top dress it with wheat to act as a nurse crop and the doves should be there.
 
You will need to clear off that underlayer.. it's going to act like a mulch and raise the heat level of the ground. Nothing will grow under it. clear it off and sew in some wheat seed to keep from washing your top soil away.

You could mix in some type of other seed with the wheat. But I would put the wheat seed down.
 
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.

Latest posts

Back
Top