http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/list.php?6 EN Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:34:37 -0500 Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:34:37 -0500 OldMorseNursery Forum Phorum 5.1.25 60 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,31,71#msg-71 cmorse OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,31,71#msg-71 Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:34:37 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,31,70#msg-70 THE TRAPPER OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,31,70#msg-70 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:14:09 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,48,49#msg-49 cmorse I would order a Knitted Root constrictor container size #8 minimum. You can order them at www.rootmaker.com or if you are only doing a small number of seedlings I would sell you some of mine that I use for growing oaks on to a larger size. These containers are put in the ground and are much more forgiving than above ground containers, plus no circling roots.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,48,49#msg-49 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:36:12 -0400 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,48,48#msg-48 Rich OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,48,48#msg-48 Sat, 15 Mar 2008 21:15:31 -0400 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,46,46#msg-46 OldMorseNursery
RESPONSE:
By adding visual screens to your food plots you draw bucks out of the safety of the woods and make them personally bump your plots. This will be your best chance of drawing out a trophy buck so you get an opportunity to see one of these elusive big game animals. We like to build our screens from thicket forming shrubs that produce food. Morse Nursery thicket Plum, and crabapple are some of our favorites.

RESPONSE:
I really like the idea about planting crabapples and bushes around my foodplots to make them more secluded. Could you tell me about how tall the crabapples and the bushes you recomend for this will grow. Also what spacing would you use between them, would you alternate trees and bushes. I have a lot of deer on my property, what would you advise for protection, tree tubes, fencing or a mix of both.

RESPONSE:
Yes, All of the above Alan. There is usually more than one right answer in planting borders. Single rows with 3' on centers, double rows staggered 6' on centers, or triple rows staggered 8' on centers with trees in your center row. I like to plant in irregular rows making sure that a Whitetail buck can't look down these rows for more than 50'. This makes a buck move and that’s who plants can make you a better hunter. :-)

RESPONSE:
Have deceided on : 1. Thicket Plum 2. Thicket Crabapple 3. Apache BlackBerry 4. Alpine Currant 5. Arrowwood Viburum 6. BurGramble Oak 7. Red & Yellow Bunches of Crabapples.

Now about protecting these shrubs and trees. You say the shrubs grow better when browsed on. Did you mean you plant them with no protection or put them in a tube for a couple of seasons to get them started?

As far as the trees would you recommend fencing or tree tubes?

Here in WestBranch where I'm planting these when I use tree tubes I get a lot of Winter kill. It gets depressing to see three foot of Gobbler Oak come out of the tube during the year and in the Spring it's dead. I've been told to drill holes in the tubes so in the Fall the tree knows its Fall and shuts down, I know the tubes are easier to use but I've had much better luck by removing the tube just before the or shortly after the tree grows out of the tube and putting a fence around the tree. Am I doing something wrong with the tubes

RESPONSE:
Now about protecting these shrubs and trees. You say the shrubs grow better when browsed on. Did you mean you plant them with no protection or put them in a tube for a couple of seasons to get them started?

"As far as the trees would you recommend fencing or tree tubes?

Here in WestBranch where I'm planting these when I use tree tubes I get a lot of Winter kill. It gets depressing to see three foot of Gobbler Oak come out of the tube during the year and in the Spring it's dead. I've been told to drill holes in the tubes so in the Fall the tree knows its Fall and shuts down, I know the tubes are easier to use but I've had much better luck by removing the tube just before the or shortly after the tree grows out of the tube and putting a fence around the tree. Am I doing something wrong with the tubes "

Sorry for the late response I didn't see your comments until now. The die back is not the fault of your tubes, it's the genitics of your sawtooth gobblers. The original seed source is from to warm of a climate and are not cold hardy. Other possibilities are unvented tubes or fertilizing to late into the summer and the trees are having trouble hardening off but I suspect the seed source is the problem. Shrubs that tolerate browse generally don't need tubes, however it is possible that deer could pull the plant out of the ground when first planted. After a month or so the plant will be well rooted. I wouldn't worry about it myself.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,46,46#msg-46 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:07:07 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,45,45#msg-45 OldMorseNursery
Another great cross that benefits by having genes from two sets of parents are the Chestnut Oak x White Oak (Sauls Oak). Chestnut Oak acorns are larger than White Oaks and not as sweet because of higher tannins found in the chestnut oak acorns, however much of this bitter taste is sweetened with the White Oak genes. The benefits of this resulting hybrid is big sweet acorns and much higher yields compared to just that of the White Oak.

Hybrid Oaks are worth the extra cost in my opinion if you’re trying to grow hard mast trees for improving wildlife habitat if your goal is to see results sooner!

RESPONSE:
If you mix in a few hybrid oaks into a natural forest will it help / hurt / effect the native trees any?

RESPONSE:
Chris, this is an excellent question. First of all many hybrid Oaks are crosses from our native Oaks and occur naturally already. These Hybrids are simply natural selection at it's best. Plants evolve like animals and only the fittest survive to move forward and improve the species. It is well documented that the Hybrid is an improved tree with superior characteristics to either participating parents. In the case of Oaks that are not, native to America such as English Oak's that cross with our natives producing Hybrids is debated. Some purest say it pollutes our native gene pool while others like myself feel that the diversification of our Native oaks can only improve and protect the species. Some of the European English oaks are over 1,000 years old with reliable acorn production. These traits are very beneficial and passed on to seedlings, though their genes. If this is pollution, it's a good kind of pollution in my book and a hedge against the next bug that comes along!]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,45,45#msg-45 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:06:09 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,44,44#msg-44 OldMorseNursery
RESPONSE:
"Where" you buy your trees and the right questions for the nursery are more important than the Oak's cold hardy range as indicated by USDA zones. You might purchase an Oak with zone ratings of 4-8, 4 being it's most northern "Cold" rating. This zone would on the surface appear to be hardy enough for you to plant in NY, however if the nursery is growing the seedlings from seed collected from a southern zone 8 Oak, you will more than likely experience winter dieback or death.

When purchasing any tree from any nursery ask them where they collected or purchased their seed. Do not tell them where you’re from or where you are going to plant them, "This is not needed at this time" and only serves to educate a possible unethical business to tell you what you want to here. Not knowing where you’re from or where you’re going to plant the trees will help you get a straight answer. The tree you’re looking for must be grown from seed collected from a cold hardy source. Seed collected from healthy cold hardy trees have genetically evolved their cold hardiness over thousands of years and they pass this trait on to the resulting seedlings. This is critical in your selection process and will at least eliminate one possibility of why you’re having trouble growing Oaks when there are others growing on property right next to yours.

RESPONSE:]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,44,44#msg-44 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:05:29 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,43,43#msg-43 OldMorseNursery OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,43,43#msg-43 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:04:46 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,42,42#msg-42 OldMorseNursery
RESPONSE:
Here are some simple tips to perk up those apple trees. It's January and anytime it's cold enough the insects that carry diseases are not spreading problems from tree to tree is a great time to trim and prune. First trim all the dead branches this can be done even in the summer. Second look at the tree and look for branches growing inward toward the center and remove those. Third look for crossing or rubbing branches and prune the less healthy of the two rubbing each other. Fourth look for branches growing straight up or down off of your main limbs. Branches growing straight up produce poor apples due to the energy to push nutrients uphill and branches growing down under a major limb is shaded out and will produce poor apples. Remove these up and down branches. This process will open up your tree considerably allowing sunlight “Apple Trees Love Sunlight” to reach the interior of the tree. Lastly fertilize your Apple tree in the spring only with just nitrogen. Use ¼ pound of actually nitrogen for every year the tree is old up to a maximum of 2 pounds. Your old trees will more than likely take the 2 pound limit. If you use urea 46-0-0 the actual nitrogen in one pound of urea is only 46%. You would need a little more than four pounds of 46-0-0 to get the two pounds of actual nitrogen needed with trees 8 years or older.

RESPONSE:
Charlie, thanks for the advise. We will definately give it a try.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,42,42#msg-42 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:04:04 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,41,41#msg-41 OldMorseNursery
RESPONSE:
I'm not very knowledgeable about Buttonbush other than I have some growing around some ponds on a property I manage. It’s well suited and seems to flourish in wet sites even underwater conditions. Looks like it might be a cover only type of a plant, as I have seen no sign of browsing even though many of the sumacs are rubbed heavily nearby. I don’t know for sure but from what I see it’s a low value browse plant. I’ve thought of propagating this plant for tough wet sites that you can’t get much else to grow in. I would think this would make for a formidable tangle where Whitetails would feel safe.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,41,41#msg-41 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:03:29 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,40,40#msg-40 OldMorseNursery OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,40,40#msg-40 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:02:58 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,39,39#msg-39 OldMorseNursery
RESPONSE:
Remove the tree from the container by usually cutting the bag and peeling the bag off the roots. Plant the tree at the same depth as it was in the container. Be careful that you don't plant any tree to deep as to bury the bark. Soil can rot this bark and cause the same effect as mice or rabbits eating the bark, "girdling" which if always fatal. Planting the tree to high out of the ground is easy to avoid as you can see the roots. Make sure the roots are underground. Over water the tree when planting as this will settle the soil and remove all air pockets.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,39,39#msg-39 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:02:38 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,38,38#msg-38 OldMorseNursery
RESPONSE:
When choosing oaks there are two general rules of thumb to use that make it easy to decide.

1. Choose Oaks that are right for your planting location. Wet or dry? Wetland species or Swamp oaks will do well on dry soils or wet soils but thrive in wetter conditions. This however is not the case with other upland or dry species of oaks and they will die if planted in a wet location. Any Oak that has a Swamp oak description like Swamp White Oak x Bur Oak a hybrid called Schuette’s Oak is your best choice for wet locations. These "Swamp Oak types" carry the genes that allow the Roots to go very long periods under water without oxygen, without dying.

2. Plant as many different species as you can for diversity. Falling in love with "One" favorite oak can prove disastrous if some bug comes along 25 years from now and falls in love with it too! Monoculture is out and diversity is in.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,38,38#msg-38 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:02:13 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,37,37#msg-37 OldMorseNursery
If so, I might dig up the boxwoods and sell them. Does anyone have any experience doing this? Any recommendations on who would be best to contact (landscape company, landscape architect, nursery)? What are they worth?

Thanks for your feedback.

ward33@msn.com

RESPONSE:
We don't sell Boxwoods, we don't offer forestry services or advice. Additionally Boxwood has little or no wildlife value. We grow and specialize in wildlife benifiting trees and shrubs. If you would ever has a question in the future relating to the plants we grow I would be happy to try to answer them for you but please relevent questions only! Thanks for thinking of us though.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,37,37#msg-37 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:01:46 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,36,36#msg-36 OldMorseNursery
RESPONSE:
Fall really is the best time to plant deciduous (lose their leaves) trees. They get the benefits of two favorable establishment seasons before any temperature demands are placed on the plant.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,36,36#msg-36 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:01:20 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,35,35#msg-35 OldMorseNursery
I was able to water once a week for the first 3 weeks. After that not very much. There

was a span of almost 3 weeks without rain. I planted 50 trees ,and others planted the

other 55 trees. As of Labor Day we have not lost one tree. Some have more growth than others, but none have died. There was 3 that looked dead, but they all have new leaves

and look good.

Your trees are more hardy than I could have hoped for. I assume it is your root system

development.

Thanks

Dan kulongowski

RESPONSE:
Thanks Dan, I'm glad to hear about your success. Our air pruning or trapping of the roots process, helps produce more lateral roots than the plant would do naturally on it's own. These additional roots are the life lines to your newly planted trees and can make the difference in surviving or not! These additional roots will make a difference over the life of the trees you planted as well, after all these additional roots are what will supply your trees the nutrients and moisture needed to be healthy and grow.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,35,35#msg-35 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:00:59 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,34,34#msg-34 OldMorseNursery
RESPONSE:
James,
Sorry for the late response. All of our hybrid oaks would do well in your state. Oaks will have the necessary root strength to penetrate the clay soil under your light sandy topsoil. There are soil amendments that I would recommend from Plant health care. Some of these amendments will help the fertility of your soil by the formation of beneficial bacteria colonies of which some have nitrogen fixing properties. All of our apple and pear trees would benefit if you were able to break up some of the underlying clay with a shank and then add some soil amendments. I can help you acquire some of these products as we purchase them by the pallet load.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,34,34#msg-34 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:00:32 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,33,33#msg-33 OldMorseNursery
2. Given soil type mentioned above how long before we would see production, as I am not getting any younger.

Thanks!

RESPONSE:
Any hybrid with English Oak as one of the parents will be the best choice for your soils. Sargent #5 and #7, Bimundors, BurEnglish and English Wide would be my choice. Acorn production will begin between 4-8 years from seed is my best guess. Purchasing an older tree will naturally get you acorn production sooner.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,33,33#msg-33 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:00:02 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,32,32#msg-32 OldMorseNursery
RESPONSE:
Viburnum Arrowwood, Nannyberry and Thicket Plum would be good shrubs. Sawtooth Oak, Sargent Oak, Callery Pear would be good trees for your light soil type.

Thanks for the question Ronald!]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,32,32#msg-32 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:59:37 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,31,31#msg-31 OldMorseNursery
Your web site and focus on wildlife plantings is great. I have been through it in detail. I have 12 food plots consisting of 20 acres of clover that I would like to plant some screens/bedding cover around.

Conditions: My farm is located in a ZONE-6 climate and has two types of soil: 1.) heavy clay on ridgetops with Ph 6.6-7.0 range; 2.) well drained loamy soil on hill sides near river bottoms with Ph in 5.9 range. All of this that is not planted in clover is covered with Kentucky 31 Fescue. Note: Two years ago I tried to plant several hundred hardwoods on the edges the plots and allow this area to grow up for cover. My planting failed. I suspect the cause of the failure was a combination of fescue competition, drought that summer and animal browsing.

I like the idea of fruit bearing cover and shrubs that you describe on your web site. I also noticed that the English Oak you sell "thrives in heavy clay". I think I need plantings that will survive and prosper in punishing conditions.

Questions: 1.) Which of your products would you recommend that I plant for cover & food based on the above conditions? 2.) How can I plant and get the planting to survive in the fescue? 3.) Can I use plastic sheets to control fescue competition until the shrubs get established?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Charlie Nieman

RESPONSE:
Charlie,

I suspect the fescue is the problem. Without getting to deep into plant biology, grasses are able to react quicker to moisture than shrub or trees. They steal the moisture and nutrients away from the trees and shrubs before they can react at the root level. Weed and moisture control is critical the first 2 years of establishment for success! I would not recommend plastic sheets as they can limit the available water and heat the ground to temperatures that will damage roots near the surface. Use mulch or wood chips, as this will keep the soil moist, cool and free from weeds or grass.
This mulch will break down over time and supply nutrients to the trees and shrubs. Losing them to browse is a different problem to solve. Using tree tubes or plants that like being chewed on can solve this. Some plants when eaten actually are stimulated to grow more sprouts eventually growing to the size shrub need for you screens. Your river bottom pH is a little low but if you are liming for the food plots, planting shrubs near the edges will benefit from the higher pH. I would also consider soil amendments such as Tree Saver from Plant health Care. http://www.planthealthcare.com/specs/PlantSaver.pdf

Recommended plants would be Apache Blackberry, Highbush Cranberry, Arrow wood, Nannyberry, mulberry, thicket crabapple, persimmon, silky dogwood, serviceberry, Bur Oak, Bur x gamble, Bur x English, English, Hazelnut, None grafted apple trees (Antique/Heritage collection and thicket plum. This isn't everything but should keep you busy.
Thanks for the questions Charlie as this helps many others with similar problems as yours. The more successful people are with plantings the more they plant and that's good for business! :-)

RESPONSE:
Shredded newspaper is also a great mulch, breaks down in time and disappears. I use strips in my flower beds with leaf compost on top to hold it in place, use it around shrubs and trees with wood chips on top. The newspaper reduces the amount of other mulch I need and ... also recycles the newspaper. There is also some evidence that the newspaper supplies additional nuitrients too!

I lived in Iowa for awhilie, Iowa legislator passed laws saying towns had 10 years to reduce their landfill use by 50%! First thing a lot of towns did was separate out paper. Shredded, bundled newspaper was given to farmers with a little $$$ extra. In a couple of years demand went up, farmers found out newspaper soaked up more mess than straw when used with cattle, also degraded faster than straw out in the fields. So the cities gave away the newpaper bales but now without $$$$. Finally, enough farmers want paper that the cities can actually SELL the paper to them! Still costs the towns, not breaking even, but better. My town (Davenport) said that as they smoothed out the process costs were going down and hoped to start breaking even ... or even make a small profit ... not too far in the future.

Who would'a thought?]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,31,31#msg-31 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:59:08 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,30,30#msg-30 OldMorseNursery
Thanks Very Much

P. Albano & Sons

RESPONSE:
Patrick,

The pH is a little low but this will come up with the lime your adding in time. I would suggest planting the fruiting, nuting shrubs right on the edges of your food plots as you will need to manage the pH of these plots over the years anyway, benefiting everything planted on the edges. Additionally, shrubs on the edges of your food plots provide good screening, making bucks work to see what's in them and this creates opportunities. Any soils that are nutrient challenged would benefit by adding amendments to help the fertility especially in sandy soils. I would highly recommend using Tree Saver with all your tree and shrub plantings. You can find this product on my website under planting aids. This product is the real deal to use a clichés, to find out more about this product visit http://www.planthealthcare.com/catalog/product/m-tst.html.

As for what food plot seed to use I would be the first to admit I'm no expert but when I need to ask an expert two come to mind. Perry Russo from http://www.ebosslog.com/

and Ed Spinazzola http://www.qdma.com/articles/details.asp?id=32, if either one of these gentlemen give you advise, take it to the bank. I love your forward thinking to include your sons, make sure they help you plant but keep it fun in short spurts.

RESPONSE:
Thanks for your reply Looked at those other links seemed to be very informative. Hope to put all this advise into action but it's not going to easy I live almost 4 hours away from my land and getting help is almost impossible but everyone knows who to call when season rolls around . Thanks Again If any one has anything to add love to here from you



HAPPY HOLIDAYS & GOD BLESS]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,30,30#msg-30 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:58:07 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,29,29#msg-29 OldMorseNursery
RESPONSE:
Benjamin,

Planting in the spring is determined by the type of plants you purchase. Seedlings that are grown in the greenhouse are green and leafed out, ready to start growing, but don't start shipping until April 15, Michigans last frost free date. Older plants are in cold frames and usually still dormant, these type of plants can be planted as soon as you can work the soil. Loose soil is important for good root to soil contact and removing air pockets when watered in.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,29,29#msg-29 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:57:20 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,28,28#msg-28 OldMorseNursery
Much of my property is in West Central Alabama near the Miss. border. We have a wide variety of soils from heavy alkaline to sandy river bottom.

I have heard Bur oaks like the alkaline soils...

RESPONSE:
The subject property is in Zones 7b and/or 8a

RESPONSE:
Drew,

Thanks for the question! Most oaks will do fine in clay soils that are not wet. Wet soils even during the winter can kill an upland oak, so it is important to plant something that will tolerate lack of oxygen for these periods such as Swamp White, Swamp Chestnut Oak or our hybrid Schuettes Oak. The most important thing for success when planting in clay soils is not to make the fatal mistake of digging out the clay and back filling the hole with an amended potting soil or composted loose soils of any kind. It's critical to back fill the intended site with the native clay that came out of the hole that was prepped. Clay holds moisture and nutrients very well and is excellent soil to work with, however if you use a different soil to back fill the site you planted your tree, you will have created a water retention fish bowl. Amended soil will allow water to pass through it at a much higher rate than the clay would have allowed. This will create a wet/underwater root environment that your trees during their establishment phase can't deal with and usually results in death of the tree. Back filling with clay will not allow water to pool at the bottom of your prepped hole and will be the single most important step in establishing trees successfully. Oaks can be planted high density at 21' on centers or 100 trees per acre, 30' on center for medium density or 49 trees per acre. I would recommend the hybrid oak collection for diversity and select wet tolerant oaks for your project.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,28,28#msg-28 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:56:50 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,27,27#msg-27 OldMorseNursery
RESPONSE:
Brent,

Sorryfor the delayed response. Could you post your city or zone you are in. This will effect greatly my recommendations.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,27,27#msg-27 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:55:37 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,26,26#msg-26 OldMorseNursery
RESPONSE:
Ben,

Your not giving me much to go on here as different trees and plants need different spacing and use.

Fruit trees 12'-24'

Oaks 21'-60'

Chestnut 25'-30'

Shrubs 8' on centers

Hope this is helpful and sorry for the late response, wasn't sure how to answer your question. If you have questions that you want to ask me it's best to give me as much information as you can, as the answer will be better from me.

Thanks for the question it helps everyone and a skecthy question is better than no question.

Charlie

RESPONSE:
I've been doing a lot of planting of fruit / nut trees and bushes along a fence line and in open spots in woodlot, fairly close, for two reasons:

As was said, we never know what killer bug will show up next so I want a lot of diversity.

Some of the plantings will die out, while if others grow too close some can then be cut down or moved somewhere else. Over browsing by the deer will also kill some (I planted 500 white pine seedlings over two years, don't think I have very many left ... but if some survive eventually they'll start seeding so it's not a complete loss).]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,26,26#msg-26 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:55:13 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,25,25#msg-25 OldMorseNursery
I am trying to establish cover and mast food in a 12 acre woodlot. I had the woodlot timbered 3 years ago with a conservation cut for whitetails.The lot currently consists of a lot of silver maples, shagbark hickory, beech, ironbeam and some white and red oaks. I have a high deer density and the understory is heavily browsed now that the canopy has been reduced and sunlight is hitting the forest floor. I am looking to build travel corridors and thermal cover zones as well as sweet spots for stands. I have a stream that runs through the woodlot and a swampy area in the northern end. I have ordered your hybrid oak variety but was wondering what other suggestions you might have to help me out.

I realize this is a multi-year project and I have already successfully transplanted sawtooth oaks over the last 7 years into the fields where my foodplots are...no acorns after 6 years on the sawtooths...I also have about 25 apple trees mixed in...

I have pretty heavy clay soils and it seems moist year round.Any suggestions or advice would be great...I have two young sons that love to see the Big Bucks out back...and I am planting for a great future!

RESPONSE:
I'm trying to establish cover and mast food in a 12 acre woodlot. I had the woodlot timbered 3 years ago with a conservation cut for whitetails.The lot currently consists of a lot of silver maples, shagbark hickory, beech, ironbeam and some white and red oaks. I have a high deer density and the understory is heavily browsed now that the canopy has been reduced and sunlight is hitting the forest floor. I am looking to build travel corridors and thermal cover zones as well as sweet spots for stands. I have a stream that runs through the woodlot and a swampy area in the northern end. I have ordered your hybrid oak variety but was wondering what other suggestions you might have to help me out.

I realize this is a multi-year project and I have already successfully transplanted sawtooth oaks over the last 7 years into the fields where my foodplots are...no acorns after 6 years on the sawtooths...I also have about 25 apple trees mixed in...

I have pretty heavy clay soils and it seems moist year round.Any suggestions or advice would be great...I have two young sons that love to see the Big Bucks out back...and I am planting for a great future.

If the tops were left, they can be used to direct traffic by funneling Whitetails near a tree of even close to your streams edge. On my farm, I have a tree stand on one side of a stream with about an 18-yard shot across the stream. I dropped trees on the other side to form a funnel directing deer in such a way they traverse the stream bank edge creating a "Production" travel lane. Very effective. I would tube anything worth saving and plant as many different plants as you can for the diversity and future insurance, as we never know what bug is coming next. I would suggest plants that are stimulated when browsed, such as HB Cranberry, Redosier, willows, Silky dogwood, Arrowwood, and Blackberries. Make sure any Mast soft or hard tree gets lots of sunlight, as this will determine many times when and if they produce.

Thanks for the questions.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,25,25#msg-25 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:54:30 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,24,24#msg-24 OldMorseNursery
Thought about tilling the soil and letting the autumn olive take over but....

RESPONSE:
It's important to know the pH of the soil on any land that has been reclaimed. I would suspect that it would be acidic. You can use plants that like acidic plants like Blackberry, Raspberry and even rose that produces big "rose hips", or amend the soil to the pH requirements of the plants. I would plant shrubs of all kinds that will tolerate browse, like cranberry, silky and redosier dogwood, Arrowwood. Additionally, I would fertilize and see what comes up on it's own. Lots of birds used those Pines and deposited all kinds of seed, who knows what will come up.

Thanks for the questions!]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,24,24#msg-24 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:53:56 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,23,23#msg-23 OldMorseNursery
RESPONSE:
I am planning on getting some apple trees from you, I am located in southwestern pa. somerset county. Should I wait until this fall to do so or is it ok to buy and plant them this time of year. thanks]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,23,23#msg-23 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:53:32 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,22,22#msg-22 OldMorseNursery
Thanks a million charlie for talking with me so long today. This guy is awesome very willing to help and share his expertise. cant wait to get my trees this spring. Plant april eating apples by june lol lol!!!. thanks again

take care george

RESPONSE:
Looking foreword to shipping your Apple trees this spring. Thanks for the kind words.]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,22,22#msg-22 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:53:08 -0500 http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,21,21#msg-21 OldMorseNursery
RESPONSE:
If you are a customer of ours I would work something out with you, otherwise you can go to www.rootmaker.com and goggle Jiffy forestry products to purchase their products.

One word of caution about above ground containers; they are a lot of work. If your not experienced with above ground containers I would strongly suggest the in ground Knitted containers that constrict the roots instead. Thanks for the question.

Charlie]]> OldMorseNursery Forum http://www.morsenursery.com/phorum/read.php?6,21,21#msg-21 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:52:40 -0500