best screen mix

[Hoosierhunting]

I'll be planting something to screen the road and to break up a large field into smaller plots. Instead of using corn this year I'd like to try something different. Ideally, the mix would:
* Get at least as tall as corn
* Stand up through a Northern Indiana winter
* Double as a dove attractant
* Be able to be planted with my existing equipment (JD 7000 planter, spreader, cultipacker)
* Be a mix of several things

My soil is sandy loam and some of the areas I need to plant are a little wet until summer.
I'm thinking forage sorghum, or sunn hemp for the height with a mix of sunflowers, milo and maybe some peas. I don't know how well that would stand up to snow & winds and I don't know about the shorter stuff getting shaded out by the taller stuff. Would be interested to hear from experience on mixes, seeding rates, etc.

 

[Drycreek]

I've only used a mix from Frigid Forage called Plot Screen. It grew quickly and held up well until the wind from thunderstorms laid some of it over. The hogs discovered the seed heads on the Egyption Wheat was tasty, (everything is tasty to a hog), and they pretty well destroyed it. I planted it about 25' wide and it worked as designed untill the wind got it. I would think EW for height and sorghum/milo for strength might be a good combo. Sunflowers couldn't hurt. I'm sure you don't have hogs there but wind and snow might do you in.

 

[Buckly]

Two thoughts. I wouldn’t plant anything that gets eaten as a screen by a road. That just begs to reducing your population.
Secondly I wouldn’t plant a screen that gets eaten. But, if you’re looking for a good screen I would suggest Arrow seed company’s screen mix or Northwoods Whitetails screen mix. I’ve used both with good success. The only criteria that it probably won’t meet is standing up to winter. It will last a good long time but, eventually it will breakdown. Some years better than others but, just depends.

 

[Hoosierhunting]

I've only used a mix from Frigid Forage called Plot Screen. It grew quickly and held up well until the wind from thunderstorms laid some of it over. The hogs discovered the seed heads on the Egyption Wheat was tasty, (everything is tasty to a hog), and they pretty well destroyed it. I planted it about 25' wide and it worked as designed untill the wind got it. I would think EW for height and sorghum/milo for strength might be a good combo. Sunflowers couldn't hurt. I'm sure you don't have hogs there but wind and snow might do you in.

Drycreek, is Egyptian Wheat sensitive about planting depth? No one around me that I know has any experience with it. I’ve heard it takes a lot of nitrogen to grow, is that accurate?


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

 

[Hoosierhunting]

Two thoughts. I wouldn’t plant anything that gets eaten as a screen by a road. That just begs to reducing your population.
Secondly I wouldn’t plant a screen that gets eaten. But, if you’re looking for a good screen I would suggest Arrow seed company’s screen mix or Northwoods Whitetails screen mix. I’ve used both with good success. The only criteria that it probably won’t meet is standing up to winter. It will last a good long time but, eventually it will breakdown. Some years better than others but, just depends.

The electric pole right of way is on my side of the road so I leave a strip of grass about 25-30’ alongside the road. This keeps deer visible for drivers if they’re crossing. I’m thinking that the screen will be okay from browse pressure. I planted the same area with just perdovik sunflowers last year. They made it fine, I think the areas off the road where I’ll subdivide the field will be another story though so have to give that some thought. I was thinking that with corn and soybeans all around the forage sorghum etc would be low enough on their preference that it would be left alone?


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

 

[Mennoniteman]

Pearl millet meets all of your criteria, when I planted it, it grew 10' high, a thick screen that you couldn't see through, and nothing bothered it, it stayed standing until late winter, and the doves ate the seed. Make sure you buy a tall variety. Here is some of my pearl millet in a mix with sorghum, sunflowers, cowpeas, and oats. You can buy a product called RAY’S CRAZY SUMMER MIX that has most of these components.

 

[Drycreek]

Drycreek, is Egyptian Wheat sensitive about planting depth? No one around me that I know has any experience with it. I’ve heard it takes a lot of nitrogen to grow, is that accurate?


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

It didn't seem to be sensitive to depth, I planted it just like I plant wheat. I fertilized as I would wheat also.

It looks like Mennoniteman's idea would be good also. I had mine planted beside an interior road on my place just to give the deer a little privacy from my traffic. Many times I scooted down the road in my cart or pickup and could see deer briefly at one end and then at the other, so it worked to my satisfaction.

 

[bigbluetruck]

I used some of Arrow seeds Green screen, it worked very well, got quite tall and stood up to Nebraska winter until our cows mowed it off. Id use again