Jack Terpack
Well-Known Member
This seems to be a strange question, but. I have an old railroad bed behind my house. It's about 80 yards away and was abandoned about 40 years ago. The rails and most of the ties were removed long before we bought the place. It's about 30 feet wide and 300 yards long. When we first moved in, almost nothing was growing on it. Over the years I have put all our leaves and other mulches on it and slowly got it to support grasses pretty danged well.
For the past four or five years I have been trying to get something to grow as a food source for the deer herd. I can't even get WR to grow in it. I've tried Iron Clay Peas, AWP, oats, WW and Cowpeas. Nothing ever even sprouts. Is it possible that the bed was treated somehow to prevent plant growth? Johnson Grass grows well and fescue, but nothing else. Any ideas? I keep it mowed, and it looks like a lawn. Makes a great range for shooting my crossbow but angles wrong for firearms.
For the past four or five years I have been trying to get something to grow as a food source for the deer herd. I can't even get WR to grow in it. I've tried Iron Clay Peas, AWP, oats, WW and Cowpeas. Nothing ever even sprouts. Is it possible that the bed was treated somehow to prevent plant growth? Johnson Grass grows well and fescue, but nothing else. Any ideas? I keep it mowed, and it looks like a lawn. Makes a great range for shooting my crossbow but angles wrong for firearms.