The Brushpile

[MarkDarvin]

I frequently stress the importance of a moisture barrier/weed mat when planting trees.

I couldn't agree more. I've planted many trees without a good fabric and regretted it every time. Tube trees need lots of love until they come out of the tube, and can hold the tube up on their own. I spend a full day, and sometime more, just cleaning out grass from inside the tube, pruning, reseting the tubes that slid up, and trimming brush to keep full sun in play. It pays off. Just make sure you don't bite off more than you're willing to baby for 2-5 years.

 

[wbpdeer]

DogDoc

I like AC because they really want to germinate - often do so sooner than we might like. Got to have a well draining soil. Avoid moisture retention property in cheap grow mixes. With AC growing media with water retention properties will get thick and cake like and the AC don't like that.

From my experience AC is just as fast to react negatively to overwatering than a chestnut. Watering is feast and famine - let them get dry for one day and then water them good. Leave them alone until they are dry for one day and then water.

When I water - every cell in the 18 trays gets water. My water approach is the 18s are all in the same boat. That makes it a numbers game.

You will do fine with them.

 

[Triple C]

Brush...Been fun following Elkie! As for the tree mats, I just started using them 2 years ago. They do help so much with not so much as trees for me but weeds. Aggravating to have to remove tree cages to get rid of all the weeds that grow inside the cage. Weed matts halp love that problem.

 

[Brushpile]

DogDoc

I like AC because they really want to germinate - often do so sooner than we might like. Got to have a well draining soil. Avoid moisture retention property in cheap grow mixes. With AC growing media with water retention properties will get thick and cake like and the AC don't like that.

From my experience AC is just as fast to react negatively to overwatering than a chestnut. Watering is feast and famine - let them get dry for one day and then water them good. Leave them alone until they are dry for one day and then water.

When I water - every cell in the 18 trays gets water. My water approach is the 18s are all in the same boat. That makes it a numbers game.

You will do fine with them.

You have a green thumb and have AC figured out! Do you ever consult the "Woody Plant Seeds Manual"? Over watering is sudden death for AC!

 

[Brushpile]

Brush...Been fun following Elkie! As for the tree mats, I just started using them 2 years ago. They do help so much with not so much as trees for me but weeds. Aggravating to have to remove tree cages to get rid of all the weeds that grow inside the cage. Weed matts halp love that problem.

Eventually birds sitting on tubes, cages and tree limbs will deposit junk tree seeds that will grow faster than tree you planted. Chinese Elm, Boxelder, locust, Ash, etc.. Weed mats help to keep junk trees at a manageable distance.

I'm looking forward to a really fun season next year when Elkie has a helper. Rowdy is going to do great things, and could probably recover a deer on short track now!

 

[wbpdeer]

Brushpile

I have never spent any time reading "Woody Plant Seeds Manual". Maybe if I did my success would improve. Most of my reading has been threads posted on the old forum and here.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Brushpile]

Brushpile

I have never spent any time reading "Woody Plant Seeds Manual". Maybe if I did my success would improve. Most of my reading has been threads posted on the old forum and here.

Thanks for your help.

For a guy like you, it's the "Bible". Just Google it!

 

[shedder]

I frequently stress the importance of a moisture barrier/weed mat when planting trees. I have been planting since 2008, and it's time to do select cutting so that planting aren't dominated by weed trees.. Weed mats have been holding competing trees at bay. As trees grow, birds sit in them and pass seeds to the ground below, so apple, pears, oaks, chestnuts, etc., require release from junk tree competition, and weed mats have provided stand off distance so that Tordon RTU can be safely applied to cut stumps.

In January works begins to cut all competing trees and that will include trees I planted too closely. Tordon RTU will be applied to cut stumps, and can be used safely because of the stand off distance created by weedmats..

Does box cardboard work as a weed mat?
That is easy to get.

 

[shedder]

You have a green thumb and have AC figured out! Do you ever consult the "Woody Plant Seeds Manual"? Over watering is sudden death for AC!

I got 70 AC, C pumila, from Maine. They were shipped to MI without moss, held in a fridge, picked up, held again and spend 14 days in the mail before I got them. I wanted to direct seed them Nov Dec but got snowed out. I put them in moss. I didn't notice any sprouting.

Will I have issues with them? Anything I need to do soon?

I want to direct seed them in the spring, or earlier.

 

[Brushpile]

Does box cardboard work as a weed mat?
That is easy to get.

Yes cardboard is better than nothing but will only last a few months before it breaks down.

 

[Brushpile]

I got 70 AC, C pumila, from Maine. They were shipped to MI without moss, held in a fridge, picked up, held again and spend 14 days in the mail before I got them. I wanted to direct seed them Nov Dec but got snowed out. I put them in moss. I didn't notice any sprouting.

Will I have issues with them? Anything I need to do soon?

I want to direct seed them in the spring, or earlier.

Open one and see if it's viable. If it is viable plant it indoors, it will grow minus the shell. If one is still viable most should be. Store in the vegetable draw of you refrigerator, and periodically check for radicles. I have direct seeded 100s of AC with 0 success. Rodents, deer, and insects killed every last one. Better to plant them in a nursery and then Fall plant the dormant seedlings.

 

[wbpdeer]

This is my 1,000 post on our young forum. I wanted to make sure it was on this thread since my motivation began here back in the spring of 2014 on the old place. I still remember all of the reading I did and repeatedly saying - I didn't know that each time a new plant or shrub was introduced.

Brad, thanks for all of the information and post in this thread. It has helped shaped many a decision and property development.

Guess I would say ninebark and mulberry have been the best two additions to my farm as a result of the Brushpile thread. Other take away for me - which trees bear sooner.

Merry Christmas and a 1,000 thanks.

Wayne

 

[George]

Merry Christmas Brad.

G

 

[dogdoc]

I just received this message on FB from Brad:

I am in Las Vegas and can not log into the Deer Hunter Forum. Please tell Wayne that I am honored that he made his 1000th post on The Brushpile. I will be home this coming weekend MERRY CHRISTMAS Brad

 

[buckdeer1]

Is luminite what you think is best?Do you have issues with mice underneath

 

[Brushpile]

Is luminite what you think is best?Do you have issues with mice underneath

Lumite is best, because it was made for planting trees. I've seen and tried lots of things, but nothing works like Lumite.

However, Lumite can not conserve moisture that isn't there, and it's as dry now as I've ever seen it!

 

[buckdeer1]

I just haven't been able to find lumite, I thought you could buy at lumber yard

 

[Brushpile]

I was planning on planting some Chokeberry from the MDC, but the soil is too dry, and I refuse to spend my life watering! This is the 3rd consecitive Winter without snow. Rainfall monthly totals: Nov .88 of an inch, Dec 1.68 inches, Jan 0 with no rain in 10 day forecast. I haven't been able to grow clover or alfalfa in years!!!

 

[Brushpile]

I just haven't been able to find lumite, I thought you could buy at lumber yard

In our neck of the woods we need 6' wide, which makes about 50 6' x 6' squares to place around high value trees.

http://shawfabricproducts.com/Framify.php?Page=Home.php

 

[buckdeer1]

Thank you,we have been better off here in the southern part of Kansas,it's dry on top now but we had almost 40" above normal this last summer