Which method is better for establishing early successional plant communities

[BenAllgood]

In this photo, can you tell which half was planted into pollinators vs not planted? Just a quick glance, you would assume the one with all the pretty flowers was planted. But, it's the opposite. The left side was a fall planted food plot last year of crimson clover, radish, and turnips. Red clover was frost seeded. It was disked in the fall. No maintenance was done after frost seeding. The right side was sprayed twice with glyphosate and planted into a pollinator blend early this summer. That side is almost all foxtail with a few pollinator species coming up. Makes you wonder if it might just be better to not plant early successional plants.

 

[Native Hunter]

That's pretty Ben.

I think it depends on what your goals are and what the seedbank has to offer. You have had several plants to come up that are good for insects and bees - Mist Flower, Late Boneset, Ironweed, Queen Annie's Lace, Marestail, and probably some others that I can't see. I also see some short panic grasses and some vining plants. This is very typical of lots of plants in your area that will come out of the seedbank when the soil is disturbed. As time goes on, you will likely get a few more species to pop up - especially goldenrod.

My primary goal when planting my farm was tall deer cover with pollinators as a secondary goal. The tall grasses and forbs that I planted along with some native plants that came out of the seedbank has given me what I was after.

 

[BenAllgood]

That's pretty Ben.

I think it depends on what your goals are and what the seedbank has to offer. You have had several plants to come up that are good for insects and bees - Mist Flower, Late Boneset, Ironweed, Queen Annie's Lace, Marestail, and probably some others that I can't see. I also see some short panic grasses and some vining plants. This is very typical of lots of plants in your area that will come out of the seedbank when the soil is disturbed. As time goes on, you will likely get a few more species to pop up - especially goldenrod.

My primary goal when planting my farm was tall deer cover with pollinators as a secondary goal. The tall grasses and forbs that I planted along with some native plants that came out of the seedbank has given me what I was after.

Thanks Steve. I'm hoping my pollinator planting comes in better next year. My goal was more food with some cover. I'm in a really wooded area, and thought food would serve me better. I was wanting to have my woods, especially the edges, more for bedding and security. I have noticed turkeys and deer feeding in my fields more now than when they were fescue.

 

[Native Hunter]

Thanks Steve. I'm hoping my pollinator planting comes in better next year. My goal was more food with some cover. I'm in a really wooded area, and thought food would serve me better. I was wanting to have my woods, especially the edges, more for bedding and security. I have noticed turkeys and deer feeding in my fields more now than when they were fescue.

Yes, your end of the county has much better woods and cover than mine. You might consider just doing a little more disking and throwing in some red clover and chicory seed. It could make you a nice mix of plants.

 

[BenAllgood]

Yes, your end of the county has much better woods and cover than mine. You might consider just doing a little more disking and throwing in some red clover and chicory seed. It could make you a nice mix of plants.

Minus the disking, I planted red, white, arrowleaf and crimson clovers along with chicory over labor day.

 

[Native Hunter]

Minus the disking, I planted red, white, arrowleaf and crimson clovers along with chicory over labor day.

That sounds good, and I hope you get enough rain for good germination. I'm borderline at my place....

 

[dogghr]

Sometimes if you are lazy and cheap like me you force yourself to sit back and let nature do it’s stuff.
Bees? Yep. Butterflies? In masses. Deer food? Yep. More clover and ragweed and blackberry and other browse than they can consume.
Water filtration for monsoon? Yep. Soil and plant preservation in drought? Yep.
Cost? Mowing every 3-5 years.
Only sweat involved is reaching in back of Jeep for another beer while admiring my? results !!
Your place looks great.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bearcat]

Sometimes if you are lazy and cheap like me you force yourself to sit back and let nature do it’s stuff.
Bees? Yep. Butterflies? In masses. Deer food? Yep. More clover and ragweed and blackberry and other browse than they can consume.
Water filtration for monsoon? Yep. Soil and plant preservation in drought? Yep.
Cost? Mowing every 3-5 years.
Only sweat involved is reaching in back of Jeep for another beer while admiring my? results !!
Your place looks great.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That looks great!


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