Shelter Belts

[Skeeter]

I’m set to inherit a quarter of land in south central ND. It doesn’t have any trees on it but has a large slough in one corner. I wouldn’t mind increasing the habitat but I really don’t know where to start. Any suggestions?

Congratulations on your soon to be inheritance. Now many on here will now look down on you with jealousy and disdain because you will be a “greedy and selfish” landowner. The only way they MIGHT not tar and feather you or publicly beat in the town square and defecate on your bloody trembling body, is if you remove all fences and put up signs every hundred yards that says my land is your land and open to all.

 

[db-2]

My biggest enemy of the xmas trees I plant our elk and then me getting carry away spraying roundup so I quit with the round up. Db

 

[Sluggo]

Congratulations on your soon to be inheritance. Now many on here will now look down on you with jealousy and disdain because you will be a “greedy and selfish” landowner. The only way they MIGHT not tar and feather you or publicly beat in the town square and defecate on your bloody trembling body, is if you remove all fences and put up signs every hundred yards that says my land is your land and open to all.

Hahaha. I knew I was taking a chance admitting it on here. Hoping because I’ll be a “new” landowner, I will be provided a grace period before any deification takes place. I haven’t hunted for several years but don’t have anything against those that do. No plans to post it.

Thanks everyone, for your thoughts. I live 100 miles from it so visiting it several times a week won’t happen. I plan on calling NRCS to see what they might suggest.

 

[guywhofishes]

Again with the red herrings that are “they think all landowners are bad” and “they only want to see land treated well so they can hunt it”.

Neither is true - just leave some buffer where it’s needed/beneficial to wildlife in general and cleaner lakes/rivers like most farmers have done for generations.

- - - Updated - - -

 

[Sluggo]

Again with the red herrings that are “they think all landowners are bad” and “they only want to see land treated well so they can hunt it”.

Neither is true - just leave some buffer where it’s needed/beneficial to wildlife in general and cleaner lakes/rivers like most farmers have done for generations.

Sounds reasonable....knock it off.

 

[fireone]

I am partial to eastern red cedar, wild plum and buffalo berry. That way you get less raptors and deer aren't much of a problem. I sprayed a 4' wide strip with roundup the summer prior to planting and Soil Conservation planted into it the next year. I spot sprayed the thistles a few times and the grass grew back in. The survival was excellent but you will get less growth per year without weed barrier or cultivation. Both deer and upland like this mix. The main thing is to make your block of trees wide enough to halt the snow before it fills the grove.

 

[LBrandt]

Still have the belts that my Dad planter when I was Six years old so they are 66 years old. Like al lot of belts planted at that time they have seen their better days. Chemicals and age have taken a toll on them. Only new plantings that I see is around new farm steads or the 40 acre hobby farms. LB

 

[Allen]

I am partial to eastern red cedar, wild plum and buffalo berry. That way you get less raptors and deer aren't much of a problem. I sprayed a 4' wide strip with roundup the summer prior to planting and Soil Conservation planted into it the next year. I spot sprayed the thistles a few times and the grass grew back in. The survival was excellent but you will get less growth per year without weed barrier or cultivation. Both deer and upland like this mix. The main thing is to make your block of trees wide enough to halt the snow before it fills the grove.

One thing about cedars is that they are a host to cedar-apple rust. If you have juneberries within a half mile of them, it really effs up the juneberry harvest. The berries dry up and become inedible.

 

[guywhofishes]

The wild versions of juneberries and easter red cedar don’t seem to suffer much from the rust issue here in the east.

 

[USMCDI]

I’m set to inherit a quarter of land in south central ND. It doesn’t have any trees on it but has a large slough in one corner. I wouldn’t mind increasing the habitat but I really don’t know where to start. Any suggestions?

Plant as many as your tractor and vibra-chisel can keep black for ten years and as far away from a water shed as you can get away with, ask me how I know unless you like beavers. The furry little bucked teethed bastards.

 

[Davey Crockett]

I've had best luck with native trees. If you see willows in that area you can cut saplings and soak them in pail of water for a week or two and just push them in the ground close to the pond without digging a hole and they should grow like weeds.

 

[Allen]

I've had best luck with native trees. If you see willows in that area you can cut saplings and soak them in pail of water for a week or two and just push them in the ground close to the pond without digging a hole and they should grow like weeds.

Hell, the damn willows and poplars I have just grow out of what we would ordinarily call deadfall. Phucking amazing at how trees start grow out of my fresh cut firewood.

 

[Migrator Man]

Wow how are you guys still talking about this when there is something bigger going on?

According to one of the conservative personalities that I follow on social media is peddling a new theory on what is happening across farm country. Supposedly farmers are being told by the government to destroy this years crops for 1.5 times the value and if they don’t do it they will lose all of their government subsidies. They say we have 8 months to stock up on food.......This conservative is calling bullshit

 

[lunkerslayer]

I like a good conspiracy theory always some truth behind every one so point in the direction to this talk

 

[Kentucky Windage]

Wow how are you guys still talking about this when there is something bigger going on?

According to one of the conservative personalities that I follow on social media is peddling a new theory on what is happening across farm country. Supposedly farmers are being told by the government to destroy this years crops for 1.5 times the value and if they don’t do it they will lose all of their government subsidies. They say we have 8 months to stock up on food.......This conservative is calling bullshit

Huh?

 

[tikkalover]

Stay stocked up on groceries my friends, things are going to get redickiously high. ;;;;;;;

 

[Traxion]

I've shot a pile of grouse and pheasant out of single row tree lines and have walked hundreds of miles along them. Ours have seen better days though, nearing 60 years old as well. Has anyone replanted the old rows with any success? Thinking spray out the grass a fall & spring, then hand plant and put down fabric. Cross your fingers for rain? Our cedars in the last planting did horrible. Have interest in the buffalo berry and anything else shrub like. Any recommendations or thoughts would be appreciated.

Oh and is there really any good way to get rid of fabric once the trees get older? We have some 5 & 8 row plantings that the fabric is deteriorating. I'd like to just let it go back to grass as the trees are big enough. But remove it how?

 

[Tymurrey]

Trees are definitely a love hate relationship with me. Hate the cost in the spring of the replants and all the crap that kills them like winter burn, fire blight, drought, rodents, deer, and just about anything else. It seems like everything is out to get the trees if they aren't planted in a yard or somewhere you can babysit them. I have had good luck with cedars and junipers planted in the pasture with no other work than just sticking them in the ground but they grow real slow and the deer decide to rub all the branches off when they get about waist high. I would guess i have about 50% survival rate on them doing that. The areas where i've put fabric down increases the survival rate substantially but the deer still raise hell with anything that isn't a conifer. Tubes can help a lot but on a year like this i think they hurt me because they got the trees to break dormancy early with the early warm weather we had then we had that late cold snap.

Has anyone tried scalping for planting trees. I have some areas i wouldn't mind putting some more trees in but i don't want to deal with fabric again but would like to give them a head start with no grass competition.

 

[Taylorman55]

I got a 5000-6000 tree grant through the North Dakota Petroleum counc. I had to push my planting back a full year now due to covid and other reasons, but next spring we will diving in. This is a nice program through them. The trees and tree planter are provided. You provide a 60 hp+ tractor and all of the labor. Need 6-8 people if doing fabric also. You pay 25% of cost of fabric and that's really the only expense. I am not planning on doing the fabric as of now with my set up. They will show you how to plant a row or two of trees and then you are cut loose with your own crew planting the rest of the trees. I do really love these projects, about as close to free as you can get and there isn't a ton of BS attached to them. NRCS would be $15,000+ for this size of project.

Other programs through the game and fish and a variety of other programs require you to allow access for hunting or recreation, and for a small acreage like I have, that was not going to happen. The only requirement for this grant is that they have their tree guy come and inspect the trees once a year to see how they are coming along. They give recommendations how to care for and fix any issues.

The hard works starts after the trees are planted. I have planted a lot of trees by hand, have had many survive, but I've had an absolute shit load die too. Like KDM said, you have to visit the trees once a week or so and take care of any issues immediately to get a good stand, which can take a solid 10 years. This is also why I've been religious about food plots and getting the deer use to them, hopefully they will stay away from the trees with ample amounts of food. Wishful thinking I suppose.

Feel free to pm me and I can send you the info I have on the program.

 

[espringers]

one other thing... if ya don't burn grass or slough areas and you just let em just do there thing, you would be surprised how quickly trees take hold.

i last burned my 25 or so acres around my house about 5 or so years ago now. you would surprised how quickly trees take hold naturally. not the most desirable of species to some and certainly not real organized or dense. but, i've got all sorts of trees sprouted up all over the place. cottonwoods below cottonwoods. willows near willows. darn dogwood?? spreads like wildfire. lilacs, boxelders, a poplars (not even sure where they came from), even an evergreen or two that i venture came as a result of burning the pine cones last time around, etc... sorta neat.