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Pond and Plot Thread

cybball

cybball

Well-Known Member
Having bought my first place last fall, I wanted to do a food plot. Place had a little quarter acre pond that was in a cave of trees with huge cottonwoods on the dam. Wanted a spot for the kids and myself to fish. I hired a guy to clear the pond and dredge it out. Phase one was to clear all the trees around it and drain the pond so the silt can dry. Phase one also included clearing about an acre of trees on a ridge. Phase two will be to dredge the pond, fix the dam and build a small silt pond above the pond to slow silt issues. Phase one was completed this morning. Super excited to start the plot. My daughter helped plant a bunch of walnuts all around the property and a few on the edge of the new plot. Going with clover to start. Also going to put my chestnuts on the edge as as well. Thought I’d share some if the process. First pics show how enclosed the pond was with trees.
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Daver said:
It doesn't sound to me that you have a problem brewing, but be aware that some plants struggle when in close proximity to black walnuts. See links for more info...

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/black-walnut-toxicity/

https://www.thespruce.com/what-cant-i-plant-under-a-black-walnut-tree-1402518

Enjoy the time with the kids while building up your place...it is gold!
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Thanks. Yes they can be a problem. I planted mine along the west edge of my plot and scattered in some timber openings. I already have some but wanted to add more. Also did 50 white oaks a few weeks ago.


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Just another FWIW thought...I find myself continuing to eliminate trees adjacent to, or in, my food plots. Shade, competition for water/nutrients and leaf buildup, fallen branches, etc, cause me to angle this direction. I don't have a good handle on what constraints and goals you have for your slice of heaven, but I would recommend considering not getting too much, too close together. Again, totally a FWIW thought there. Good luck!
 
Asking a first time plot question. My plot is an acre. I need fertilizer for clover. My local coop only has triple 13. Is there somewhere I should look for better fertilzer (lower nitrogen) for clover? I'm new to buying this stuff in bulk and could use some help on this as I want to get the right stuff but don't want to spend a fortune buying it somewhere I shouldn't due to higher cost. Coop also had pell lime for $8.50/50lb bag. Looked like Menards had it a little cheaper on 40lb bags.
I'm in Waukee, drive through Winterset on the way to my place. Don't mind stopping a little out of the way to pick it up either. Thanks!!
 
Coop can mix up whatever you want unless you have to have it in bags. Have you tested soil? I'd start there. $8 very well spent.
 
IowaBowHunter1983 said:
Coop can mix up whatever you want unless you have to have it in bags. Have you tested soil? I'd start there. $8 very well spent.
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Mailed in my soil sample Saturday. Should have results by email soon. I'm going to use the recommendation on that. Just wasn't sure how to go about getting what I needed.
 
cybball said:
Thanks. Yes they can be a problem. I planted mine along the west edge of my plot and scattered in some timber openings. I already have some but wanted to add more. Also did 50 white oaks a few weeks ago.


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How big of an area(s) you talking?
 
cybball said:
One acre.


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Splitting hairs then. Not worth going the bulk route for an acre. I use to see bagged 6-24-24 but not for a couple years. A balanced fert will work fine for your purposes. I'm guessing your soil report will call for lots of lime being former trees.

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IowaBowHunter1983 said:
Splitting hairs then. Not worth going the bulk route for an acre. I use to see bagged 6-24-24 but not for a couple years. A balanced fert will work fine for your purposes. I'm guessing your soil report will call for lots of lime being former trees.

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Agreed. ^^ I would hazard to say that getting enough lime on this year would do you more good than the fertilizer. Don't waste too much on fertilizer if your lime(PH) is was off.
 
Daver said:
Agreed. ^^ I would hazard to say that getting enough lime on this year would do you more good than the fertilizer. Don't waste too much on fertilizer if your lime(PH) is was off.
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This is true, however l, the p&k ain't going anywhere if not used so put it on. Clover is not that fussy compared to many things we plant. You'll get a "crop".

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Thanks guys! Waiting on my soil results. Plan to get it limed well and will get it planted. Been frustrating waiting in a dry day to get out.


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Got four Apple trees planted, caged and painted today. Also put in 9 chestnut trees (in tubes). Muddy but a good day. Next step is to get fertilizer and lime on and plant my clover.
Soil test came back low on potassium and adequate on phosphorus.
Is there fertilizer around central Iowa that has P & K only? I’m only seeing equal parts with nitrogen or high in nitrogen.
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Go by your local ag service. They should sell you p and k separate. Just me but I would take the tubes off those chestnuts in the fall to harden off and put on screen. Or at least pull them up. I've had problems with mice making a home in them during winter.
 
Got it limed, fertilized and seeded today. Pretty muddy but got it done. Rain tonight should water in the seed well.
I’m wearing most of the mud. Time for a shower.


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Clover is coming in nicely. Happy to get the rains we have since planting. Spraying weeds around tubed trees this coming weekend. I also put in some plot screen (sorghum and Egyptian wheat along one end and corners of my plot to avoid “prying eyes” later this fall. Waiting for that to take off. Apple trees look great too.
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You're doing work, looks good! :) Take this for what is worth, I sucked at growing fruit trees...but you may want to consider decreasing the diameter of your cages. Obviously you don't want the deer to be able to snip the branches off, and they will do it if they can reach them, but your "circle" looks a little large to me. And as such, you will have more maintenance inside the circle to keep the weeds down, etc.

I had smaller diameter cages and then higher cages to keep the mouths off the outreaching branches, but that made it easier to mow around them, keep them mulched, etc. My fruit tree failures have been drought related, although that certainly isn't an issue this year! :) The deer never got to the trees with the caging I described. Good luck.
 
Went and checked my plot today. Wow it’s hot out. There is clover coming up for sure. Its not super thick but I know that’s how new clover is. Should I have put in rye or something along with it? Really pretty bare (little sprouts of clover ) and I’m worried about the hot dry summer burning it off. Probably too late to add anything else at this point though?


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