Looking for some suggestions on planting for shade

[Baranx4]

I'm located in Northeastern Pa. I'm looking at reclaiming our families farm that's been neglected for years. We have roughly 35-40 acres of farm fields with a total of just under 100 acres.

1. We have a trail that's about 15-20 feet wide that's a quarter mile long that used to be a trail till we had trees topple from high winds a few years ago. It's not a dense forrest and most of the trees are either ash or a hardwood along the trail no real tall trees. The deer no longer use the trail so I want to clear it and redirect them there. I was thinking of planting buckwheat to choke the weeds and then plant a clover alfalfa blend in August but haven't found any perrenial clover that is shade tollerent.

2. There's an area in the woods that used to produce a nice buck every year. I want to plant a food plot there for Late october archery and Dec rife season hunting. I want to plant roughly 2 acres with the area having scattered trees intermixed. The ground can hold moisture but I never got the tractor stuck yet. I was thinking of choking it was buckwheat and then planting field peas, soybeans, and some alfalpha and brassicas there. That is unless you can recommend something else.

3. Lastly we have an old orchard roughly 2 acres that's overgrown that we're planning on clearing of the goldenrod and planting a clover blend. I was going to choke it with buckwheat and then mix in some type of orchard mix with clover in August.


Due to cost's I'm not going to plant the fields this year but might plant a small area with sweet corn that I got for free. About 4 lbs. It was going to be over $1,000 for a truck to come in and do the lime for all of the fields.

Also if there's anything else you can suggest I'd be open for options.

Thanks in Advance,

Rich

 

[dbltree]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">1. We have a trail that's about 15-20 feet wide that's a quarter mile long that used to be a trail till we had trees topple from high winds a few years ago. It's not a dense forrest and most of the trees are either ash or a hardwood along the trail no real tall trees. The deer no longer use the trail so I want to clear it and redirect them there. I was thinking of planting buckwheat to choke the weeds and then plant a clover alfalfa blend in August but haven't found any perrenial clover that is shade tollerent.
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Great idea to clean out the trail because they will learn to follow it for sure. You might also consider edge feathering the edge trees alone the trail to encourage browse and allow more sunlight into the trail itself.

Alfalfa is a little difficult to manage in a situation like that but a mix with clover might work for you. If clover won't grow there then an annual mix of oats and rye is about the only thing I can suggest.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> 2. There's an area in the woods that used to produce a nice buck every year. I want to plant a food plot there for Late october archery and Dec rife season hunting. I want to plant roughly 2 acres with the area having scattered trees intermixed. The ground can hold moisture but I never got the tractor stuck yet. I was thinking of choking it was buckwheat and then planting field peas, soybeans, and some alfalpha and brassicas there. That is unless you can recommend something else.
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Buckwheat is a great crop to start with, just remember to plant it very late in the spring after all danger of frost. I usually wait until early June even.

If I were you I would follow that this fall with rye and oats, rye can grow on very low PH and little or no fertlizer. This woul allow you to have a fall foodplot without all the expense of liming and fertlizer.

Peas and soybeans most likely will get murdered in a spot like that but you could monitor usage with the rye and then see if that might work next year,

Again alfalfa might be difficult when you can't hay it in a spot like that, although the falcata alfalfa might work.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">3. Lastly we have an old orchard roughly 2 acres that's overgrown that we're planning on clearing of the goldenrod and planting a clover blend. I was going to choke it with buckwheat and then mix in some type of orchard mix with clover in August.
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Sounds like an awesome spot that you could start work on this late winter trimming the apple trees and cleaning up.

Again I would plant buckwheat this summer, then rye and oats this fall. If you can lime it next winter you could then frost seed clover into the cereal grains, if not then repeat the process next spring. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[bjkpharmd]

Definitely clear the trail at least wide enough to encourage use, I wouldn't fight the shade though- clear/feather enough of the edges to get some sun on the ground even if it only is enough to stimulate what is already there and creates new browse.

 

[Baranx4]

Thanks guys, looks like I'm going to have a busy year.

Today I called the local dept of ag to get info for getting my pesticide license. Thanks to some of the posts here it seemed like the smartest way to go. That way I won't be constantly spraying herbicides trying to stay ahead of the weeds. They were helpful.

 

[Osenbaugh]

Baran
A mix like this may work for you.
Whitetail Shady Forage Mix
lb./oz.
per acre

Virginia Wild Rye 20 lb.

Partridge Pea 4 oz.

Ox Eye Sunflower 2 oz.

Cup Plant 2 oz.