Where to start

[203ntyp]

I have so many trees down the past year I don't know where to start. I'll be busy cleaning up deadfalls until late spring...2025!
What's a good variety of trees to plant that won't take 15 years to make a difference in habitat? I'll be 69 next month and
would like to see the fruits of my labor sometime during mt lifetime.

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

Persimmon, chestnut for sure.

Northern red oak is pretty fast

Some of the hybrid oaks.

Cedars is you need thermal cover.

 

[z71bowhunter1965]

Sawtooth Oaks if you need something fast

 

[Sligh1]

All of above are great!
& dwarf chinkapin & chinkapin. Crabapple. Pears.
Some nurseries u can buy 2-3 yo fruit trees.

 

[203ntyp]

Sawtooth Oaks if you need something fast

That's one species I have growing and intend to plant more. I do want to look into dwarf Chikapin and pears. I have apples, the neighbors' pears draw them in like magnets, but most have dropped come archery season. Have plenty of crabapples but want to plant some good thermal cover that grows fast like White Pines. I also thought about cedars along the creek to help with erosion, any thoughts?

 

[Pops]

In southeast Iowa, I’ve planted great success with swamp white oaks. A couple of hundred or so planted 16 years ago are over 15 feet tall, most lived, and with low branches growing from the ground up, the deer have not been able to rub the trunks. They can produce acorns at that age. I’ve also planted another 200 or so over the past 5 years. Again survival rates are excellent. Even fairly young trees produce a lot of acorns. Plantings over the past 2 years have survived droughts better than the red oaks and white oaks I’ve planted.
A probable large tree planting project for me will have at least 1/3 swamp white oaks. I pretty well stick to reds, whites, and swamp whites these days. Years ago I planted a good many other oaks varieties, including some hybrids.
I hope you have figured out a way to keep the deer from eating and rubbing them, something I learned the hard way.
I hope you will keep us updated. Thanks!