Advice On What To Plant In A New Area Please

[georgiadawgs44]

We had 100 acres of our lease clear cut 3 years ago. They sprayed it and planned to plant it the year after they cut it. They couldn’t get the machinery in to plant it because it was to wet so they ended up planting my hand that spring. Labor Day weekend we were down there trying to cut a trail around the edge and connect to the road on the other side. We notice a large area where there weren’t any pines planted. We got busy tossing out wood and bush hogging it. I went down last weekend and put 1300 lbs of lime out and sprayed the area. The problem is, with the rain we got last week there was a lot of standing water. I don’t want to waste time and money planting and nothing comes up. It’s probably 75% really wet. What would you guys recommend planting? What does well in really wet conditions?

 

[SakoL61R]

Given the information, I’d go heavy on rye grain this fall. You might have areas where it doesn’t grow due to the moist. Soil test and Fertilize as funds allow. If the owners don’t plant it this next year, lime it again next spring per the soil test and go with a spring summer planting.

 

[Canuck5]

White clover will also tolerate wet or wetter soil, more than other clovers. Maybe something for 2022, but like Sakol61R says, get your soil right and keep something growing in there. Try some crimson clover in there this fall too.

 

[georgiadawgs44]

Thanks guys.

 

[Ihunt]

I would just plant rye or oats this year and pay attention to how wet it gets and stays after deer season. There’s a good chance that it will hold water for a few weeks in January and February and if so nothing will make it. Hate to see you waste money using a perennial clover only to have it drown.

I have 2 spots on a lease that hold water in the winter months. Drives me crazy because the dirt is awesome and high in OM but I can only plant annuals because of the water.

 

[georgiadawgs44]

I went down this weekend and it was a mess. Lots of standing water. I’m gonna throw some wheat out on the high spots and watch it this winter. It would get wet sometimes before they cut it but never was like it is now. I guess those pines suck up a lot of water.

 

[Evergreen]

It's been a wet year for us, chances are on a normal year opening up a wet spot will dry it out some, spots like that can be amazing, but a gamble, on a dry year you may have the only green plot around

 

[Canuck5]

I've had to put in some flat ditches, to get water moving, on some of our properties ..... would that help you? I used a 3 point hitch blade.

 

[georgiadawgs44]

It wouldn’t help in this spot. It’s down very close to the creek bottom.
That’s a great idea though.

 

[georgiadawgs44]

We ended up not harrowing or fertilizing and threw out some clover and wheat last weekend. I hunted it for the first time Saturday evening. It’s coming up and looking good. I think this will be a really good spot once the cut grows up and gets super thick.

 

[Big7]

Rye grass with a little fescue will grow just about anywhere that ain't underwater.

Not a whole lot of nutritional value but they love to eat it and will continue to use it.

Both will grow in the fall and the fescue will take it over the rest of the year. Then just put more rye grass every fall until you figure out a long term plan.

Cheap and low maintenance.

 

[georgiadawgs44]

I hunted this spot Saturday morning. Saw 4 does. The wheat and clover look pretty good considering all I did was put out lime. I’ll get everything tossed out between the end of the season and next fall so we can harrow it. I think this spot will be a future honey hole.