Daikon Radish

[Deerhunter12454]

Has anyone used daikon radish to help break up logging deck hardpans? I hunt 2 properties where there’s plenty of cover and water, and it seems that outside of acorns and soft mass trees, food is the limiting factor on both leases. New lease has 3 logging decks and the other one has a few smaller ones. 2 different soil types

 

[Canuck5]

You mean like the present I found on one of our properties last weekend? That little green spot in front of the Jeep was the last of my Durana plot. They had just come thru and thinned this property about 4 years ago, but they felt they needed to do it again, I guess. It's as hard as a rock.

Was it just recently logged? Is there anything growing there now?



What I did the last time, was just try to break the soil up, the best I could and plant wheat, clover and some radish. Get something growing there this fall. Next year, just turn your back on what you see growing in the food plot and let whatever is in there, grow, and let their roots help break up the soil. Spray in June next year and if you have access to a sub soiler, pick a day that there is good moisture in the ground and try to break it up.

Get a soil test done and lime it. The fall of 2021, you will be more successful, but it will take a few years to get it to where it needs to be.

But to answer your question, the radish would help some, but if it is cement like this, even the radish would have a difficult time of it.

I think this was what year 2, looked like for me. Kept working on getting clover established.

 

[Canuck5]

I think this is what the plot looked like when I came to plant, for the first time, the last time. A lot of weeds, but those weeds were breaking the soil up for me.

 

[Canuck5]

I know it isn't pretty, but this was another logging deck (logged late 2018) that got limed in early 2019 and I planted wheat and Durana last fall. Weeds will be taken care of shortly (darned sickle pod) and it will get over seeded again this fall. I'll keep working at it, but there is food there!

 

[Deerhunter12454]

They just finished thinning one of the properties. One of the logging decks is a solid acre but there’s a lot of trash (Limbs, pine tree bark etc) that I’m going to have to burn to get a solid plot. The other is probably going to be almost impossible right off the road. I walked it and it was hard as concrete. Other ones are a few years old and there are a few weeds growing on it, but the hard pan on all the plots is going to be the hardest part. Looking forward to the sweat equity

 

[Canuck5]

This may sound strange, but fertilize the old plots, now and get those weeds working for you! Maybe if you get some rain, they will put some growth on (roots too) and break up the soil and get you some organic matter to work into the soil. They will "mine" nutrients from below and bring them up to the surface. Yes, you might get more weed seeds, but trust me, I am sure you have lots there now.

Just a thought.

 

[Deerhunter12454]

Anyone know the average hourly rate for someone to bulldoze a few spots for us? We used a bobcat this weekend and was able to clear up one of the new logging decks. We’re going to be planting as many 5th rows and lanes as possible this fall

 

[southernman13]

What area u in

 

[Deerhunter12454]

What area u in

Wilkes county near the city of Washington

 

[southernman13]

Tenfo little to far for us. Thanks though

 

[Flash]

One of the logging decks is a solid acre but there’s a lot of trash (Limbs, pine tree bark etc) that I’m going to have to burn to get a solid plot.

could you just push it to the side(s) with a tractor with loader and or blade?? You could also make entry points to the deck by where you position the piles

 

[Henry Road]

I know it isn't pretty, but this was another logging deck (logged late 2018) that got limed in early 2019 and I planted wheat and Durana last fall. Weeds will be taken care of shortly (darned sickle pod) and it will get over seeded again this fall. I'll keep working at it, but there is food there!


View attachment 1028604

How did you plant this? I am in a similar situation/location. Harvested early 2019, burned log piles in winter 2019, limed in March 2020. Was going to plant something this fall but not sure what or how? Opening is still full of stumps, and logging debris (which I see in your picture). One areas thick with pine bark. Tips, suggestions appreciated!

 

[Canuck5]

On our property, right were they put their equipment, they removed the stumps, so that is where I focused on actual planting. Where there were stumps, I just broadcast wheat and clover to try to get something growing there.

In the top picture, the same thing occurred. They either removed the stumps or they covered them up to set their equipment. In the far back of the picture, there are stumps. Where I can't see any stumps, we will clean that area off.

One of the ways I cleaned that area off was to use a set of drag harrows. They really did a pretty goo job. I attached 2 sections behind my 4 wheeler, drove around, picked up trash and then when it was full, drove to the side, lifted them and pushed the trash out. It would be great if i would've had an extra person there to help, but didn't.



This last loading deck I cleaned up, I used that method and it worked pretty good. You can see this picture, not long after seed germinated. Lots of rocks tho.



Probably could make something similar. Those steel ones were probably originally pulled by horses.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mak...S-734BA&bih=796&biw=1600&client=firefox-b-1-d

Once most of the trash was off, I worked up the ground with my set of disc harrows and planted.

 

[Canuck5]

Oh, and took a soil test and limed