What to do with wet area?

[b8hickman]

I have a section of my pine plantation that didn't grow the pine trees like it should have. Not sure if it was real wet when they planted it or if there might have been a flood that killed them. It is next to some bottoms, but in the two years I have owned it, it has not been that bad, but it will hold some water after a rain and make the ground a little soft but nothing bad. There is a food plot beside it that runs east and west. It is approximately 30x70yds. Ideally I would love to cut it all down and plant several varieties of pear trees but I worry about it being to wet for them to survive. I have another small area like this that I am testing persimmon trees in to see how they do. The land north of mine is full of nature hardwoods so I would kind of like something besides oak trees. I was told it probably will never be cut but can't be sure. If they did it would be nice to have my own pocket of oak trees. Is there anything I can do with this to help the deer and make better hunting?

 

[Canuck5]

Next fall, after you get your soil ph up, you could try a mix of Berseem clover (annual) and Durana white clover. Both can tolerate wet feet, more so than others.

 

[Canuck5]

And you can still plant more trees, if you clear the area.

 

[sportsman94]

Don’t let the fact that your neighbors have oaks discourage you from planting more. The key would be to add varieties that offer something different than theirs. Nutalls are supposed to drop later in the year and tolerate wet soils. I’m sure there are other varieties that can add some diversity to the local oak population. I’m doing the same with some persimmons and nutalls in a spot that floods occasionally in the pines

 

[fireman32]

My little place has persimmon trees that have grown well with wet feet. Mainly wet during the winter months only. Biggest problem is most of them are male trees.

 

[Canuck5]

I will throw this out to add to the good ideas above, to try. The clover will attract deer within a year. Most of the tree's you plant may take 5+ years before they bear fruit and will take some nurturing.

A tree that I never hear anyone talk much about is the mulberry. Red mulberry is native to Georgia and if you plant it, it may take 5+ years to bear fruit, and will bear fruit at the wrong time of year for hunting, but you will attract deer. The 3 good things about it, is that the deer are attracted to the fruit, the leaves, plus the birds that eat the fruit (before you do), will deposit new seed all over the place. Mulberry's are prolific and you will get free seedlings, which the deer will be attracted too.

Mulberry, crab apple, native persimmons, and white clover, can keep the deer coming to your property, when you're not there. Not sure what tree's will like the conditions of your soil, but one way to find out. These would be low or no maintenance.

Depending where you are in the state Keiffer pears are an option. Ours are ugly, because we just let them grow, but bear fruit most years and drop in September.

Acorns do trump everything, however, but just for a short period of time for the year. I'd still plant them, tho!

As far as your wet spot goes, would you be able to put in a flat ditch to help drain the area?

 

[sportsman94]

Canuck, I’ve never seen anyone mention mulberry either and always wondered why. From what I believe I’ve read, the leaves are desirable enough that deer will eat them after they fall. I’ve got about 20 of them that I planted and neglected a couple years ago. I put them out in hopes they’d produce at the tail end of turkey season, but also like the idea of year round deer food. I planted two Pakistan mulberries at my moms house two years ago. They grew about 8-10’ in the first year, then died back to the roots this spring after a late frost. They proceeded to put on 10-12’ of growth this year and put out a handful of fruit. I will be adding more mulberries over the next couple years for sure

 

[Canuck5]

I'd rather not give the deer any reason to leave!

 

[fireman32]

I’ll second the mulberry. I have two on my place, one is in a bottom and it thrives.

 

[ucfireman]

From what I believe I’ve read, the leaves are desirable enough that deer will eat them after they fall.

Yep, see it all the time, not the really dry ones but freshly fallen and when they fall in the Autumn. There are very few under my trees to mulch up. The deer eat them all.

 

[b8hickman]

I have never even considered or looked at mulberries. I will definitely look into those. Planting clover between the trees is also a good idea. I have some there now where a food plot is running through the wet area and it is doing good, but the hogs are starting to tear it up.

 

[mattb78]

If you are like most pine forests and don't have a ton of food plot acreage I would just plant it as Canuck suggested.

I think soft mass should only be planted after you have sufficient food plot acreage to carry your deer through the season.

 

[Dbender]

How big of an area is it? If the pines died, there is a good chance clover, and most other trees you plant will die also. I wouldn't spend a bunch of money on a marginal spot.