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Post by kooch on Nov 30, 2021 7:27:49 GMT -6
Since the cows are gone from the pasture at my SD place, cottonwoods are making a comeback. Encourage or eliminate? They sure grow big out there.
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Post by Bwoods11 on Nov 30, 2021 7:38:05 GMT -6
If you need cover fast… I would be letting them grow.
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Post by sd51555 on Nov 30, 2021 7:45:09 GMT -6
Since the cows are gone from the pasture at my SD place, cottonwoods are making a comeback. Encourage or eliminate? They sure grow big out there. I'm not a fan. Once they get so big, they cannot be handled without some very expensive equipment. I think the space could be better utilized. Whatever you've got, I'd take them down before they get unruly. Good source for deep hoog bed carbon. Also may call for a flail mower to keep them in check from there. Some controlled burning around the stumps may also yield some morel mushrooms too. If you had enough of them, they may also be a good source of wood chips. You'd have to do some research to see if it'd pencil out to have someone with a big enough grinder to come out and chew them up and make you a pile. Out there, woods chips might have some value. If they don't have value, pile them up and let them rot, then it's top shelf compost. Even if it's somewhat close, it's a darn good excuse to play with excavators and flail mowers.
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Post by Reagan on Nov 30, 2021 7:53:14 GMT -6
I’ve been on a 2 year quest of killing sweet gum in the woods. I keep finding small ones growing in my golden rod fields. I leave them be for now. Once they show signs of reproduction, I’ll drop them to form brush piles in the golden rod. Figure that will be good for bunnies.
Depending on the size, that might be an option for you.
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Post by daydreamer on Nov 30, 2021 7:55:40 GMT -6
If you need cover fast… I would be letting them grow. I'm in the camp of any cover is good cover out in that country. At least for now while the other stuff Kooch plants takes hold...
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Post by kooch on Nov 30, 2021 8:01:00 GMT -6
These are all just sapling stage. No chipper required.
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Post by wklman on Nov 30, 2021 8:06:56 GMT -6
They're huge water users if that's an issue out there. Most ranchers here in AZ cut or burn the shit.
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Post by Bwoods11 on Nov 30, 2021 8:08:43 GMT -6
How big of an area is this ?
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Post by Sandbur on Nov 30, 2021 8:29:34 GMT -6
These are all just sapling stage. No chipper required. . Plant some spruce around the outside edge of them? Or connect pods of them with spruce strings? Cottonwoods can be winter browse in my area. Not prime browse, but they do use it. I would always try to keep some in an early stage where they can browse them. A few bigger trees might be stand sites.
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Post by smsmith on Nov 30, 2021 8:45:19 GMT -6
My favorite stand on the old place was in a massive cottonwood. Not a lot of trees have big enough branches for a 6'4" 275 lb. guy to not get outlined.
That said, I sure hated having lots of cottonwoods around in the spring. All that cotton floating around would make a mess out of window screens.
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Post by Bwoods11 on Nov 30, 2021 9:28:46 GMT -6
I like the idea of mixing cottonwood and Spruce.
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Post by kooch on Nov 30, 2021 9:44:00 GMT -6
It's 25 acres of CRP along a creek that's about 50% cattail. The cottonwood are mainly coming in along the creek. There are a couple out in the middle of the pasture, but mainly along the wet.
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Post by benmnwi on Nov 30, 2021 12:36:18 GMT -6
I'd keep them until they get about 10" in diameter and then hinge most of them for winter rooster cover. Maybe keep a few around for future tree stand location.
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Post by Bwoods11 on Nov 30, 2021 13:41:20 GMT -6
I think your situation in SD is much different than MN ,Wisconsin,Ohio, NH or wherever. Any tree that can is naturally growing is a plus, maybe even Boxelder. Worse case, you hinge some later. You could easily have 5 acres of young cottonwood and that would be a deer magnet.
One reason I like Plum is they sucker and add more cover. Could be another option in your area. Also note, CRP requirements on Riparian Buffer do not require you to cut down trees that sprout up naturally if I remember correctly?
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Post by kooch on Nov 30, 2021 14:45:09 GMT -6
I'm going to pull it out of CRP and enjoy a taste of freedom. American plum is high on my list for fast, thick cover. Ninebark and ROD are on the list too.
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