Putting in a small food plot

[johnsc6]

fun journey

[fastcrazyhurt]

how did this turn out. I know it's an old post but am very curious.

[CP]

Still a work in progress.  The Whitetail Institute Extreme was a bust, didn't even sprout.  Seeded some clover again and that's getting established in a few areas with some carry over from last year.  The apple trees are hanging in there - we will see how they deal with the winter snows.

[GBoyd]

I had to establish and maintain stands of clover at a previous job.

Two tips:
1. Maybe don't keep it in clover? The natural weeds at your site will probably be good forage. Just get it with the weed whacker twice a year.

2. White clover is resistant to Roundup. An overspray of 0.5% concentration glysophate will kill other weeds and leave the clover.

[CP]

I don't know if these apple trees are going to survive.  They aren't looking too good.

[CP]

Well the trees survived.  They took a beating but they are still kicking.  I'm guessing that I'm several years away from getting any apples.

I've also got some green stuff growing where once there was only dirt and moss. 

[nwwanderer]

Here is the browse line on an apple tree in whitetail country, the shovel is 58"

[muleracks]

Food is definitely attractive to deer.  We have apple trees and plant sugar snap peas for the deer (protected by a dome of wire so the deer don't eat them before the plants have a chance to get a foot or so tall).  We have deer in our yard all the time.  They like to have the apples cut in half when they get too big.  The does and fawns get very use to us; the bucks are less friendly.  We hunt mule deer but enjoy the black-tail at home.

[JimmyHoffa]

What elevation are you at?  I am thinking of doing some apple trees at 3,800 feet.

The smaller crab apples, the dolgo (sp?), do alright up to about 6000'.  They can take the cold and a late bloom.  At lower elevations, the fruit drop is around early Sept; at higher elevations it can be mid/late October.  The fruit is a little bigger than a cherry.

[muleracks]

327' north of Monroe.  You will need to protect them so they get a chance to grow before you let the browsers get at them. 
The growing season will be short but they should do fine at almost 4000'

[renrutbocaj]

Can you give an update on this plot and especially the trees for this spring when you get a chance?

[CP]

Can you give an update on this plot and especially the trees for this spring when you get a chance?

Will do.  Right now they are under several feet of snow. 

The honey crisp suffered a second elk attack in Oct.   The elk pushed the fencing down and ate about half the tree.   
 
I need to get in there and make sure the fence is intact.  The elk will be returning as soon as the snow melt allows.

[Jonathan_S]

Apple trees rebound powerfully from "above ground attacks". When a gopher eats the entire root-ball off then you're screwed