Planting Wind Breaks/Cover

[JROD157]

What type of trees have you had the most success with planting to provide cover or a windbreak on a field edge?

Last year I planted 200 white pines (2-3 year old trees) on my field edge. My objective is to create wind break and also provide security and comfort for my food plots. Additionally, it would create entrance and exit routes for me to access other parts of the property in the future.

The problem: nearly all of the pines have been browsed and they are now just sticks in the ground. What trees have you been able to watch mature without them becoming a meal? Cedars?

[BassBoysLLP]

Spruce and red pine. Cedar will be destroyed.

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[Singing Bridge]

I agree with BBLP, those are good choices. I remember planting white cedar many years ago on my property, I had a good deer population. I planted about 500 cedars and just over 3 weeks later I couldn't find a single one. It was like a dream that they ever existed. High Bush Cranberry disappeared just as fast.

White Pine are a class 2 whitetail browse, if there's not much food or too many deer, they will get mowed.

[matt1336]

Switch grass or elephant grass work well and you get results fast

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[JROD157]

BBLP,

Will Norway spruce suffice?
Red Pine will not get browsed over?

Caging the trees is not an option, so something that will not get browsed over and is offered through our DNR state nursery is must in terms of financing.

[JROD157]

Matt,

I think I am looking for something that would serve as a better wind break? Whats the height on the grasses?

[BassBoysLLP]

BBLP,

Will Norway spruce suffice?
Red Pine will not get browsed over?

Caging the trees is not an option, so something that will not get browsed over and is offered through our DNR state nursery is must in terms of financing.

Norway spruce will work fine. Browse on red pine will not be an issue, but expect the bucks to target the red pine over the spruce for rubbing. You may lose a few to rub-induced girdling.

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[matt1336]

Elephant grass gets thick and tall....the stuff I hunted years back had to be over 10' tall. The deer bedded in it. It was a lot like cattails...only on high, dry land. The dnr planted it one year on some state land. I have no experience planting it. Switch grass gets thick too, deer love to lay in it. I'm not sure how good it's do as a wind break. I know guys use grasses like these to make deer feel as though they're hidden when in a food plot.
These are just suggestions. I'm sure some guys that are more knowledgable on these grasses than me can chime in and give you some good info.

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[phil@thesidehill]

Several things to consider.

1) Windbreak. Trees will be best. Evergreens will be most effective. Norway spruce is a great option and one of the faster growing options. You shouldnt need to cage them but some site prep and maintenance will help them get to effective size more quickly. Spacing of the planting should be considered as well. You should get maximum benefit from them for quite a long time, but once they get older and taller the lower branches may start to die back making them less usefull for your purposes. Planting 3-4 rows of them out from the field edge (if you have room) and planting each row in different years will give the windbreak a staggered life span.

2) Cover and screening. some shrubs may also be usefull. Dogwoods, hawthorne, ninebark, and many others will help thicken things up around the edges of a plot or field. You may even be able to create the desired effect by running the chainsaw back into the woodline (depending on the maturity of the timber). Techniques like hinge cutting (cutting a tree 40-60% through and tipping it over) will help create very dense and thick cover while also creating natural browse. By not cutting the tree completely and leaving a hinge the tree (depending on species) will survive and continue to produce leaves. Its basically taking the canopy and moving back down to ground level. It will also help to get more sunlight to the ground and can result in an explosion of weedy and brushy growth. Its an effective way to create very thick cover in a short amount of time.

[Hawthorne]

Norway spruce #1. They could take up to 10 years to provide cover if you plant them has seedlings. 5 years if you have good soil and do weed controll. I just planted 800 spruce seedlings. Austrian pine does well also. I planted 200 7 years ago has seedlings that are about 10 ft tall now

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[nater]

I would not plant elephant grass, as it can be invasive. The native shrubs and grasses suggested by others would suffice. And you could always plant a combination of trees with warm season grass (switch/Indian/Big Blue/etc.) as temporary cover until the trees shade them out, along with a row of the shrubs. Just depends on how much space you want to use up.

[matt1336]

^^^big blue stem....that's the stuff that the dnr planted not elephant. I'm sorry

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[JoeRE]

On my small acreage I am planning on planting some Miscanthus giganteus which is one of the main components of commercial plot screens. It grows to 10+ feet tall within several years so I think it would function as good as most shrubs for a windbreak and grows faster. Beyond that I can't say much because I haven't tried it yet. Pictures of it look pretty incredible.

[JROD157]

Some excellent feedback. I am definitely thinking in the long term, so while it would be nice to have quick results, it is not essential nor most affordable to the seedlings option. I am also considering planting persimmons as well. Has anyone had luck with them? Also, does your state offer any programs that will benefit landowners looking to improve the quality of their land? If so what are they and how do they work?

[JoeRE]

Also, does your state offer any programs that will benefit landowners looking to improve the quality of their land? If so what are they and how do they work?

NRCS partners with most states to provide incentives for windbreaks, erosion control, and wildlife habitat. Look up your local NRCS office and ask them, in Iowa there is one in every county I can't speak for other states. In Iowa anyway grants are available to pay for part of the cost for just the sort of thing you are looking to do. I looked into doing that but just haven't done it yet.

Here is the link to their directory...

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/contact/local/