IL Trophy Hunter

I have a few plots that I started 5 yrs ago and have had good luck with them. They consist mostly of ladino clover, alfalfa, and more recently birdsfoot trefoil. These spots received ample sunlight and usually rainfall and have done quite well. Now I am looking to plant an area that is in dire need of some added deer nutrition. The spot is an old road(dirt road with no compaction) that is probably 20yds wide and runs between two woods for approx. 1/4 mile. While some sunlight gets through it is very shady. My food plot guide suggests Orchard Grass for shady areas. The book says it is not as highly preferred by deer as some of the legumes or grasses such as rye grass but obviously it would be better than the weeds and fescue that is growing there currently. Anyone have much experience with Orchard Grass ?? Do the deer eat on it much?? Does anyone have a suggestion other than orchard grass that would be good for this situation. Thanks for your help.

Dan O.

lunchbucket should be able to recommend a perennial mixture that you could plant. The mixture allows you to plant once and have the plants which like the soil, shade etc. take hold. I would stay away from grass if there's anything else you can plant.

Dan O.

lunchbucket

Thanks Dan... There are a few ways of apporaching this dilemma. One thing to remember is that any quality forage plant will require 3-5 hrs of broken sunlight and a more elevated pH value. The first, and cheapest, is to start pruning the tree limbs that are horizontal and pointing east and west. The trees to prune are the trees that are within fifty yards due south of the road. It is not necessary to hack every limb away.
Stand on the south end of the road/plot and look south. Start with the limbs that are blocking the sun and you will see what I mean. Start with the limbs that are closest to the plot. This method is time consuming as the sun rises and sets in 180 deg arc. So you will want to start trimming in the morning between the hrs of 0800-1000 hrs. This should start giving some morning sun. Then preform the same function from 1200-1500 hrs and 1700-2100 hrs. This should open the canopy up so the plants may recieve 3-5 hrs of at least broken sunlight. You'll be supprised what else starts to pop up when the canopy is opened.
You will want to disk or Round-Up the road and start limeing, do a soil sample first to take the guess work out, and fertilizing. We will need to know what type of soil you have, heavy or lite and the composition, if possible. We have a lot of folks that are planting two tracks and logging roads.... We see it as a buffet for the animals.
We find this the best method for the road/two track plantings. The good thing about road planting is that the shallow rooted products will fair better becuse the soil is protected from the midsummer heat/sunlight. So a soil that would not normally be used for shallow rooted plants now becomes optimum to that same plant. You will want to start asap and maybe plant some rye or winter wheat. Kinda late, but waht the heck...

Romans 10:9 Psalms 42