wobschall

We have a small timber in North Central Iowa that is split by a large powerline easement. The area is about 50-60 yards wide and about 200 yards long (about 2 acres). The plot would get nearly full sunlight, just a little shade on the edges by the timber.
I' d like to plant a variety of plants for both deer and turkey. Local conservation has suggested clover and sorguhm. Any other ideas or suggestions? Thanks!
Ben

Russ otten

Alfalfa and Turnips. Winter Wheat might work, cutting it when the seed ripens will let it reseed and give some new growth later in the fall. If I' m thinking right, you' re in the glacier plain and should have some rich soil. Much better than this red clay I' m trying to grow plots in.

Russ

wobschall

We do have great soil to work with. We' re getting our soil testing done to determine ph and fertilizer needs. We also usually get plenty of rain in the area. Anyone have any experience with sorghum? I know the pheasants love it but is it any good for turkey and deer?
Thanks again!

wigmap

50 yards wide by 200 yards long is like 2 football fields. I might be wrong but I think that is more than 2 acres.

lawnfarmer

I have a 1/4 mile x 50ft. section of power line planted in Ladino white clover that does quite well. It runs mostly through a stand of 40ft. red pine. I tilled it, limed it, and fertilized it. It has few weeds or grass and has been growing there for about 3 years. I cut it back with a bush hog on the holiday----Memorial Day, my wifes birthday (July 4), and Labor Day. If I knew about this stuffat the time I planted I probably would have not planted just one crop. Try some different plantings, you have plenty of room and sounds like fertile soil. I don' t know much about Iowa, maybe someone else lives there too.[&:] terry The last sentence was meant as a little humor, I try not to offend anyone and fail sometimes.

wobschall

Actually 200 yards by 50 yards is 2.07 acres
Just in case anyone wants to figure acreage, just take length times width in feet to get square feet and divide by 43,560 (the number of square feet in an acre)
A football field is actually less than 3/4 of an acre...

Dan O.

You do have small football fields in the U.S. don' t you?

Don' t forget the loger term; use oaks, apples, persimmons. Clover and corn are always a good draw.

Dan O.

lunchbucket

The type of soil will determine what may be successfully planted... Let us know when the test comes back.

ralphie

Depends on when you plan to utilize the plot. Clover and alfalfa won' t do you much good now, but would be a nice early season draw. If you don' t mind starting over every year, then sow winter wheat and clover around Labor Day. Hunt the winter wheat thru the season. Then mow down the wheat in late spring and allow the clover to take off. Cut it a couple times thruout the summer, then disc it under late Aug and start over.