Creating bedding/thicket habitat ?

[EKY.MTN.HUNTER]

I have a three 3 acre field on my farm that I want to convert into a bedding area. Whats the best way to go about that? Should I look into planitng tall native grasses (blue stem, Indian etc.). Or should I just continue to not mow the field. Curently it hasn't been mowed since last summer and is begining to grow pretty tall and thick. For those of you who have experience with converting a field into bedding habitat please chime in, it would be appreciated. Thanks.

[bigpuddin43]

you could do either the cheeper way is to just let it grow up.

[barney]

I agree. Throw on a few hundred pounds of nitrogen, and things will happen in a hurry.

[Racer 99]

Depends on what your wanting/willing to do. I enrolled in the whip program with KFW last year and they will pay 75% of your total cost to institute native grass. They will also provide the truax planter to drill the grass in as long as you have access to a tractor. I sprayed my 7 acre field first with roundup and some plateau herbicide that was provided by KFW. I then waited several weeks before drilling in the Big BLuestem, Indian Grass and Switchgrass with the planter provided as previously stated by KFw. I had to do some touchup spraying with roundup at the time of planting due to the cool spring we've had to ensure a complete kill of the fescue. I purchased the 50 pounds of pure live seed from sharp Brothers from Missouri that cost about $337.00, which equates to about 5 pounds total to the acre. I had the 7 acres initially sprayed by southern states that cost about $220.00. So, all in all, I will have only a couple hundred invested when i'm reimbursed 75% by the KFW. IMO the grass is the way to go if your wanting good bedding/escape cover for deer/turkey, but allowing it to just grow up has benefits to.

[Al]

I would walk through it and see whats coming up.
If you have fescue you have to get rid of it or it will take a long time. The grass gets tall then lays over and supresses other seed from germinating.
To get the best cover the quickest in fescue, spray it then disk it.
Ive got an area I did nothing to and its just now getting thick after 4 years. But mostly its multiflora rose and tree seedlings.
Ive got another area I sprayed and did nothing else to last yr and its getting thick already this spring, but the best is where I sprayed then tilled the ground last yr. Acually its last summers food plot (beans)that I never replanted in the fall and now its knee high with thick stuff and I expect it will be chest high by late summer.
I get the best variety when I break the ground and disturb the dormant seed.
What is in it now?

[Al]

Depends on what your wanting/willing to do. I enrolled in the whip program with KFW last year and they will pay 75% of your total cost to institute native grass. They will also provide the truax planter to drill the grass in as long as you have access to a tractor. I sprayed my 7 acre field first with roundup and some plateau herbicide that was provided by KFW. I then waited several weeks before drilling in the Big BLuestem, Indian Grass and Switchgrass with the planter provided as previously stated by KFw. I had to do some touchup spraying with roundup at the time of planting due to the cool spring we've had to ensure a complete kill of the fescue. I purchased the 50 pounds of pure live seed from sharp Brothers from Missouri that cost about $337.00, which equates to about 5 pounds total to the acre. I had the 7 acres initially sprayed by southern states that cost about $220.00. So, all in all, I will have only a couple hundred invested when i'm reimbursed 75% by the KFW. IMO the grass is the way to go if your wanting good bedding/escape cover for deer/turkey, but allowing it to just grow up has benefits to.
When are they going to reinburse you? Do you turn in your reciepts and they come and inspect? Do they wait till the grass starts coming up?

[EKY.MTN.HUNTER]

Al, Im surprised by the speed at which small saplings are coming up. Also, when we cleared the field almost ten years ago we left 3 big brush piles in the center of the field. Over the years these brush piles really sprouted good browse and lots of briars. Now that we've not cut the field around the piles, the briars are starting to spread and grow out into the field and away from the brush pils. I'm fairly pleased with what Im seeing and am thinking of just letting it go wild. If the bursh piles weren't in the field I may need to take some action to help avoid the fescue problem, but I think it's gonna develop into a nice natural thicket with all the briars Im already seeing.

[skin_dog1]

If there's a lot of fescue, just get a good kill with roundup and forget about it. It won't be long til sumac and cedars start popping up amingst the blackberry and green briar. Another option would definately be warm season grasses. I the easy way of killing it and just letting weeds grow. It's cheap and easy.

[longtimegone]

If you go for Native Grass there are two KY locations to get your native seed at a cheaper price.

http://www.shootingstarnursery.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=1&osCsid=f416598c18fbb6203a044981640cc4aa

http://www.kentuckyamerican.com/kyamerican/Products/specialty.htm

[EKY.MTN.HUNTER]

Thanks for the links longtime, and tanks for the replies fellas.

[longtimegone]

Shooting Star nursery is just down the road from you in Georgetown and they still had decent stock of seed when I called a few weeks back.

[Racer 99]

When are they going to reinburse you? Do you turn in your reciepts and they come and inspect? Do they wait till the grass starts coming up?

The biologist told me to just turn in my receipts. They already know what i've done thus far due to them observing the sprayed fields and bringing me the planter. They will come out later when the grass is above ground to determine if any other spraying is needed and will supply the plateau.