Plot screens/ Cover

[LET EM GROW]

Looking to see if anyone has planted much for plot Screens in the purpose for making deer feel more secured, protecting from road traffic or bedding purposes? I see a lot of sorghum and blue stem plant species for these applications and i think i am leaning towards a product called Green Screen by Arrow Seed Co. At first i was going to plant Evergreens but i think i like the idea of the tall Grasses better. I may plant the trees still for roadside purposes but for cover and plot screens i want to try this Green Screen or something close that has the same outcome. budget is tight this year. Im looking for the tallest possible, one plot is on an up hill taper and the neighbors can see it very well..

The Grasses in certain spots would be used as travel corridors as well leading to and from bedding/food/cover etc..

http://arrowseed.com/food-plot-seed/annual/green-screen-food-plot-screen/

Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks in advance!

[growalot]

My eyes may be wrong, but that looks like plain old grain sorghum...I have grown it and it does grow well and tall. Though getting it that tall will require some $$ in fertilizer. The animals will eat on it. The squirrels and raccoon will bend it over for the grain and they are right...careful on stand thickness,for too thick = slim stems and lodging in winds and snow. Look at pricing of regular grain sorghum and growth heights they differ . It may end up much cheaper.

Edited February 16, 2017 by growalot

[landtracdeerhunter]

I planted a switchgrass a few years back that got head high. About 2 acres which required about 20# of seed.  Got the seed from Welters which I had to order the year prior. Believe the name was Cave Something.The deer made pathways into it creating excellent bedding areas. Young deer seemed to like it the best. Turkeys loved to go in the pathways for some reason. Got seed heads on it but never set seed. The only downfall was tough to see into; we never new a deer was in it, until they heard us coming and ran out. Bucks visited it during breeding, but only in dark. It goes very quickly, given the right conditions. 

 I enjoyed growing it; something different, know one else had.  It was quite tough to plow under and had a very tough root system. 

[LET EM GROW]

I've heard about the seeds and all the critters that will eat on it. This is new to me and if I can hide a couple deer in it, I'll consider it a success. Or promote more daytime activity that would be awesome. I figured the taller it got would depend on perfect growing conditions, fertilizers moisture etc.. my property is too open at the moment so I'm trying to thicken it up. Been doing TSI w/hinge cuts and removals. Trying to promote sunlight.

Grow I do believe it is a sorghum. I think I read that somewhere. Didn't know if I should mix 2 or 3 together or plant one straight species. Trying to research as much as possible lol

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[growalot]

You could go with that and a cheaper climbing bean.  I was really impressed with how well the iron clay grew in the hemp last year..plenty tall enough as screening and they bedded in it and left several trails through it...The seed is about the same in size so planting at the same time isn't a problem. Or go with a bag of sunflower seed from TFS...When planting sunflowers I use that...it goes on sale in the spring and germinates pretty well...if the birds don't find it first....the sorghum will protect it....a little.

Edited February 16, 2017 by growalot

[LET EM GROW]

How big of an area did you plant of the sunn hemp and iron clays, grow? 

[growalot]

No one will believe me...maybe a 10th acre and yes deer in it every single day...I planted the turnips and tall tine next to it on one side the clover plot was on another and the pumpkins and turnips on the road side...drew them in all too well...for I couldn't walk past it to other areas without bumping deer...a few times I made it to the woods on the 4th side...to look back and see deer rising up out of their beds. The hemp and iron clay would continue to branch and grow even though they were constantly being nipped then as the hemp got older they slowed eating it due to toughness and it got to 6ft...they did strip leafs though.This was an experiment because I planted it in an area that holds water in heavy rains. The early drought we had allowed me to plant it and get it going. That and the pumpkin patch...then the rains came....I could barely walk in to check pumpkins and melons sinking to my ankles and the deer paths were deep.  They laid down the weeds and grasses that grew in it and made some good bedding. you could not see the clover plot from the road. This wasn't suppose to do well in wet ground.

There is a pic of some GS I grew...it is slow to take off compared to corn but catches up quick. The other is how I set up my seed corn/sorghum view barriers around the front plot . pines along the road and the other corn along the neighbors lane way/road The yellow strip was a strip of golden rod I allowed to grow

[sailinghudson25]

Look up red osier dogwood, cranberry highbush, and willows.   The deer east these thick brush in the winter.

Dont have enough time or money to plant as much as you need?  No problem,  Buy only 100 of them and plant them in spots of 5 or 10.  In 3 years, whack the whole bush down and plant all the clippings in the rows you want.

Wet the cuttings and dump them in a hole made by a stick. Done.

 

How is that sorghum to mow after the season.  I could see it being a real pain to get trimmed down without a sickle bar and baling.

[growalot]

I have mowed it with our small jd riding lawn mower ..without a problem.

[sailinghudson25]

What climbing beans would you grow with that sorghum?

Tempted to give that a shot, until my red dogwood starts making cover.

[growalot]

I Have to say I like iron clay,but lab lab are good as well.

[stubborn1VT]

When I ordered some small burnet seed from Nature's Seed the other day, I came across a hybrid pearl millet that's supposed to get 6' to 10' tall.  I ordered a little bit to try for a screen along the edge of a new section of food plot.  It was less than $4/lb with free shipping.  I'm sure the birds will like it.  I'm hoping it makes the deer feel more secure.  At the very least, it's something new.

[goosifer]

Let us know how that goes, stubborn1VT. I am going to give the green screen a try, myself.

[LetEmGrow]

Is there anyway you can plant evergreens while planting grasses?  That way you will only have to plant grasses for about 5 years.