What would you plant?

[jeffreythree]

I am trying to figure out what trees I could plant on some property I have, and since the state was of little help I will try here.  2-3 acres is already open and another couple will be once the dead post oaks dissentegrate.  I have a pond that floods this area for 3-6 months out of the year.  I planted a couple hundred cypress nearest the pond last spring, but I think the higher water this year probably did them in before they had a chance.  There are a couple of really nice tall, straight willow oaks (28", 100' tall) left in a spot the loggers could not get to, and the soil survey lists them and water oak with a site index of 93.  Wondering if sycamore or cottonwood(also listed in the soil report) might do better with the extended flooding, or maybe a mix of the three with cottonwood in the wettest areas and willow oak in the driest..

[Magicman]

I'm having good luck with Swamp Chestnut Oaks in swampy locations.  But there is no "standing" water.

Timber companies actually build up rows to plant trees on in swampy areas.

[Ron Scott]

Follow your soils survey and plant the native species of choice recommended for your area's soil type.

[jeffreythree]

If I plant water and willow oak like the survey lists, will they mind the extended flooding?  Building up rows could be feasible since heavy equipment will already be out to work on the pond and I may need to find somewhere to put soil anyway.  The work will let runoff exit the pond quicker and should shorten the length of time the trees are flooded.

[woodtroll]

A lot of the wet oaks can take some flooding. They can be over topped during dormancy (winter) but need to be over the water at leaf out. They can stand in water forever as long as the leaves are out of the water. Cypress is the same. I would not put in cottonwood or any other light seeded tree they show up on their own.

[Dodgy Loner]

I think swamp chestnut oak and overcup oak will handle the flooding better than water oak and willow oak. Of the two, willow oak is the more flood tolerant. Sycamore and cottonwood will handle the flooding also, but their value as sawtimber is minimal. Bald cypress is good choice, though.

[Texas Ranger]

Like others have said, go with the Soil Service people, you could have Scotsville, Eastwood, or Latex soils, or any others in the area.  These are all high productivity soils and you need to plant to the best.  These soils recommend southern red oak, water oak and sweetgum.  But that is all a guess from a couple of hundred miles south of you.

[jeffreythree]

Thanks for all the input everyone.  I am going to go with willow oak since that is what the soil survey says works for Nahatche soil, and the few left are the best trees I have on the place.  I will add some more bald cypress in the areas with the most water after I see how the current seedlings handled their first year.  Read up on that soil and sounded pretty ideal for willow oak other than my manmade extra dose of flooding.

[Brian Beauchamp]

Which "Cross Roads" are you from in TX, the one in Denton County? I'm actually headed that direction tomorrow to see my girlfriend in Dallas. If your property isn't too far out of the way, I may be able to stop by briefly on the way back up to check it out firsthand for you if you'd like.

[jeffreythree]

Wow Brian, even most of the people around here have never heard of this Cross Roads.  Thanks for the offer, but the property is actually in Red River county 2 hours away. 

[Brian Beauchamp]

...saw the DFW comment in your signature and 'MapQuested' Cross Roads, TX...of which there are 5 in Texas! I've done some work right across the line from RRC in OK. The cottonwoods are the way to go on the wetter sites. How big of an area are you dealing with there?

[jeffreythree]

Brian, if you count Crossroads also there are 9 of them in Texas  .  I only have 5 acres max to plant currently, maybe only 3-4 if I just let natural regen go to work where the dead trees are at.  It is also a semi test planting to see what works best because I am working on buying the ~25 acres downstream and 2, 4, and 7 acre plots upstream from me that have similar conditions, been high graded repeatedly, and have the same soil.  I like a mixed forest, so maybe I will plant a few to see how they do.  Trying to turn it into a contiguous 57 acres, and then I will start looking for the next set of "neighbors" but thats a story for another day.

[ADIRONDACKWOODBURNER]

Why doest this forum have seperated regions to post to/about? I mean, your posting from Texas, and what I would plant is Sugar Maples but that wouldnt help you at all

[Ron Wenrich]

That's why we like to see people put their address on their profile.  We have foresters from many sections of the world on here, as well as landowners and mill men.  Each has a different perspective given their locale.  Adding more sections for each region would make the forum pretty large.

With the current setup, we can customize our input to the situation.  Things that work here in the Northeast won't work as well in Texas.  Heck, things that work in my area of PA won't work in the tier counties of PA. 

[Tom]

'course Don considers Philadelphia a suburb of Houston, so, to some folks, it's difficult to figure out where the edges of Texas really are. 

[Phorester]

Now hold on there Tom, the whole blessed country started out as Virginia, you know..........
'Course there's some parts we're glad not to claim anymore........

[Brian Beauchamp]

Brian, if you count Crossroads also there are 9 of them in Texas  .  I only have 5 acres max to plant currently, maybe only 3-4 if I just let natural regen go to work where the dead trees are at.  It is also a semi test planting to see what works best because I am working on buying the ~25 acres downstream and 2, 4, and 7 acre plots upstream from me that have similar conditions, been high graded repeatedly, and have the same soil.  I like a mixed forest, so maybe I will plant a few to see how they do.  Trying to turn it into a contiguous 57 acres, and then I will start looking for the next set of "neighbors" but thats a story for another day.

Guess they didn't want to take the time to figure out if there were any others with the same before settling on a name! Want a few cottonwood cuttings to test out? I have some available in the cooler that I won't get around to planting this year.

[jeffreythree]

Want a few cottonwood cuttings to test out? I have some available in the cooler that I won't get around to planting this year.

Sure, I will take some cottonwood cuttings if it is not to much trouble for you.  I believe I have a good spot for them all ready to go .

[Brian Beauchamp]

...PM sent your way!

[jeffreythree]

Photo time, and thanks to Brian for the cuttings.  These cottonwood cuttings have been in for about a week.  A couple did not make it, half are about to leaf out, and the other half look like these:




And some neat flowers I found under the trees while wandering around:

[Brian Beauchamp]

Glad to see they're working out for you! Keep us posted, please!

[jeffreythree]

I am following up on this since I like threads to be completed.  I made it back out to check on things.  I never knew feral hogs liked eating cottonwood roots, or something else that digs up 3 foot mud holes to get them.  Little mud puddles evenly spaced in rows where they once stood.  They just went down the line  .

[Texas Ranger]

Deer and rabbets will do the same on high ground pine plantings.  You pays your money and takes your chances.

[Magicman]

And if you plant oak trees, mice will burrow down and eat the root.  The little stem will just fall over.        

[jeffreythree]

I guess I will go with more bald cypress in the spring.  The dead standing trees are finally crumbled down.  They are doing well where I did not drown them.  Planted about 18 months ago and now 4-5 feet tall, not the straightest example but I did not want wet feet just for the sake of pictures: