3.5 acres of tree care

[ATH]

Grapevine is native...but it is still very damaging to trees when left unchecked.

 

[hannasm]

I don't think i've ever seen a grape growing off of one of these vines, but i can't say i've looked closely. Maybe i should be learning how to make wine.

 

[Basswood]

I don't think i've ever seen a grape growing off of one of these vines, but i can't say i've looked closely. Maybe i should be learning how to make wine.

I see them pretty full in July. Probably depends on animal pressure a lot

 

[ATH]

The grapes are going to be pretty small. Not quite like muscadines that grow wild in the south! They will also be at the very top - maybe even above the canopy of the tree. that is one of the problems with grapevines is they grow over the tree's canopy taking away a lot of sunlight.

 

[Rob Stafari]

There is a most excellent company out of the Cincinnati area called Indigenous Landscapes. If you were to want a consultant, they would 100% be the people I would call in the area. Don't know exactly where you are in Southwest Ohio, but they have a fairly large area of operations. If you are on the Facebook, I would look them up and get a taste of their knowledge and what they are all about. They are doing great things for the world. Including having native plant sales with species they propagate. Those of course might be put on hold at the moment, but if you were looking to get beneficial species in there it would be an opportunity to plan ahead. They are cultivating a fertile northern pecan from some survivors they found, which I simply cannot wait to get some saplings and spread around.

Honeysuckle is certainly the place to start. It is a nutrient sucker and deprives the trees. Invasive species in general mess with the natural nutrient balance. Removing them and getting native species that live in balance with the trees. Along with providing disappearing food sources for the native animals. Including you if you get some elderberry and pawpaw in the mix. A lot of that is knowing what types of natives to plant where. We have a lot of different soil types and conditions throughout the area. That is where the folks at Indigenous Landscapes shine. Look them up, a lot to learn just from reading through their facebook posts.

 

[JD3000]

The grapes are going to be pretty small. Not quite like muscadines that grow wild in the south! They will also be at the very top - maybe even above the canopy of the tree. that is one of the problems with grapevines is they grow over the tree's canopy taking away a lot of sunlight.

And weight, holy Hell can they add weight. Last summer we had some crazy winds and the only trees in wood lines that failed were those covered in grape. I'm talking breaking the trunk, not upper branches

 

[JD3000]

I get native bare roots from Alpha Nurseries. Some planted direct but most get potted up for the nursery

 

[ATH]

And weight, holy Hell can they add weight. Last summer we had some crazy winds and the only trees in wood lines that failed were those covered in grape. I'm talking breaking the trunk, not upper branches

In the wind storms they also provide a lot of extra surface area to catch the wind like a sail...

Then you get an ice storm. How much extra weight do all those little grape twigs add? It has to be many times what the tree would otherwise see.

 

[hannasm]

There is a most excellent company out of the Cincinnati area called Indigenous Landscapes. If you were to want a consultant, they would 100% be the people I would call in the area. Don't know exactly where you are in Southwest Ohio, but they have a fairly large area of operations. I

Wow, these guys sure have produced a lot of content. I will definitley be checking them out. Thanks for the recommendation.

I have tried bringing in some mail-order trees before, but between the native weeds and the wildlife, i have had a very low success rate. I'm not dedicated enough to care for the plants routinely so if they can't fend for themselves early on they don't stand much chance. Without mowing you will be up to your knees in weeds all summer and anything that doesn't start above that height just doesn't seem to make it in my experience. I'm sure it's site specific to an extent too, the places with the most light have the most competition.

I've found and relocated some saplings (my guess was redbud), the biggest reached 3-4 feet in the garden. It looks like these big ones may have actually established themselves, though we'll have to see if they put new leaves on in the next week or two. Most / all the smaller ones i transplanted are either hidden or gone (perhaps trampled or eaten by the deer)?

I picked up 3 paw paw saplings from the paw-paw festival in albany ohio, they are only about 6" tall and i'm crossing my fingers they sprout some leaves. If they do, I will probably put them in the garden until they get big. They don't seem to be very abundant in the southwest like they are in eastern ohio but technically this is part of their native range.

I don't suppose nurseries are commonly selecting for trees that have to break through a forest canopy. Transplanting from my local stock seems like an obvious (and cheaper) way to get trees that have a good chance of survival. Trying to identify saplings is tricky and the selection is limited though.

 

[Hedgeking]

I am not able to recognize the sencond one

 

[Tom F]

Sounds like a job for a Forestry mulcher. I own a Forestry Mulching company on the west side of Cincinnati (Fowler Forestry) if your near the area I may be able to help.