Plant Cover Bush

[badboyzkennel]

I HAVE A 8 ACER PEN 4 ACERS OF IT IS BRIARS AND THE OTHER IS A FIELD THAT I HAVE PLANTED PINES IN. THAT PART HAS ABOUT 3 YEARS OF GROWTH TO IT. I NEED SOME HELP ON WHAT TO PLANT IN THE TO THICKING IT UP. VINES ,BRIARS, BUSHES ANYTHING TO HELP THICKING IT UP. ITS ONLY LIKE THIS IN THE WINTER.
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[WTV]

Bad Boyz, A friend of mine not terribly far from you guys (outside Greenville NC) has an 18 acre running pen and a 6 acre puppy pen all fenced in with chainlink fence with rabbit wire 3' up w/1' staked to ground. He went in and thinned his pines limbs up off the ground so sunlight could get in, and planted Sercia Lespedeza. It is expensive if you can find it but gives great cover, and when the frost hits, the rabbits love to eat it. It is to be planted in April, and will seed out and grow year after year. When it does get frosted, you still have plenty of cover. It just turns brown. Good Luck!!!

By the way, you guys do any good at Limestone last weekend? Didn't run myself, just spectated and saw you guys just before we left when they called the hunt.

[Rcoff]

Plant Switchgrass.
Thanks,
Bob

[badboyzkennel]

WE DID OK MY STUD DOG PLACE 5TH AND A PUP OFF HIM THAT IS 11 MONTHS OLD PLACED 15TH. THEY DO OK FOR A OLD BACK YARD HUNTER. THAT FOR THE INFO TRY TO FIND THE SEED.

[lebro]

1st choice switch grass 2nd johnson grass and fox tail 3rd serecia.

[WTV]

10-4 Bab Boyz..........tough day of running. A day like that will seperate the men from the boys....or should I say "a real rabbit beagle from just a dog". Saw much more of the latter.
Congrats on both dogs!!! & Good Luck with your pen!

[Beagle Huntsman]

I'm not on the switchgrass bandwagon. It makes decent rabbit cover, but eventually gets so thick it overtakes everything else. It comes up in big clumps, which eventually get so close together that you have a hard time walking through it. Then it has to be burned out to control it. How many of us can do a controlled burning? How would he keep from burning up his pines?

Serecia lespedeza is the best rabbit cover I have seen. It will do well around those pines. I love that stuff.

[johns03272008]

Where can you buy serica grass at? I know southeren indiana is loaded with it!! Has anyone had any luck with transplanting it and if so how did it do? How long did it take for it to take over? How many should be planted in a close area?

[WTV]

You can Google "Serecia Lespedeza for Sale" and find a number of places you can buy the seeds. Unfortunately, there has been a huge shortage in the past 2 years, and caused the price to sky rocket to about $400.00/50lb bag. The good thing is it heads out and seeds itself year after year. The best time to plant is April, at least in Eastern NC. If planted as directed, you will have a good stand the first year, and it will increase from one year to the next, but not kill itself.

Due to price and availability, I am planting Crimson Clover, Patridge Peas, and Deer Greens in my puppy pen this Friday. Pen is only 7/8 of an acre (for 12 weeks to 6 month old pups), and am only planting 2 areas which equal about 1/2 an acre. If you get online and do a little homework, you can find a number of things which will work, but if able, I think you would be greatly pleased with the Serecia Lespedeza. I have watched my buddy's place for 3 years, and it just seems to get better each year.

Good Luck!!! WTV

[Rcoff]

How does it stand up under heavy snow? That's an issue in Ohio.
Thanks,
Bob

[rabbitatfarm]

I don't have any experience with serecia lespedeza. That said, it is listed as an aggressive, noxious weed in Missouri and Kansas. It can be difficult to control. Make sure you do your home work. I was instructed 20 years ago to plant autumn olive borders. It is great stuff; every bird eats its berries--and passes the fertilized seeds everywhere. It's a constant battle to keep it controlled and from spreading. There are much better shrubs to plant.

[ken pack]

Bob they Plant Serecia Lespedeza on some State Parks here in OHIO and it is GREAT COVER for Rabbits and it holds up good to Heavy Winds and Snow. Really good Cover

[dogwhisperer]

just go to pheasants forever website and order some stuff called blizzard buster. just planted it here at the house. this stuff stands up in blizzards and has a great food value to wildlife. it is a mix of different weeds. 25 lbs does 4 to 5 acres and they have free shipping.