I regularly talk with foresters, farmers and woodland owners who have not thought twice about agroforestry. I get it. Some people have never heard of it, and others think I’m talking about putting cows in the woods. However, agroforestry consists of five very different primary practices (outlined here) that are applicable to to a variety […]
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Category: Plant and maintain new trees
Make sure your planted trees survive and thrive
If you haven’t yet, check out the first two parts of this tree planting series here and here. I returned to Julie’s property some weeks after they had completed their tree planting to see how things looked. Julie greeted me with a smile as she proudly led me through their brand-new forest. And she had […]
Tree planting – It’s all in the details
A few weeks ago I had a conversation with a landowner named Julie about some tree planting her family was planning for this spring. We talked about making a plan for where and how to plant the trees they purchased (see that conversation here) and reaching out to her local DNR forester for some advice. […]
Do I really need a plan for where and how I plant my trees?
I was talking with a landowner (Julie) recently about the tree planting her and her family were doing this spring, and she seemed a bit apprehensive about the whole thing. It turns out they have planted a few trees here and there in the past, but nothing compared to the scale they had in mind […]
Protect your planted trees this winter
We have moved into November and a sacred holiday to Wisconsinites is approaching… deer hunting. For those of us particularly interested in trees, this is one important management tool for protecting young trees. As the snow approaches and food options become more limited, it is a good time to think about further protecting trees from […]
Tree planting and maintenance
by Randy Mell Last Saturday I found myself walking the woods with a good friend. Today was one of those perfect mornings that you remember in the dead of winter that picks up your spirits. I have had many walks in the past with him through his woods. On those walks he would express his […]
Improving your trees through pruning
Winter is the time when our family enjoys the warmth from the firewood we have gathered, and prune the branches on the trees we planted. This is the best time to prune because the trees are dormant, and the insects, diseases and fungi that would normally infect open wounds in trees (like those created when […]
Protect your trees with fencing
I just got off the phone with Mike. Mike is a landowner in Marathon County who just purchased some property, and was floundering a bit with where to start. He has 80 acres of land that had been used for hay, has some wet areas, and he would like to see more wildlife on the […]
Protect and Maintain your Planted Trees
The mistake many folks make is thinking they can just sit back and watch the trees they planted grow without doing any kind of maintenance on the plantation. This decision has led to the demise of many a planting. A good understanding of what threatens seedlings and how to control or reduce these will ensure […]