sunflower strip

[dakids]

I planted a strip of sunflowers on the south side of the food plot for screening.  So far the deer are only browsing them lightly.  I would have planted more but I only had a few seeds. If any make it to the fall I will harvest and plant more next year.

[deadeye]

If they grow tall enough they should make a good screen.  This may be a good idea for the guys who planted trees (that will take some time to grow) to get a quick screen.  Nothing like a little cover to draw the deer out. 

[dakids]

The big buck that I'm chasing comes out of the neighbors land down the fenseline in the picture.  He follows the fenseline and hits the scrape under the big oak in the middle of the foodplot.  He usually won't hit his scrape until the very last light or after dark.  With the added screening and the extended edgeline I'm betting on an opertunity with a north wind.

[LandDr]

Nice photo!

I noticed the white flower in the photo...if you pick the heads after the pedals drop, I will trade you food plot seed for your harvest.  We use that flower seed in our native prairie mixes and looks like you have a good crop going!

Land Dr

[dakids]

I believe those to be wild daisies.  The field to the right of the strip was cut yesterday.  The only stuff that we will have left is the small patch to the left.I will be up there in 2 weeks and then again the middle of august.  Do I just need to pick the heads for you? And how much do you want?

[LandDr]

Wild daisies or Common Oxeye is what we usually call it.

Couple truck loads will do!  :)

Isn't that all the luck...dang cows are going to eat all the profits again.

Just the heads once the pedals fall and put them into a paper bag to prevent moisture issues.  If you pack the bag too tight, it will need to be stired occassionally so it doesn't heat up.  If the temp gets over 120F it will stearilize the seed.

Got any Black Eyed or Brown Eyed Susans around?  Those are pretty common up there as well.

Keep an eye out for Blue Flag Iris this time of year in the wet meadows...those are good too.

Those shiney three leaved plants are good too...works best if you roll in those first before picking the seed.

Just gonna have to get yourself a book on northland wildflowers and start pick'in.  :)

Land  Dr

[dakids]

I actually found about a dozen of the Blue flg Iris last week.  I know that we do have some of the B&B eyed susans as well.  I will try and bring the kids with to help pick.  Only 2 truck loads.  You are easy to please.

[deadeye]

Wild daisies, I got your wild daisies right here.  I got several acres of them on my property.  I was thinking of spraying them with Roundup.  If you want to harvest some you are welcome.
What are they good for?

[Big E]

Sunflowers look great! Mine get to about that height and then the next day there's no sign of them. Deer hammer mine. I keep planting them throughout the summer to keep the deer off my brassicas and beans.....oh and my egyptian wheat!

 LandDr I can see what I can do for you on the Black eyed susan and oxeye. We have it ALL OVER! Got a need for hawkweed (Devils Paint brush)?

[LandDr]

I have never heard of Devils Paint Brush but I looked it up and it seems to be better known as Hawkweed.

It is native so that makes it ok.  If you can get some, that would be fine.

Indian Paint Brush is another one...but not a lot of it around but is more common up your way.

Thanks!

[LandDr]

Instead of picking each flower head by hand...this is what I am thinking...

Make a hand held scoop of some kind with a row of nails at the bottom.  The nails should be seperated by a distance that allows the stem to slide thru but the head pops off into the scoop.

I am also sketching out some options of using my bucket on my ATV, ARGO and/or tractor with a row of nails across the bottom.  I can just drive along and pop the heads right out into the bucket.

Let me know if you spin off on any of these ideas and what you come up with.

Make sure to lay the flower heads out on a screen for drying or something else.  If they heat up like silage, it will kill the germination in the seed and be no good.

Lots of room for invention and innovation here!

Land Dr

[dakids]

I HAD pictures to update but my wife was trying to delete 1 of the picture and mistakenly deleted ALL of the picture from the vacation up north.

The deer had nipped off the tops of 75 % of the sunflowers.  I would be surprised if any made it to maturity.

[Dotch]

Unless they've chewed 'em off below the cotyledonary nodes, it'll just set 'em back. They should shoot out new growth from the axillary buds and multiple heads as a result of their pruning however, provided they don't keep doing it constantly.

[Big E]

I've been planting Sunflowers since May. About every other week I plant about 5 lbs. Still have yet to have one get over 8" tall. The reason I keep planting them is because deer are creatures of habbit and if I can keep them coming back day after day well......1 more month.

[dakids]

They are all mowed to the ground by the deer.  Worked up the strip yesterday and planted rye grain and alfalfa.  I was going to plant peas but had extra alfalfa seeds that need to find the dirt.

[bowhunter73]

I tried the same thing this year with corn I knew it was a long shot and I was right the deer ate it all. Next year I am putting up a fence for a few months. I feel it will be worth the work just for the screen effect to visually shrink the field.

[LandDr]

How's the harvest going?