How far apart to plant trees

[Sarpy Creek Boy]

As some of you know, I just moved out to Montana and bought a 23 acre parcel of land, this is an old horse pasture that has no trees except russian olives, which I am in the process of cutting and spraying, I want to plant a lot of trees, and I am going with mostly the Hybrid poplar which I had excellent luck with in my yard, in Minnesota. 6 to 7 foot a year. I am also going to try some seedless cottonwood, some type of pine and some type of maple. My main watering source is irrigation ditches

But because I want to plant 200 to 500 trees in the next few years, how far apart should I plant to avoid any kind of problems. I am not planting for a windbreak, I just want to re-wood (if that is a word) the property. My plan is to manage the south third of the property for wildlife, and still be able to have a cow pasture.

thanks in advance

Sarpy Creek Boy

[Fish Toys]

I would check with a local nursery or a county agent. The highbred poplars need a certain Ph to grow proficiently. More than likely you have different soil out there.

[solbes]

Sounds like a fun project. I've been trying to "re-wood" some lake property in MN. It's always interesting to see what "takes" and what struggles. I'm not an expert of any kind, but hopefully you hear from some here.

It kind of depends on how you want this to look someday. I have taken the approach to plant trees that are native to our area so that 25 years from now, it looks like the rest of the surrounding forest. I use lots of varieties (white spruce, black spruce, white pine, red pine, paper birch, sawtooth aspen). I've got a spruce/pine windbreak planted on North and West sides of our property (about 100 feet away from future cabin). The rest is somewhat random, but I want to maintain 3 or 4 narrow "peeks" to the lake.

If you want some specimen trees that will grow to maximum size, give them plenty of room to grow. If you want a natural look, you should probably plant them fairly close, maybe 15 feet? Since you are looking at fast growing hybrid poplar, they could be planted close to the other varieties to provide shade while they get established. Then cut some of the poplars down in the future to release the other varieties.

Try to get the trees from local nurseries. Also look to see what pest and disease sensitivity to determine placement.

What specific varieties are you looking at? I see ponderosas and black hills spruce are native to MT. I've always liked those varietes. Maples and birch trees always give a great contrast to the evergreens in the fall.

[B. Amish]

I'd also look for a local source for this type of information. Plant stuff that is already in the area. That way you know it will live.

[Sarpy Creek Boy]

Im my area there is not much but cottonwoods, I am just off the Bighorn river. Around the house I am going with some pine and birch, the part I want to manage for wildllife is goind to be the poplars, but I want some faster growing trees, I saw on a HSOforum that there is a fast growing oak that is rated for this area but I have no good reports on the life of this fast growing oak.. The property is approx 772' wide and 1325' long I thought if I planted the trees 7' apart and staggered in three rows it would be all right, I just wanted some opinions. I still have time before get started...

[RylFlsh85]

I think you should consider the long term picture, if you plant trees 7' apart they will only grow into each other and battle for all the water and nutrients, and wont stand much of a chance with out constant attention and nutrition. IMO, i would go at least 20' depending on the spread of the trees in maturity, that gives you air movement to prevent fungus and gives them room to put down good root structures and equal opportunity at water and nutrients.

[Sarpy Creek Boy]

I was just thinking 10 to 15' would be better, The water table is 6' during dry years. and the ground is mostly wet clay, I will take my post hole digger and tractor and put on the 12" auger and go down 4' and fill it with good black dirt,and gypsum. I shouldn't have a problem with water, since I have a ton of russian olives, and they drink 3 times more water than a normal tree.

The hybrid poplar has a spread of 30 to 35' everyone told me to plant the lombardy poplar but it's life span is short, where the hybrid poplar life span is 30 to 50 years, it's drought, insect and disease resisent,and since my soil is high in alkaline, these trees are salt tolarent.. I just don't know how they will survive the Mule deer eating them. (can't shoot them all..ha ha)

Like I said before, I planted 6 trees in my yard in Watertown, which is a high clay content soil, they grew 7 foot the first year. The hybrid poplars are used to reforest after fires, and to reclaim after strip mining...

I do have time but I am just trying to cover all my bases before I start planting..

My buddy just planted 100 austrilan willow on his property this spring and they got to be 10' the first year, I like them, but they are a dirty tree, the branches are weak and whenever there are high winds the weakest branches break off, he is already complaining about all the extra work these trees are, but he likes the windbreak value of them..

[JeffB]

I did this project about 6 years ago. I went 20ft apart and 20ft between the rows. Looks good now but to close in the long run. Go to the local Farm Service Agency (U.S. department of Ag.) They will come out to your site and help you draw up a plan. Then they will supply and plant the trees. They will give you care instructions and even come back and weed-badger around the trees. This will be extremely inexpensive. Most of the time you pay for the service then they will reimburse you 75% of that back to you. The planting must be at least a couple of acres.

[Sarpy Creek Boy]

I will have well over two acres for tree planting.

I just called a friend of mine, he planted 1000 trees last spring, he is going to explain how the FSA and MSU extension will help me out. I need to apply soon or I will have to wait until next year...

He also has one of those tree planting attachments for the tractor, I can borrow.. it has a small plow like thing on the front and you drop the tree in the trench and there is a back blade that covers the trench up. anyways, when he come over tomorrow, he will explain how the whole thing works.

Thanks for all the input guys, keep it coming, my brain needs all the help in can get over this project...

As a side note, there is a book just released callled " Manage your land for Wildlife" available from Montana

State University. It Deals with the land here in the rockies but I am sure some of the book will pertain to the midwest also. I e-mailed the author with a bunch of question and his answers convinced me to order the book.

If the moderators on this site will allow me to post the information I will... How about it moderators, Can I post the information?

Thanks again guys, your input is valuable...

Sarpy Creek Boy

[JeffB]

If you call the FSA they can fax you a list of trees availabe, prices, and services available. At least they did for me. Most FSA branches also have tree planting machines. They show up with the trees and the planter and are done in no time. I planted a row of redosier dogwood, sugar maple, bur oak, green ash, scotch pine, ponderosa pine, and one other pine. They were done in about 2.5 hours. Mont. may be different than MN but I doubt it would be to much different.

[Sarpy Creek Boy]

I talked to my buddy this afternoon, he is going to stopby tomorrow night with the brochure he has and the contact name of the FSA person here in town.. I also hav decided on 25' between trees and rows, Going to take 30' off my food plot and pond but that is ok. in the long run it sounds like it will be a better deal for the trees...

I sat down with him and we plotted out my land and it looks like I will put in about 500 trees this first spring, a mixture of native and hybrids, both decididous and pine, with the pine around the house to create a windbreak.

Thanks for all the input guys....Now back to the Steelers game...