Pine trees

[BobbyLummus]

I'm interested in turning pine trees into more pasture land . The trees are getting close to harvest (saw logs) . Close to 50 acres in trees . I'm in South Carolina. Looking for opinions from folks with experience doing this?

 

[Richardin52]

I'd sell stumpage, get someone to cut it and haul out the trees, tops and all. Then put a fence around it and put some livestock on it. Plan on feeding hay and when you do, put each bale in a new location so the residue will get some grass growing. Also cows tend to hang around water so use some portable water tanks and move them around.

Pine needles will make acid soils, so get a soils test but don't spend too much money on lime etc. until the cattle have been on it for a year or two and you can see how things look. If you can get enough carbon in the soil from hay residue, manure etc. you may be surprised when you take you next soils test.

If you get frozen ground down there then frost seed a small area and see if it takes. If it does then do the rest of it. I would sow at least 8 types of plants and make sure at least three are legumes. Also have both warm and cool season grasses and broad leaf plants in the mix. If you can't frost seed and the stumps won't let you drill then the only other way is feeding hay all over it or sewing it using seed balls I guess. Of course you can always spend big bucks and take the stumps but the pay back on that might put a pucker in your pocket.

My advice for what it's worth

 

[greybeard]

Pine needles will make acid soils, so get a soils test but don't spend too much money on lime etc.

I believe, it more a case that pine trees LIKE and grow well in acidic soil, and you rarely see any pine (coniferous) forests in alkaline soil areas.
People over the ages, put 2 and 2 together and came up with 5, believing it is the pine and their needles that caused the acidic conditions, but the soil was already acidic or the pine forests wouldn't have been there to begin with. As far as I know, plants themselves do not have the ability to change the Ph of the soil they grow in or drop leaves on.
http://www.gardenmyths.com/pine-needles ... your-soil/

 

[Deepsouth]

How close are the trees to being sawlog size. If you are familiar with southern pine timber I take it that you are saying they are in the chip-n-saw class now. Right now in my area selling chip-n-saw is the worst thing you can do for return on your investment. If its putting on growth at a descent rate at all you would be better to let it grow into the sawlog class. However if its large pulpwood I would consider cutting it. You really need to check on your local timber market and also evaluate your stand.

 

[skyhightree1]

How close are the trees to being sawlog size. If you are familiar with southern pine timber I take it that you are saying they are in the chip-n-saw class now. Right now in my area selling chip-n-saw is the worst thing you can do for return on your investment. If its putting on growth at a descent rate at all you would be better to let it grow into the sawlog class. However if its large pulpwood I would consider cutting it. You really need to check on your local timber market and also evaluate your stand.

:nod:

 

[Pineland]

There is some info in this tread. viewtopic.php?f=14&t=75210

 

[Caustic Burno]

Pine needles will make acid soils, so get a soils test but don't spend too much money on lime etc.

I believe, it more a case that pine trees LIKE and grow well in acidic soil, and you rarely see any pine (coniferous) forests in alkaline soil areas.
People over the ages, put 2 and 2 together and came up with 5, believing it is the pine and their needles that caused the acidic conditions, but the soil was already acidic or the pine forests wouldn't have been there to begin with. As far as I know, plants themselves do not have the ability to change the Ph of the soil they grow in or drop leaves on.
http://www.gardenmyths.com/pine-needles ... your-soil/

From OSU.
Organic Matter Decay
Decaying leaves, needles, bark and grass clippings take a long time to add acid to soil, but they manage to do so over a period of many years. The breakdown of organic matter releases carbon dioxide, which reacts with moisture in the soil to create trace amounts of carbonic and other weak acids. These acids slowly accumulate.

 

[Jogeephus]

The first thing I would do is get a cruise on the timber and market it based on the information the cruise will provide.

You don't mention the topography but here I would follow the harvest with a kg blade and pile any logging debris in piles and burn. This should run you about $190/acre. I'd then follow that with an offset harrow you can do this yourself or hire it done. Hiring it will run you around $50/acre. Immediately following this pull a soil test and lime accordingly. You need to get the pH right as soon as possible and since it will take time for lime to work this should be done as soon as possible. I would also refrain from putting heavy fertilizer applications on the site until the pH was in order - exception being the base elements that won't get tied up due to the acid soil.

From here there are several ways to go depending on your final objectives and your patience. I prefer to use annuals for the first couple of years prior to planting a perennial. This will give some quick grazing and to allow nature to work on breaking down some of the finer debris. Harrowing between plantings will smooth out the ground and speed up the decomposition process.