Food plot ideas for swampy area?

[Bonefreak]

Scouted a newly acquired piece today and found an opening in a swamp that has potential for a food plot. It’s somewhat wet but soil looks good. Any ideas what can be planted?  I read clover can tolerate wet areas. @Bucksnbows is this skunk cabbage popping up??

[3Blade]

I can’t help you with food plot idea but maybe you want to make sure bucks aren’t bedding in the swamp area before you plant a one. 

[Greybeard]

yes, skunk cabbage

[Greybeard]

May look open now,but won't be when the weeds grow back

[Yobuck293]

That skunk cabbage will definitely block out anything else you want to grow. I have deer eat that skunk cabbage early season every year.  They seem to eat a lot of it. 

[Scotty155]

Red twig dogwood

[Tier1]

Not the ideal location for a food plot, for obvious reasons..lol..But sometimes ya just gotta try and work with what ya got !! 

 

I've used Balansa Clover before with decent success in a particular low lying area, that was prone to being water logged for a good bit after heavy rains.  The biggest issue will be weed control, some folks are wary about using herbicides around wetland areas.  I would forgo spring planting and target a fall planting, as you'll up your odds on success battling the weeds

 

https://hayandforage.com/article-3686-balansa-clover-shines-in-wet-soils.html

[Tier1]

As others have said, you might be better off suited creating a browse plot using Red Oiser Dogwood cuttings....You can get the cuttings for free with a little leg work, and are ideally suited for areas like what you posted the pics of.  Biggest thing is protecting them from browse pressure for the 1st year....Usually by year two they've developed a pretty robust root system and can bounce back from being browsed by deer.

[Livesintrees]

Alsike clover also does well in wet. However you are going to have a flush of both the skunk cabbage and weeds. You will need herbicide for both. This is a situation of not being worth the battle in my opinion anyway unless you plan to really out the time into it. Even then it will be mjnimal gain for that sized area at best. Typically where skunk cabbage grows, you won’t be able to establish a plot. 

Edited February 15 by Livesintrees

[Bonefreak]

52 minutes ago, Tier1 said:

As others have said, you might be better off suited creating a browse plot using Red Oiser Dogwood cuttings....You can get the cuttings for free with a little leg work, and are ideally suited for areas like what you posted the pics of.  Biggest thing is protecting them from browse pressure for the 1st year....Usually by year two they've developed a pretty robust root system and can bounce back from being browsed by deer.

Dogwood planting make the most sense for this spot….im not familiar w them…but em or find em in the woods…then cage em for protection for a year??  Any other browse ideas??  I always see arborvitae browsed down in yards. 

[Greybeard]

11 hours ago, Yobuck293 said:

That skunk cabbage will definitely block out anything else you want to grow. I have deer eat that skunk cabbage early season every year.  They seem to eat a lot of it. 

It's been so warm the cabbage spikes broke ground mid winter and the deer have been eating a lot of them where I hunt.  

 

[jumpthestring]

Do nothing with it and just hunt it. might be a bedding area or sanctuary .

[tcook8296]

As mentioned, Alsike clover is your best bet. 

Some of my farm is wet and it does well in those areas. 

[Gman]

15 hours ago, 3Blade said:

I can’t help you with food plot idea but maybe you want to make sure bucks aren’t bedding in the swamp area before you plant a one

why? 

[Mixbaghunter]

Feeder with corn will be a lot easier and probably work better