Planting Forsythia for Deer (and birds and bunnies)

[Rusty]

I know I'm gonna catch flack for this because forsythia is not a native plant,  but the deer really seem to like it and it provides great cover for a wide variety of critters.  

The storms a few years back took down a bunch of trees in the woods around our house and forsythia has spread into the sunny openings.  The deer herd here is well below the carrying capacity and the habitat is very high quality, so the deer have a wide variety of high quality browse species to feed on.  Even so, they go nuts over the forsythia.  

The plant thrives in wet or dry conditions, all it needs is a little sunlight.  And no amount of browsing pressure hurts it.  The stuff just keeps on growing.   

Edited October 2, 2018 by Rusty

[rocky]

Plant emerald green arborvitae the deer love them. Don't ask me how I know because I don't want to start cursing again.

 

[hunt1940]

Manhattan euyonmous  ....i own a landscape and deer repellent business hands down their favorite . if we have a hard winter just cut them in half and let the deer graze and they bounce right back.

[Buck154]

11 hours ago, Rusty said:

 

 

11 hours ago, Rusty said:

I know I'm gonna catch flack for this because forsythia is not a native plant,  but the deer really seem to like it and it provides great cover for a wide variety of critters.  

The storms a few years back took down a bunch of trees in the woods around our house and forsythia has spread into the sunny openings.  The deer herd here is well below the carrying capacity and the habitat is very high quality, so the deer have a wide variety of high quality browse species to feed on.  Even so, they go nuts over the forsythia.  

The plant thrives in wet or dry conditions, all it needs is a little sunlight.  And no amount of browsing pressure hurts it.  The stuff just keeps on growing.   

Never heard of it before

[Rusty]

10 minutes ago, Buck154 said:

Never heard of it before

It's the bush that has the bright yellow flowers early in the spring before anything else starts to turn green.  It's everywhere.  

[Bucksnbows]

We need to talk [emoji1]


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[Live to Hunt]

27 minutes ago, Bucksnbows said:

We need to talk


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2 smart guys want to talk.  Please post it PLEASE

[Nanuk]

Here’s a link further describing Manhattan Euonymus and a place to buy

https://www.naturehills.com/euonymus-manhattan

[Bucksnbows]

You guys are killing me with these non-native plants.  I get paid to eradicate them during many of our restoration projects and gladly do so with glyphosate.    

[Bucksnbows]

4 hours ago, Live to Hunt said:

2 smart guys want to talk.  Please post it PLEASE

The flaw in that statement was "smart guys" just in case you were wondering. 

[Rusty]

8 hours ago, Bucksnbows said:

We need to talk

 

I knew that was coming.  

[Rusty]

7 hours ago, Live to Hunt said:

2 smart guys want to talk.  Please post it PLEASE

Boy have we got you fooled.  

In all seriousness, our first conversation ever:  "Can I have one of those wheat beers?"  "Oops, sorry, I drank them".

Our most recent conversation:  "There's no beer left for Lou".  "So?"  

Our conversations are riveting, let me tell you.   

[Bucksnbows]

9 minutes ago, Rusty said:

Boy have we got you fooled.  

In all seriousness, our first conversation ever:  "Can I have one of those wheat beers?"  "Oops, sorry, I drank them".

Our most recent conversation:  "There's no beer left for Lou".  "So?"  

Our conversations are riveting, let me tell you.   

[Bucksnbows]

Okay, so I'll play along.  You can easily plant forsythia simply by taking a cutting and sticking it in dirt.  They are much like willows and will sprout from dormant season cuttings stuck into the soil.  Free materials, in other words.    

 

Rusty, funny stuff.  I forgot about the beer .  And now I remember it wasn't ales but wheat beer you like.  I have one for you to try next time I see you.  You know, on our deep wilderness hunt next week.      

[Rusty]

42 minutes ago, Bucksnbows said:

Okay, so I'll play along.  You can easily plant forsythia simply by taking a cutting and sticking it in dirt.  They are much like willows and will sprout from dormant season cuttings stuck into the soil.  Free materials, in other words.    

Yes, the stuff transplants easier than anything.  But I do feel a little guilty about it being nonnative.  Even though I didn't plant it by me, it moved in all by itself.