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  • From: "tanis cuff" <tanistanis@hotmail.com>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] a couple past topics
  • Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2004 17:32:38 +0000

I didn't have much computer access this spring, and I shamefully admit that for a couple months I deleted all NAFEXlist postings. Now I've had time to skim the Archives, and saw a couple strings I might have contributed to.

One, someone was asking about planting currants in a horse pasture, because his horses avoided them on one occasion. I've seen that deer don't eat any Ribes here (s.WI) except jostaberry, which they prune hard. Also, did anyone mention that his horses might avoid currants for part of the grazing season, but might enjoy them at other times?

Two, someone asked about using native grasses or forbs as orchard groundcovers. YES! Years ago apple trees were planted into open areas (postage-stamp prairie remnants & savanna oak-openings) because the site was, well, open. The groundlayer often wasn't tilled nor herbicided. Part of orchard management was a mowing or two per year-- beneficial to prairie & savanna groundlayer, especially for disuading brush growth & for competing w/ exotic weeds. Another part of mngt was annual burning, to get rid of the fallen leaves and the pests they harbor, especially apple scab. I recommend visiting commercial orchards and calculating the sun reaching the ground and comparing those numbers w/ what's required by savanna species.

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  • [NAFEX] a couple past topics, tanis cuff, 06/30/2004

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