Fundamental Questions to Make Sure You Get Started Right
Appropriate site preparation on a cutover tract or old field is vital before planting pine seedlings.
This crucial step reduces the woody and herbaceous weed components to facilitate successful planting. Additionally, the preparation controls woody and herbaceous weed competition so the young seedlings survive and thrive in their first growing season.
It’s wise to ask the right questions to get the best seedling growth possible.
Along with your Professional Forester, your Reforestation Advisors, trained and experienced in silviculture, are also available to help. Several variables should be reviewed when assessing your site, which will determine the optimal site prep treatments.
Here are some questions to explore:
- Is it an old field? If so, when and what crops were grown there?
- What species of herbaceous weeds will be a challenge?
- What is the soil texture and pH?
- Does it have a hard-pan (plow-pan) layer that needs to be sub-soiled?
- Is it a pine plantation cutover, and when was it last harvested?
- Was harvest recent enough for pales weevil protection consideration?
- If you chemically site-prepare the tract, will the hardwood stump sprouts be 18″ tall by the time to spray?
- How much woody debris and residual trees are present?
- What species were planted there before?
- Are the rows of stumps evenly distributed due to past machine planting, or was it hand-planted?
- Was it bedded during the last rotation, and does it need bedding for the next rotation?
- Is there volunteer pine recruitment to consider?
- Are there non-native, invasive species to consider?
- Is it a natural stand cutover?
- What is the drainage class, and can it be effectively site-prepared to grow pine?
Here are some further overarching questions:
- What are your objectives for the next stand?
- What are your local markets?
- What is your site quality to begin with?
- What site preparation, genetics, and silvicultural options do you have to increase the inherent site quality?
- What is your budget? Is cost-share available?
- Can you burn the woody debris during site preparation?
- Are there site preparation contractors available to help?
- Will you personally manage the operation or work with a Professional Forester?
Although this list of questions may appear daunting, a systematic review will allow you to reach the best decisions and help you with this process, especially with seedling genetics and financial projections.
