Authored by Greg Hay
Greg is the ArborGen Reforestation Advisor for Arkansas, Northern Louisiana and Oklahoma.
Our previous articles have addressed the pros and cons of bareroot and container seedlings and how to decide what stock type to plant.
One of the advantages of container seedlings is a broader planting window. However, if you decide to invest and plant container seedlings, we encourage you to consider planting them early.
Early planting of container seedlings provides three advantages.
Advantage One:
First, by planting in the fall, earlier than the traditional season, you take advantage of early winter root growth development. The new succulent root growth will allow for greater uptake of water and nutrients in the spring, resulting in better survival and growth during the critical establishment stage. Fall-planted container seedlings have enjoyed 10 percent better survival than bareroot seedlings planted in winter or early spring. One critical note when planting in the fall is that it is essential to have soil moisture. Dry soil conditions can cause the moisture to be wicked from the containerized plug, resulting in loss of growth or mortality. Fall-planted container seedlings appear to have been fertilized in early summer. This is primarily due to the advanced early winter root growth’s greater uptake of nutrients and water.
Advantage Two:
Second, there is often greater planter availability in the fall before the onset of the traditional planting season. This allows a greater selection of planters and the ability to complete your planting on time before the onset of winter weather.
Advantage Three:
The third is risk reduction. Container seedlings are grown in container trays about three feet off the ground. This exposes them to potential freeze damage when the nursery experiences periods of extremely low temperatures in December, January, and February. Planting early eliminates the possible exposure to freezing temperatures at the nursery.
Take Away:
Planting early maximizes your investment in container seedlings. For more information on container seedlings, talk to one of our seedling experts today.
