Treessentials Company - Articles: The Basics of Replanting

Articles

The Basics of Re-Planting
by Jim Mallman

In the first article of this series in the April/May issue of this magazine, I looked at some developments in planting technology. However, it is important to remember that no technology is going to change basic plant life or serve to replace the proper handling of tree seedlings. How many times have you heard the remark, "We're going back to the basics?" Well, you're about to hear it again.

Some of this article may seem like just plain old common sense, but it will make all the difference in your replanting success. Foresters have found that trees that die during the first year, or grow poorly, in many cases never had a chance. The reasons range from soil and seedling conditions to handling, planting and poor weather.

In this article I'll focus on bare root stock plantings. You can also plant using seed or balled stock. Seed planting is best accomplished by developing your own seedbeds and transplanting the seedlings after the second year. This is a time-consuming process, but you know you'll be using seedlings that are suited to your woodlot, and you have had control over them between the time of lifting and transplanting. Balled stock planting is used more for landscaping than for large-scale woodlots due to its high cost.

Nursery Stock

Nursery stock is graded and numbered to tell the number of years it is grown as a seedling and as a transplant. For example, a 1-0 would be a one-year-old seedling. A 2-2 would mean that the tree was grown two years as a seedling and two years as a transplant.

A plug is a seedling grown in a small container, usually for 16 months. Plugs plus I or 2 refer to one and two year-old transplanted plugs.

Last issue I talked about the importance of knowing your nursery and the true source of the bare-root stock before you make any purchases. The lifting and handling of bareroot stock also is critical. If after the seedling is lifted, it is not placed under cover and moistened, too much transpiration and respiration will take place. This will cause the root tips to dry out and die. If the root is excessively damaged, the tree will not survive the first season.

Established nurseries know to properly moisten, box and store seedlings. Nursery workers lift and collect seedlings in the late fall close to the seedlings' dormant state. These plants are then stored at 24 to 26 F through the winter. If temperatures dip below 22 degrees F, stored bare rootstock will be damaged. The same handling precautions apply when you receive your seedlings. The roots need to be kept covered, moist, and out of direct sunlight. Seedlings should he planted as soon as possible. If you can't plant within 24 hours, place your seedlings in a refrigerator at 40 replanting to 50 degrees F, and don't leave them in there any longer than necessary.

Planting

Seedling planting has not changed much over the years. The planting bar (dibble) or a grub hoe is the most common tool used on larger projects. An example of how the planting bar is used is shown in the diagram on page 17. You first push the bar into the ground at an angle about one foot deep. Then you push the bar upright, which creates an hour glass shaped hole. Be careful when you place the seedling into the hole: keep its roots upright and untangled. To do this best, hold the seedling above the root collar, and push it into the hole several inches past the root collar. Then pull the seedling up until the root collar is just below the surface. This makes sure the roots hang straight down.

If you use a planting bar, be sure to follow these procedures for back filling. Insert the bar into the ground between you and the seedling about two inches from the newly planted seedling. Pull the bar towards you first. This will push the ground in on the bottom of the seedling. Next push the bar away from you, towards the seedling. This will fill in the top of the hole. The adjacent hole can be filled in by carefully pushing dirt in with your heel. Then carefully compact the dirt around the seedling with your foot. Now repeat this process 1,499 times in a day, and you can have yourself a new career. A trained crew person on a big planting project is expected to plant 1,500 seedlings a day. If I'm doing the job, you can bet the daily rate may he somewhat lower. What I'm getting at is that planting is hard work. You need to he sure that you have the workload planned properly. Have help available and plan for delays.

If you are going to protect your seedlings from wind and animal browse, you'll also need to install shelters. You might be able to plant 400 seedlings a day if planting isn't your main line of work and you are using shelters as well.

Planting for a Purpose

Doing a careful job planting your trees is important. Just as important is planning what you want your replanting to achieve in the long term. Today more woodlot owners are discovering that planting with an eye toward wildlife is not only enjoyable but can be a wise investment a well.

Since our ancestors first came to this country, we have given very little consideration to wildlife habitat. The long-term effect has been nothing short of devastating. Every year we lose more natural acres and destroy the wildlife corridors that these animals need to move safely from one place to another. We fill in wetlands and remove food supplies and cover what migrating birds need to survive. The good news is this trend seems to be turning around. For the first time in our history we seem to be teaming together to find better ways to manage, preserve and reclaim one of our nation's most valuable assets. State and federal agencies, non-profit organizations and private landowners are using new methods and technology to resolve conflicts between good land stewardship and timber production goals. There are a number of approaches you may want to consider as you plan future tree planting and other land use projects on your woodlot.

Riparian Buffer Zones

If you have a river, stream, or wetland on your property you need to be concerned about runoff and bank erosion. By allowing the bank and first 10 feet to remain in a natural state, you will substantially reduce the potential for damaging runoff.

You can add more protection and improve wildlife habitat by planting rows of hardwood trees, shrubs. and grasses next to this natural buffer. A newly published book on this subject titled "Lakescaping for Wildlife and Water Quality" can be purchased from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources by calling 800-657-3757. Windbreaks, alley cropping and silver pastures are other approaches that can increase the value of your woodlot and help to support a diverse wildlife population. If you are in farm country, these forestry practices also can help increase timber acreage by using field borders and developing alleys to break up large areas of tilled land.

Wooded borders provide shelter, food, and travel routes for wildlife. They also help break up the landscape, which further protects bare ground, reduces dust, and helps to contain runoff-all this plus the growing value of the wood while you

enjoy the trees and wildlife. Sounds like a good investment to me. Another great source for information on this topic is the National Agro forestry Center. Their newest publication is "Working Trees for Wildlife." You can request this and other related publications by writing the National Agro forestry Center, East Campus UNL, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68583-0822.

Tree planting is one of the single most important things you can do to help the environment and our overall quality of life. Whether you plant for timber, wildlife or for your own pure enjoyment, the end result is always positive. Next issue we will wrap up this series by covering regional favorite tree species for replanting and the importance of soil conditions across the U.S.