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Success With Tree Planting Roger Bohringer DNR, Wilson State Nursery, Boscobel March 10, 2012

Success With Tree Planting

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Page 1: Success With Tree Planting

Success With Tree Planting

Roger Bohringer

DNR, Wilson State Nursery, Boscobel March 10, 2012

Page 2: Success With Tree Planting

#1 cited reason for planting failure

• BAD LUCK

Page 3: Success With Tree Planting

Most frequent actual reasons for planting failure

• Poor planning • Poor planting • Poor maintenance • Bad luck

Page 4: Success With Tree Planting

Planning • Setting goals-what do you want?

• Site evaluation-what do you have to work with?

• Species selection-make sure your choices fit the site.

• Planting design-think big picture.

• Stock selection-different options for different situations.

Page 5: Success With Tree Planting

Planting plan for do-it-yourselfers

• Develop a preliminary plan for your site at:

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/TreePlanting/plan.html

Page 6: Success With Tree Planting

Planning: Site Evaluation

• Climate • Soil • Topography • Productivity • Competing vegetation • Potential pests

Page 7: Success With Tree Planting

Climate

– Midwest has widely variable climate • Lowest winter temp and last date of frost are

limiting for southern species • Species may survive outside of their natural range,

but natives will generally fair better • Important to have ‘local’ seed sources

Example of range map for black walnut

Example of range map for northern white cedar

Page 8: Success With Tree Planting

Soil • Relative sand-silt-clay

content? – Vary in water and nutrient

availability. – How deep to restrictive features? – NCSS Web Soil Survey at

http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/

Page 9: Success With Tree Planting

Topography • Elevation

– Main elevation concern in Midwest is frost pockets in low areas

• Slope and Aspect – Completely different micro-climate and

moisture holding capacity, even on similar soils

Page 10: Success With Tree Planting

Productivity

• Measure of the land’s ability to grow a given tree species.

• Local forester a good source of info- knows local soil types and what they are capable of growing

Page 11: Success With Tree Planting

23 year old walnut planting on poor site

Page 12: Success With Tree Planting

10 year old walnut on good site

Page 13: Success With Tree Planting

Competing Vegetation • All vegetation competes for moisture,

nutrients and light, but some are more serious threats than others.

• Knowing what is on the site will determine your control strategy.

Page 14: Success With Tree Planting

Insects, disease, and pests

• Know what pests/diseases are in your local area – Be aware of things like oak wilt pockets, ash

borer infestations, etc – Are there deer ‘refuges’ nearby – Is there grass CRP acreage adjacent to your

planting site that could harbor mice/rabbits

Page 15: Success With Tree Planting

Planning: Planting Design • Develop a map. Include:

– Arrangement- pattern or distribution of species across the site.

– Spacing- depends on species and goals for site (account for mortality & growth).

– Roads for firebreaks & access.

Page 16: Success With Tree Planting

Planning: Site Preparation • Mechanical

– Mowing – Plow/scalp

• Chemical – Contact herbicides – Pre-emergent herbicides

• Cover crops

Page 17: Success With Tree Planting

Chemical site prep • Numerous forestry chemicals available • Rent DNR/County sprayer, hire CO-OP, or

hire forestry custom applicator • Typically spray the Fall before planting • Formulations vary- READ THE LABEL!

http://www.cdms.net/LabelsMsds/LMDefault.aspx

Page 18: Success With Tree Planting

Good site preparation will make maintenance much easier.

Planting trees into dead sod greatly improves survival and reduces first year maintenance.

Page 19: Success With Tree Planting

Planning: Stock Selection • Seed source

– Should be from the same region of the country that you are planting in.

• Stock type – Bare root seedlings, transplants,

containerized seedlings, direct seed.

Page 20: Success With Tree Planting

Direct seeding • May be a good option for some sites • Proven results on walnut- mixed results on

oak • Allows planting at high density • Aggressive initial weed control critical • Squirrel losses can be serious- have a

plan (and recipes) to deal with them

Page 21: Success With Tree Planting

Collect seed from quality trees as locally as possible. Make sure mast crop is available before committing to project.

Stock Selection

Page 22: Success With Tree Planting

Planting: Stock Handling

• Keep trees cool; ideal storage temperature 34 – 36°F.

• Keep trees at humidity levels between 90% and 95%.

Tree seedlings are perishable-

You wouldn’t leave your lunch box in the sun for hours. Give your trees the same consideration!

Page 23: Success With Tree Planting

Relative Temperatures

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

9:00

10:0

0

11:0

0

12:0

0

1:00

2:00

3:00

4:00

Canvas Cover No Cover Space Blanket Heavy Shade

Page 24: Success With Tree Planting
Page 25: Success With Tree Planting

Planting: Stock Preparation •Sorting

–remove weak or damaged seedlings.

•Root pruning

–If the root system is too large for proper planting, prune.

–Leave at least 8” of root after pruning.

Page 26: Success With Tree Planting

Root pruning

Over-pruned

Balled roots Ideal oak root

Page 27: Success With Tree Planting

Planting

• Take only as many seedlings to the field as you can plant that day (½ day if close).

• ~1,000 seedlings per day by hand.

• ~5,000 seedlings per day by machine.

Page 28: Success With Tree Planting

Planting

• Hand planting • Machine planting

Page 29: Success With Tree Planting

Planting

Too deep

Page 30: Success With Tree Planting

Planting

Too shallow

Page 31: Success With Tree Planting

Planting

Crooked &

Shallow

Page 32: Success With Tree Planting

Planting

J-root

Page 33: Success With Tree Planting
Page 34: Success With Tree Planting

Grant County Planter

Page 35: Success With Tree Planting

Maintaining a Planting • Monitoring

• Weed control

• Insect & animal control

Page 36: Success With Tree Planting

Monitoring

• Determine survival, stocking levels (# live trees per acre), competing vegetation and the health of your tree planting.

• Identify animal damage and weed competition needing attention.

Page 37: Success With Tree Planting

Monitoring

1/100th of an acre

All you need is a stake and 11’10” of rope!

Page 38: Success With Tree Planting

Some Losses are Normal

In commercial plantings we typically plant at a rate of 800-900 trees per acre.

Goal is to have 600 trees survive to first

thinning.

Page 39: Success With Tree Planting

Maintaining: Weed Control • Control for at least 3 growing seasons

– Herbicides – Mechanical (mowing or disking)

Page 40: Success With Tree Planting

Why Control Competing Vegetation?

1. Increase the amount of sunlight available

2. Increase the amount of available moisture and nutrients

3. Decrease damage from mice and rabbits

4. Decrease lodging of seedlings when snows flatten weeds

Page 41: Success With Tree Planting

With herbicide Without herbicide

Weed Control

Page 42: Success With Tree Planting

Forestry herbicides info • http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/ForestHealth/Herbici

des.html

Page 44: Success With Tree Planting

Maintaining: DEER! • ‘Large’ deer population

and heavy browse causes many frustrations.

• Growth and survival problems in new plantings will result, but can be minimized.

Page 45: Success With Tree Planting

Heavy deer browse

Page 46: Success With Tree Planting

Maintaining: DEER!

• Population control • Repellents • Fencing • Bud caps/netting • Tubes

Page 47: Success With Tree Planting

Maintaining: Insects Stem and root feeders Can be a problem 1st year,

especially on sand Shoot and bud pests Usually not life threatening

but can hurt form Defoliators Generally not serious. Tree

will re-flush

Page 48: Success With Tree Planting

Maintaining: Rodents

• On grassy sites mowing is critical to reduce mouse habitat

• Encourage predators on the site

Page 49: Success With Tree Planting

In young plantings, raptor nesting boxes and perch

poles will increase predation of mice and rabbits

Page 50: Success With Tree Planting

Raptor perch pole in young pine plantation

- Note the bud caps to discourage deer also

Page 51: Success With Tree Planting

• Coyotes – Provide excellent

rabbit and mouse control

– Help discourage deer from loitering in planting

Page 52: Success With Tree Planting

In Summary

• Start thinking about your planting 12 -15 months before you want to plant

• Make a plan for your planting site

• Order your trees in time

Page 53: Success With Tree Planting

In Summary • Prepare the site prior to receiving your

seedlings (usually 8 months prior)

• Keep your seedlings cool and damp before planting

• Properly plant seedlings for best survival

Page 54: Success With Tree Planting

In Summary

• Care for your seedlings after planting by: – Protecting from deer, insects, rodents – Control competing vegetation

• Monitor the survival of your planting

Page 55: Success With Tree Planting

THANK YOU Questions?

Page 56: Success With Tree Planting

Monitoring CALCULATIONS FOR CIRCULAR PLOT • Stocking Level: Live Trees x 100 = trees/acre

• Seedling Survival Rate: Live Trees/ Total Trees counted X 100=

percent of survival