- How many seedlings do I need to buy to reforest a Timber stand after logging?
A 10' x 10' spacing (436 trees per acre) is good for most reforestation purposes. You may want to plant at a slightly closer spacing if it is important to you to get early returns from a thinning. For a hedge or windbreak you may want to plant your trees as close as 5-6 feet apart for quick closure, but this means you'll need to come in after 6-8 years and thin out every other tree so that lower branches don't begin to die off.
- How many seedlings do I need to plant on my Christmas tree plantation?
Plantation spacing is typically determined by species. A common plantation spacing is 5' x5' (1,740 seedlings per acre).
- How do I get my seedlings planted?
For large quantities of seedlings, a seedling planting contractor can be hired. They are most often paid on either a piece rate or hourly rate. Reforestation seedlings are typically planted by hand using a special planting shovel or hoe. Some Christmas tree growers will use machines for planting their seedlings.
- What is the best time of year to plant?
Most tree planting for reforestation is done when seedlings are dormant and rainfall is frequent, that is, between December and April. Later planting can put your seedlings at risk because they can be exposed to warm temperatures before their roots have been settled into the soil by a good rain.
Under some circumstances it may be desirable to plant in the early fall. This requires a containerized seedling that has been cultured for early shipment. If you are able to provide irrigation, this is an excellent way to get an early start on the next growing season because roots will grow throughout the fall. If you're planting in the woods it is critical to success that you wait for good soil moisture and cool cloudy conditions before fall planting. Seedlings delivered in early to mid fall will not be as hardy as late-fall/winter packed seedlings and they must be handled very carefully without storage for more than a few days.
- What is the difference between a bareroot seedling and a plug seedling?
Bareroot seedlings are one- to three-year-old trees grown in outdoor nursery beds, gently lifted from the soil and root pruned when fully dormant, and delivered in bulk with their roots moist and healthy but mostly bare of soil.
Plug or containerized seedlings are typically grown for one year, with all or part of that year in a greenhouse. The tree is grown in a block or tray containing multiple cells filled with soil. For delivery the seedlings are extracted from the cell and packed in bulk with the plug of soil still intact around the root system. Container seedlings are available in a wide range of plug sizes from 2 to 20 cubic inches.
- What is the difference between A 1+1, A 2+1, A P+1 and 2+0 bareroot seedling?
A 1+1 seedling is grown for one year in an outdoor nursery bed at a fairly high density, and then lifted, graded and transplanted back into the nursery at a much lower density for growing an additional year. This growing regime along with nursery cultural practices helps to create a hardy seedling with a very moppy, fibrous root system, good lateral branching, large caliper and better balance than other bareroot stocktypes of the same species. The 1+1 is a versatile stock type that will survive and grow well on a wide range of conditions and offers an excellent value where a larger seedling is not required.
A P+1 seedling is grown for one year in a small container in a greenhouse, then extracted, graded and transplanted into a bareroot nursery at a much lower density for growing an additional year. This regime generates a seedling with much the same attributes as the 1+1, and is better suited for species with small seeds (like western red cedar or western hemlock) that do not germinate or grow well when they spend their first year in a bareroot bed. However this stock type also tends to be more costly than the 1+1.
A 2+0 seedling is sown into an outdoor nursery bed and left in the same bed for two years. The 2+0 seedling generally is taller, with fewer calipers, sparser branching and a coarser, less fibrous root system than the 1+1. 2+0s are attractive to some users because they tend to be lower in cost.
A 2+1 seedling is grown for two years in an outdoor nursery bed at a fairly high density, then lifted, graded and transplanted back into the nursery at a much lower density for growing an additional year. This seedling tends to be taller and larger in caliper than the 1+1, better suited for brushy conditions or for sites with animal browse exposure, but they are also less well balanced so are less well suited to hot, dry and windy conditions.
- What is the best stock type for my project?
The best stocktype for you will depend on your site conditions, your objective, the species, and the level of investment you're prepared to make in your planting project.
First consider the species. For most hardwoods a one year old bareroot seedling ("1+0") is typically best for size and value. For tree species with small seeds (such as hemlock or western redcedar) or species that suffer from bareroot handling (such as true firs), a containerized seedling is a good bet.
Next consider your objective. If a very fast start is particularly important to you (such as for Christmas trees, ornamental liners or a hedge planting), a large containerized seedling or a three-year-old bareroot is an excellent investment.
Fall planting also requires a containerized seedling. If you're after a minimum-cost project the 2+0 bareroot may be your best bet. If you're looking for a broadly adaptable hardy stocktype, the 1+1 or P+1 is a great value.
Finally, consider the conditions on your site. If you face heavy or shallow rocky soils and you're not able to till before planting, a containerized seedling is easier to plant properly and may survive better. If you face heavy grass or brush competition or animal browse pressure you will want to plant a larger, older bareroot tree with thicker caliper and more lateral branching such as a 2+1.
- What is a "Target seedling"?
Each seedling stock type and species has different minimum and average
height, caliper and root mass-root length specifications. The minimum specs
are used in grading.
- How have my seedlings been lifted and handled?
We take considerable care of our seedlings from the moment they are lifted in the bareroot field, until they are packed and shipped to their owner. Lifting is timed based on years of careful research that allows us to determine when the seedlings are fully dormant and hardy, so that they can tolerate handling and be conditioned for the most vigorous growth after planting.
During the lifting process, seedlings are moved into covered field bins as quickly as possible, and transported either directly to our packing rooms for grading and bagging, or temporarily stacked in well ventilated holding areas before they can be graded. During the entire process the roots are kept moist and processed in 2-3 days or less, and care is taken to handle the trees gently.
Once seedlings are graded and packed into seedling bags or boxes they are stored in a cooler or freezer, which are monitored closely for precise temperature control.
- What is cooler storage?
Seedlings can safely be stored at a temperature of 36 degrees or less for up to 8 weeks if they are free of disease and lifted at the right time. This technology provides you with flexibility to have your seedlings lifted at the optimum timing for tree health while also holding them for short periods until you're ready for planting. Cooler storage keeps seedlings dormant, but the seedlings are still using up their stored energy and nutrient reserves and can develop storage mold if left too long, so you should plant them as soon as you have your site ready. We can often hold your seedlings for you in our coolers or arrange outside refrigerated storage for you.
- What is freezer storage?
Freezer storage allows for longer seedling storage than a cooler does, because temperatures are kept just below freezing which significantly slows storage mold development and minimizes the decline in their energy and nutrient reserves. Seedlings can maintain their vigor for at least 3 months in a freezer environment. However it is critical that they be thawed slowly and carefully in a protected environment before planting, and that they be planted promptly after thawing. Our nurseries can often provide or arrange freezer storage for you.
- How long can I safely store my seedlings at my site after I pick them up?
Unless you are moving your seedlings directly into another cooler, your seedlings should be held for no longer than 5-7 days prior to planting. You should store your seedlings in a cool dry environment, protecting them from heat and extreme cold and keeping the roots moist. Never store them in water or mud, and minimize standing water in the bag as this can cause storage mold.
- How are my seedlings packaged?
Weyerhaeuser seedlings are packed into wax coated seedling bags or boxes.
The dimensions of the seedling bag are approximately 30" x 12" x 18" (can be longer for larger stock types) and seedling boxes are approximately 20" x 10" x 18" for smaller species and approximately 33" x 9" x 14" for larger species.
- How many seedlings come in a bag?
The answer depends on the species and stock type. Bareroot seedlings are typically packed into wax coated bags with 120 to 160 seedlings per bag.
Large containerized seedlings may be packed as few as 80 per box, while small containerized seedlings may be packed with 300 or more seedlings per box. A bag or box of seedlings typically weighs about 40 to 50 pounds.
- How big are the seedlings that I am buying?
This answer also depends on the species and stock type. A typical Douglas-fir 1+1 seedling will range from 18" to 26" tall and will be 6mm in caliper or greater, while a 2+1 may be 25-30" tall and 7-8mm in caliper. Plug seedlings can range in size from 6 inches tall and 2mm in caliper, up to 18-20" tall and 5-6mm in caliper. However seedlings of some slow growing species may be only a few inches tall.
- How fast can I expect my seedlings to grow?
Seedling growth rates will vary depending on species and stock type as well as your planting environment, competing vegetation, availability of water and nutrients, the presence of animal browse, and weather conditions during the growing season.
With good moisture and soil, and in the absence of animal browse, bareroot seedlings will typically put on 4-8" of new growth in the first year and the height of the tree will double in 2-3 growing seasons.
Under the same favorable conditions large container seedlings will often grow as much as 6-12" in the first year and the tree can double in size in 1-2 seasons.
Grass and weeds will have a major impact on the survival and growth of your seedlings. It is extremely important to control vegetation at least 2-3 feet all around your seedling, preferably before planting. On a good site with low browse and good control of vegetation you can expect your seedlings to reach 4 feet in height in 3-5 years after planting — faster if you start with a larger seedling and are able to provide tilled soil, water and fertilizer.
