Planting Containerized Seedlings: Advantages &Disadvantages. Dan Dey U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station

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1 Planting Containerized Seedlings: Advantages &Disadvantages Dan Dey U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station

2 Sources of oak reproduction New seedlings Advance repro Stump sprouts

3 Common Status of Oak Forests Overstory oaks mature 80 to 120+ yrs No oak in the midstory Oak advance reproduction is absent of small Low Regeneration Potential

4 Role of Artificial Oak Regeneration Few small or no oak advance repro Oak decline loss of mature oak No Source of oak seed or vegetative reproduction

5 Planting Environments Reforestation Afforestation

6 Methods of Artificial Regeneration Direct Seeding Cuttings Seedling Planting 98% is bareroot

7 Reduces the time they are vulnerable to: competing vegetation inundating floods wildlife herbivory and browsing Seedling Quality High quality seedlings are capable of rapid early growth

8 1-0 oak bareroot 10 in 3 yr old natural 1 yr old natural 10 in 11 in 1 yr old RPM

9 Planting 2+0 Northern Red Oak Boston Mountains Arkansas 11th year dominance probability % stocking shelterwood for 3 years Site Index Initial basal diameter (mm) Spetich et al. (2002)

10 6 2 Variety of Nursery Products 5-gallon 2 year old RPM Pin Oak 6.6 ft 1-0 Nuttall Oak Georgia Nursery 1-0 Bareroot Swamp White Oak Air pruned Root bag Bur oak 2 yr old 1 basal dia. 6.5 tall

11 Advantages of Container Stock Intact root system Large, fibrous, compact root system 3-D root system Higher physiological function seedling quality Reduced transplant shock Can plant later into the growing season or after flooding Better survival and early growth

12 Disadvantages of Container Stock More expensive to culture in nursery More expensive to handle, ship More expensive to plant Soil/site may limit planting large stock Circling roots in containers

13 A study to Afforest Missouri River Flood Plains Stocktypes 1-0 bareroot 3g & 5g Container Species pin oak swamp white oak Soil mounding or not Redtop grass cover crop or not

14 February 1 seed flats moved from cooler to the green house Flats on bottomless benches

15 March 1 st - seedlings transplanted in 7 cm x 7 cm bands on bottomless benches for 60 days 5-gallon 2 year old RPM 1.8 m Swamp White Oak Pin Oak

16 Basal Diameter RPM vs Bareroot Pin Oak Swamp White Oak Basal diameter (mm) RPM 5 gal RPM 3 gal Bareroot

17 Shoot Length RPM vs Bareroot Pin Oak Swamp White Oak Shoot length (m) RPM 5 gal RPM 3 gal Bareroot

18 Root System Differences Stock Type Root Volume (cm 3 H 2 O) Root Dry Wt. (g) Pin BR Pin RPM 3gal Pin RPM 5gal Swamp White BR Swamp White RPM 3gal Swamp White RPM 5gal

19 Soil Mounding with a Rice Plow

20 Plowboy Bend: Second Growing Season Summer 2001 No Redtop Redtop Control

21 Vegetation Structure Development Fall 1999 No Cover Crop RPM Summer 2000 Redtop Grass RPM Summer 2000 August 2001

22 Missouri River June 2001 & 2002 Floods Smoky Waters Study Site June Flood 2001

23 inter 2001, 2002 & 2003 rabbit damage to oak seedlings (height in feet)

24 Distribution of rabbit damage Natural Vegetation Redtop 3 rabbits per acre Redtop Natural Vegetation 1 rabbit per acre

25 Eliminate preferred winter cover in and around planted fields (esp. Johnsongrass) 1. redtop grass cover crop 2. fall mowing 3. herbicide patches of preferred cover

26 Minimizing Herbivory Damage Swamp white oak Pin Oak

27 Survival by Species and Stocktype Survival Pin oak bareroot Pin oak RPM 3 gallon Pin oak RPM 5 gallon Swamp white oak bareroot Swamp white oak RPM 3 gallon Swamp white oak RPM 5 gallon Year

28 Basal Diameter by Species and Stocktype 6 5 Basal diameter (cm) Pin oak bareroot Pin oak RPM 3 gallon Pin oak RPM 5 gallon Swamp white oak bareroot Swamp white oak RPM 3 gallon Swamp white oak RPM 5 gallon 1 0 INITIAL Year

29 Height by Species and Stocktype Height (m) Pin oak bareroot Pin oak RPM 3 gallon Pin oak RPM 5 gallon Swamp white oak bareroot Swamp white oak RPM 3 gallon Swamp white oak RPM 5 gallon INITIAL Year

30 Basal diameter by competing vegetation Redtop grass fields Basal diameter (cm) Natural vegetation fields 1.0 INITIAL Year

31 Height by competing vegetation Redtop grass fields Height (m) Natural vegetation fields INITIAL Year

32 Acorn Production Year Trees Swamp White Oak RPM

33 Probability of Producing a Sound Acorn 0.30 Probability of Sound Acorn Height 5 feet Height 7 feet Average Basal Diameter Basal Diameter (inches)

34 Signficant Findings Soil mounding did not improve height and diameter growth, or survival Redtop grass cover crop benefited oak regeneration by controlling competing vegetation and reducing rabbit damage Large container stock had greater survival and growth than bareroot seedlings

35 Signficant Findings Swamp white oak RPM seedlings begin producing acorns in the first year after planting Leave those trees alone, you varmit Control of animal damage to trees is critical to regeneration success

36 Role of Large Container Stock Plant large container stock: Plant on tighter spacings in small areas throughout the floodplain In group openings within cottonwood stands Plant on wide spacings (e.g., 60 x 60 ft = 12 trees per acre) Interplant with bareroot, direct seed & natural regeneration

37 Economic Efficiency Pre-planting costs vegetation mgmt, site prep Establishment cost stock, planting Post-planting treatments to control vegetation and animal damage Seedling performance as judged by definition of success Per successful

38 Dominance or Success Probability If Probability = 0.01 for a 6 mm basal diameter tree Then = 100 trees needed to produce 1 success 11th year dominance probability % stocking shelterwood for 3 years Site Index Initial basal diameter (mm) If Probability = 0.24 for a 22 mm basal diameter tree Then = 4.2 trees needed to produce 1 success

39 With Tender Loving Care Little Acorns Can Grow into Big Oaks