Storing, Handling, and Planting Southern Pine Seedlings

This message is frequently seen on packages shipped through the mail. It declares that the goods inside the package can be easily damaged or destroyed by rough handling.

Pine seedlings should also carry this label. They are fragile. Many landowners spend large sums of money on site preparation and planting of their pine seedlings, only to see many of their seedlings fail to survive. There can, of course, be many causes for a low survival rate. However, among the most common causes are improper handling and planting. The following information is provided to assist you in properly caring for pine seedlings in your planting operation.

Seedling Care

Most seedlings will be packed in moist bundles at the nursery, and can be kept in these shipping bundles for up to three weeks. Store them in a cool, dry place, protected from the sun and wind, and keep from freezing. Stack the bundles loosely for air circulation and water them thoroughly every other day. After watering, restack the bundles with one end slightly raised to insure proper drainage.

For storage longer than three weeks, the seedlings should be heeled in (Figure 1). First, dig a "V"-shaped trench in loose, moist, well-drained soil. Then break the bundles and spread the seedlings evenly along the wall of the trench, taking special care to see that the roots in the trench are not bent or allowed to dry. Cover the roots with soil, firmly packed. Water the seedlings as needed. The greatest danger to a seedling is exposing the roots to too much sun, wind, or dry air.

Figure 1. Method of heeling in planting stock: A. Dig V-shaped trench deep enough to accommodate roots in moist, well-drained soil; B. Break bundles and spread seedlings out evenly against trench side; C. Fill trench with loose soil, and water well; D. Complete filling in trench and firm soil.

Planting the Seedlings

When the planting operation begins, remove the seedlings from the shipping bundles or heeled in area. Any seedlings left in the bundles or heeled in area must have their roots covered to keep them from drying. The seedlings that are to be planted can be carried in a bucket, tree-planting bag, or tray. Cover the roots with damp moss or a mud slurry to protect them from drying. Remove seedlings one at a time for planting as each hole is dug. It is extremely important to keep the roots from drying. If the roots are allowed to dry, the seedlings will not survive. Roots must not be exposed for more than five minutes.

Seedlings can be planted by hand using a dibble bar, spade, mattock, or hoe. They can also be planted with a mechanical planter. Regardless of the method, the object is to set the seedlings at the same depth or slightly deeper than they were grown in the nursery beds (Figure 2). Take care not to cramp or bend the roots upwards. If the roots are bent upwards, the seedling may not survive. If it does survive, the seedling will grow slower than one correctly planted. When hand planting, push the seedling to the bottom of the hole and then pull it up to the proper position. This procedure will help to eliminate cramped or bent roots. Place the seedlings straight up in the ground and pack the soil firmly around the roots. Air pockets around the roots will cause the roots to dry and can result in a dead seedling. If you use a dibble bar, make sure that the blade is 10 inches long. If it is shorter, the plantings will be too shallow. If the blade is too short, it must be lengthened. Also, when you plant with a dibble bar, make sure that the blade goes all the way into the soil when you open the planting hole. If it doesn't, the hole will be too shallow and may lead to bent or cramped roots (Figure 3). If you are machine planting, make sure that the shoe of the mechanical planter goes at least eight inches into the soil. Also, when machine planting on hilly land, plant on the contour to prevent soil erosion.

Figure 2. Plant seedling to about the same depth as in nursery beds.

	Correct--Seedlings with root colar at ground level; roots spread.
	Incorrect--Cramped roots may develop into poor root system.
	Incorrect--Root collar too high may dry out; survival chance poor.

Figure 3. Planting with a dibble bar.

Step 1: Insert dibble at angle shown and push forward to upright position.	Step 4: Rock dibble roward seedling to close top of hole.
Step 2: Remove dribble and place seedling at correct depth.	Step 5: Insert dibble upright 7-8 inches from seedling; repeat rocking motion of steps 3 and 4 to close first dribble hole.
Step 3: Insert dribble upright 4 inches from seedling; rock away from seedling to close bottom of hole.	Step 5: Fill in last hole by stamping with heel.

If the seedling roots are too long for proper planting, prune them as they are taken from the planting bundle. The pruning operation should remove enough of the lower root to allow for proper planting.

When to Plant

Pine seedlings are planted in Alabama from December to mid-March. Most seedlings are planted during February. If the soil is extremely dry, planting should be delayed until after a good rain.

Freezing weather can also reduce your initial seedling survival. Roots that freeze during either storage or the planting operation, or that freeze in the ground within ten days after planting, may result in high mortality. When the temperature drops below freezing, planting must be stopped and the stock heeled in or otherwise protected. Also, frost heaving on clay soils may occur in the northern part of the state. Planting should be postponed until the danger from severely freezing weather is past.

Number of Seedlings Per Acre

The seedling spacing will determine the number of seedlings per acre that you must order.

Most forest plantings in Alabama have from 600 to 700 trees per acre:

Spacing-Feet	Trees Per Acre
7 x 9	690
7 x 10	620
8 x 8	680
8 x 9	600
10 x 10	450

Whatever spacing you use, space some rows from 10 to 12 feet apart at regular intervals to allow access for fire-fighting and harvesting equipment.