Container Pine Seedling Production

SAE:

Description:

Research has proven that under adverse planting conditions, container seedlings survive and grow better than bare-root stock. This is especially true with longleaf pine. In addition, there has been a resurgence of interest in growing longleaf pine throughout the south. There is a niche for small –scale operations that produce high-quality container seedlings.

Container seedlings can be grown in the open without a structure or, at most, in semi-controlled greenhouses. Most research shows that longleaf pine seedlings grown in full sunlight are superior to those grown in shaded structures. Some protection from hard rainfall is encouraged during germination because large raindrops can wash seeds and some of the medium from the container. An adequate watering system is essential for growing container stock. Experience has shown that a "plug"-type container, where the root system is extracted with the medium intact before planting, should be used.

A 1-1 mixture of sphagnum peat moss and medium grade vermiculite is usually considered to be the ideal planting media. High quality seeds should be used in container operations, and it is considered a wise practice to treat the seeds for damping-off. Seedlings may be extracted at the nursery or in the field. Extracting seedlings at the nursery reduces the bulk for shipping and limits the loss and damage of costly containers that are reused to reduce production costs. Because survival of container seedlings is very good, the planting season can be extended, thus giving the student a longer period of time to sell and distribute the seedlings.

Written by Alan McAllister

Factors To Consider	Ranking: 1 = lowest 10 = highest
Time required	8
Investment	5
Equipment needed	3
Skills required	9
Facilities required	10
Land required	10
Labor Intensity	8
Potential for income	8
Transportation required	5
Expansion possibilities	9
Expertise needed	9
Advertising needed	8
Susceptible to disease	10
Susceptible to insects	8
Suitable for residential areas	5
	Other (specify)
Length of production cycle	1 year
Regional	yes
When to start project	March

Notes:

Reforestation success for longleaf pine can be improved considerably by planting seedlings produced in containers. The length of time seedlings stay in the grass stage is also reduced by using container seedlings. There should be a good future market for container grown longleaf seedlings. A problem may be that there is not an adequate source of seeds available for the project.