TreeLines

May 2021 – 2nd Edition

Top 5 Questions to Ask Before Buying Seedlings

Knowing pine seedling buying options, where to get information, and what’s suitable for your land is key to getting successful results.  We’ve outlined 5 Questions that can help you meet your goals and grow a beautiful, profitable forest.

Tree Planting Tips Pine Timber1. What are my various genetic seedling choices and what are the key differences among them?

No longer are seedlings a commodity purchase so it’s essential to know your options. Research and development have brought many choices for every landowner and the ability to improve the return on investment on their pine forest.

As loblolly pine is the most important tree for commercial reforestation in the U.S. south, there are three options for this important species: conventional Open-Pollinated (OP) to Mass Control Pollinated (MCP®). Mass-controlled pollination’s meticulous and complex process gives MCP seedlings even stronger and more predictable superior traits that ensure higher growth rates and better log quality, thereby yielding more sawtimber trees-per-acre.

Click here to learn even more about seeding choices.

2. What is the experience and background of the person giving you information and advice on your forest investment for your land?

Where To Plant Florida Loblolly You only have one chance to get it right when it comes to your tree seedling investment. The wrong choice can be a 25-year mistake. The person you work with must have the experience and education in forestry to really understand all of the factors you need to consider when planting. With that comes the need and the ability to provide the hard, clear data necessary to prove that what they are saying is true. Ask your reforestation advisor about their background and what other landowners have accomplished with their advice. Ask for references from other landowners.

This photo on the left shows Florida Loblolly Pines seedlings planted in Virginia which is not a good idea.  It’s imperative to plant seedlings specific to your provenance.

3. Should I plant bareroot or containerized seedlings?

The answer is Yes, and it depends.

Bareroot Containerized Arborgen Tree Seedlings Treelines May 2021 2Nd EditionBareroot refers to a tree available for sale with its roots exposed. For most reforestation situations, bareroot seedlings will provide survival rates of around 88%-90%. Planting with container seedlings can improve survival on droughty sites and may be planted early in the planting season (October/November) or late season planting (April/May) thus extending the planting season. However, under typical conditions during the normal planting window (December to March) bareroot seedlings will survive and grow equally well versus container seedlings.

Planting containerized seedlings is not a substitute for good quality site preparation or genetic improvement. Landowners should not use containerized seedlings to skimp on site preparation thinking that containerized seedlings will compensate for poor or no site prep. For example, failing to bed on a wet site and planting containerized seedlings will likely not give as good a result as bedding and planting bareroot seedlings in terms of growth and survival because the limiting factor (excessive soil moisture and poor aeration of the roots) has not been addressed. Similarly, whether choosing bare root or container seedlings, the type of genetic improvement in the seed is more important in the long run.

4. What is the appropriately adapted seed source for my planting location?

Pine Forest Planting Texas GeorgiaNot knowing the seed source of your seedlings can be devastating. Seedlings produced from seed with Florida parentage won’t survive or reach their full potential on a site in Virginia. Experienced seedling providers such as ArborGen can provide the correct geographic seed source and genetic performance data to landowners.

 

 

Planting Guide Loblolly Pine TreesLoblolly Pine: Coastal, Piedmont, Northern, Texas Louisiana Arkansas Oklahoma

Additionally, Performance Rating System scores (PRS) from the North Carolina State University Tree Improvement Cooperative are available for trees that have been tested in its field trials. It is critical when deciding between different genetic choices that the checklots in NCSU PRS data are from the same geographic location or provenance. Learn about pine seedling success and suggested seedling types and genetic makeup for planting in Georgia, South Carolina, and other states. For example, if you want to compare two families for use in South Carolina, the appropriate checklot in the PRS scoring will be the South Carolina checklot.

 

Ag Performance Score Sheet Arborgen Tree Seedlings Treelines May 2021 2Nd EditionArborGen now has Western Gulf Performance Scores for families to be planted in Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. Your forestry seedling vendor or consultant should be able to readily provide you with the information to provide the correct comparisons. Demand data transparency in making your seedling selection.

 

5. What kind of customer support should I expect regarding my seedlings, before, during and after the sale?

Forestry Tree Guides PlantingMake sure the reforestation company you work with asks you about your goals for you and your family and helps you develop a plan to achieve those. They should communicate with you in a clear, transparent way the facts and data that support their claims.

Ask about their quality control and tracking systems to make sure they are delivering you the high quality seedlings you expect.

They should deliver what you want, where you want it, when you want it. And your reforestation company should commit to being there for advice and support after planting until the first thinning. You are in this for the long haul – they should be too.

In Case You Missed It:  Webinar for SC, NC, VA

on June 10, 2021 @ 12:00PM EDT

Landowners, if you have a moment, we’d appreciate your answers to a couple of questions. Even if you don’t plan to plant this season or aren’t sure yet. The survey takes less than 1 minute to complete. If you are a member of The Reforestation Forum, and already responded there, please do not participate again.

If you are not yet a member of The Reforestation Forum, we invite you to learn more about this free resource for sharing information and helping each other succeed. You do not have to be an ArborGen customer to join.

What’s Happening at the Nurseries?

Seeds have been sown at all the nurseries and are receiving ideal sunlight and moisture to get their growth off to a great start.  The germinants are already coming along nicely and will yield the highest quality seedlings available late this year.

Need a trusted partner to guide the way?
Get in touch with a Reforestation Advisor to explore your options!
Austin Heine

Austin Heine

North Carolina & Virginia


910-660-3209

Greg Hay

Greg Hay

Arkansas, Northern Louisiana, & Oklahoma


501-350-4217

Paul Jeffreys, Ph.d.

Paul Jeffreys, Ph.D.

Alabama & Northern Mississippi

Manager Special Projects & Sustainability
205-712-9582

Drew Fasano

Drew Fasano

South Carolina & Northern Georgia

843-520-6865

Blake Sherry

Blake Sherry

Florida, Southern Georgia, & Southern Alabama

912-433-5407

Kylie Burdette

Kylie Burdette

U.S. Sales Manager / East Texas and Southern Louisiana

864-650-4454

Jason Watson

Jason Watson

Director, U.S. Sales

404-840-7489