Summer Plantings of Sand and Longleaf Pines Fail

Previous studies indicate that the planting season for slash pine in Florida can be nearly doubled by planting during the summer rainy season, as well as during the conventional winter planting season.2 To determine if sand and longleaf pines could also be planted successfully during the summer, a total of 35,000 sand pine and 30,000 longleaf pine seedlings were outplanted in 1966 and 1967 in three counties of central Florida.3 In the summer of 1966, sand and longleaf seedlings from a November 1965 sowing were planted in Hernando County on the Withlacoochee State Forest. The planting site was a longleaf and scruboak ridge of Lakeland sand that had been clearcut and double chopped. In each 10-week period, 2,500 seedlings of each species were machine planted, beginning on June 23d. Weekly rainfall during this period averaged 2.7 inches and was never less than 11 inches. Nevertheless, some seedlings appeared to be dying a few days after planting. By winter, survival was less than 5 percent of all plantings. That same winter, the area was successfully replanted with sand and longleaf seedlings.

Download this file:

Download this file

Details

Author(s): Lawrence P. Wilhite, Robert P. Schultz

Publication: Tree Planters' Notes - Volume 20, Number 1 (1969)

Volume: 20

Number: 1