Transplanting the Douglas-fir plug
Container production of reforestation stock in the Northwest is a relatively new technique that has been undergoing exponential growth during the first half of this decade, yet has diminished somewhat during the second half. In 1970, about 90 thousand plugs were produced in Oregon and Washington and by 1976 nearly 54 million were grown (Ter Bush 1978). After 1976, the enthusiastic growth for container production has actually decreased to 44 million seedlings. In relation to the bare root tree production of 170 million, the container trees represent about 2070 of the total production of reforestation stock in the Pacific Northwest. The decline of container production in the Northwest is partly due to some reforestation failures on difficult sites where plugs had been used. These difficult sites are frequently areas with brush competition and mammal browsing. Small plugs have a small chance of surviving, let alone growing, when brush forms an overstory above the seedling and provides habitat for browsing by Mountain Beaver, rabbit, and deer. Due to these failures, many foresters have tried to plant a larger tree, such as a 2-1 transplant or a 3 year-old seedling. This type of tree would have enough height to be less affected by brush and weed competition and also would possess more lateral branches so that if animals remove some of the foliage, there would still be enough remaining to keep the tree growing. These trees would take 3 years of nursery care before they could be outplanted and are more expensive compared to the plug or 2-0 bare root.
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Author(s): Kerwin L. Doughton
Publication: National Nursery Proceedings - 1982
Event:
Western Nurserymen's Conference
1982 - Medford, OR
