RNGR.net is sponsored by the USDA Forest Service and Southern Regional Extension Forestry and is a colloborative effort between these two agencies.

U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Forest Service Southern Regional Extension Forestry Southern Regional Extension Forestry

Knife-Type Lateral Root Pruner

Most forest tree nurseries today plant seed so that beds produce eight rows of seedlings, 6 inches apart. This is due to the increased production necessary to keep up with the demand for millions of seedlings each year. Machinery has been developed to speed up this planting process, and also to eliminate other long and costly chores in the growing and maintenance of trees in the nurseries. One of the machines is the lateral root pruner. Use of a lateral root pruner has eliminated the need for transplanting many species and consequently has cut down on the amount of labor, land, and equipment needed in operating a large nursery. Seedlings that have been root pruned at the proper time of the year have a more compact root system and the rootlets themselves have a chance to heal over before the seedlings are lifted.


Download this file:

PDF document Download this file — PDF document, 320Kb

Details

Author(s): Lyle A. Baker

Publication: Tree Planters' Notes - Issue 46 (1961)