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Home → Publications → Tree Planters' Notes → Tree Planters' Notes Issue 54 (1962) → Soil Cover Aids Germination of Pine Seed on Sandy Sites

Soil Cover Aids Germination of Pine Seed on Sandy Sites

In the sandhills of west Florida, pine seeds covered with a thin layer of soil germinate better than those lying on the surface. Direct-seeding tests near Clarksville indicate that sowing depths up to three-fourths of an inch are best for slash and sand pine. For longleaf, depths should not be greater than one-half inch. The west Florida soils, about 95 percent sand, are nearly sterile. For pine to become established and grow well, the competing wiregrass and scrub oak usually must be eliminated. Heavy brush choppers accomplish this purpose, but the bared soil dries rapidly and crusts over after rains. Surface-sown seeds often begin to germinate but die because their radicles cannot penetrate the crust. Heavy rains may cause washing even on slight slopes, thus displacing large numbers of seed.


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Author(s): J. D. Hodges, R. L. Scheer

Publication: Tree Planters' Notes - Issue 54 (1962)