Clay Dipped vs. Bare Rooted Seedling Survival

Prior to 1960 the Virginia Division of Forestry nursery at New Kent prepared all pine seedlings for shipment by packaging them in damp sphagnum moss. From 1960 to 1965 a mixture of sphagnum moss and excelsior was used. In 1965, on a trial basis, the nursery began root dipping pine seedlings in a mixture of kaolin clay and water before packaging. Before going operational, it was decided to test clay dipped seedlings to determine what the effect might be on planting survival. Therefore, during the 1965 spring planting season loblolly and white pine seedlings, some packed clay dipped and some packed in moss (bare rooted), were sent to different areas throughout Virginia (fig. 1) for use in test plantings. White pines were planted in the mountains and loblolly pines in the piedmont and coastal plain. At each planting site both clay dipped and bare rooted seedlings were planted in paired plots.

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Author(s): Thomas A. Dierauf, R. L. Marler

Publication: Tree Planters' Notes - Volume 20, Number 2 (1969)

Volume: 20

Number: 2