Shade Benefits Douglas-Fir in Southwestern Oregon Cutover Area

Two-year-old Douglas-firs were auger-planted in an old cutover area on a west slope at 4,700-foot elevation by a Boise Cascade Corporation crew in early April 1968.2 The cutover is located on the Dead Indian Plateau east of Ashland, Oreg.-an area where Douglas-fir plantations have repeatedly failed. The seedling tops were unusually short for 2-yearold stock, averaging only 3 inches when planted. Atrazine applied before planting effectively reduced grass competition, and the stock was treated with Thiram to repel rabbits.3 A 16- by 16-foot spacing was used. Three weeks after planting, 60 seedlings that happened to be located in the shade of a shrub or tree (ceanothus, currant, willow, grand fir, or Douglasfir) were numbered and staked (fig. 1). Two seedlings planted in the open near each shaded seedling were also numbered and staked. Thus, 60 groups of three seedlings each were established. One of the two seedlings located in the open in each group was randomly chosen to be shaded artificially. This shading was accomplished by piling rocks, bark, logs, or anything readily available around the south and west sides and close to the designated seedlings (fig. 2). All surviving seedlings were remeasured twice-in September 1968 and 1969.

Download this file:

Download this file

Details

Author(s): Don Minore

Publication: Tree Planters' Notes - Volume 22, Number 1 (1971)

Volume: 22

Number: 1