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

Root Pruning in the Nursery

At the present time, planting stock is usually produced as seedlings instead of transplants. To stimulate development of dense and compact root systems and a high root/shoot ratio, many nurseries prune the roots of seedlings in nursery beds. Initial experiments with root pruning resulted in increase/d mortality (6) or decreased growth (5). However, recent experiments (8, 3) have shown that root growth can be stimulated by root pruning without significantly sacrificing height growth. The methods of root pruning commonly used are bottom pruning, usually accomplished with a horizontal bar (5) or a reciprocating bar (7), and side pruning, which involves rotating coulter discs (2) or knife blades (1) . This note summarizes two root pruning studies done at the British Columbia Forest Service nursery at Duncan on fine silt loam soils and reported in retail elsewhere (3, 4). Recommendations are based on these and other, unreported, studies.


Download this file:

PDF document Download this file — PDF document, 608Kb

Details

Author(s): S. Eis, J. R. Long

Publication: Tree Planters' Notes - Volume 24, Number 1 (1973)

Volume: 24

Number: 1