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

Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Home → Publications → Tree Planters' Notes → Tree Planters' Notes Issue 21 (1955) → The Use of Sawdust as a Mulch on Red, White, and Jack Pine Seedbeds

The Use of Sawdust as a Mulch on Red, White, and Jack Pine Seedbeds

The practice in most northern nurseries of the Forest Service is to sow most of the seed in the fall, especially red and white pine and the spruces. Fall seeding has resulted in better germination and bigger seedlings than spring sowing. However, the fall-sown beds apparently need to be mulched to prevent the seed from being uncovered by the wind during the periods they are not covered with snow. The material most used for this mulching has been straw, marsh hay, or in some cases burlap, which must be removed in the spring as soon as germination starts. The re-moval of the mulch involves considerable labor and, unless the mulch is removed before germination starts, some of the seedlings are destroyed in removing the mulch even if it is removed very carefully.


Download this file:

PDF document Download this file — PDF document, 86Kb

Details

Author(s): Edward D. Clifford

Publication: Tree Planters' Notes - Issue 21 (1955)