Planting Pine Seedlings in the Cold

[TroyC]

I have a loblolly bare root seedling planting to do next week in Central Georgia. The plan is to put in 5,000 bare root seedlings Thursday/Friday and the low Saturday morning after the planting is low 20's or so. Daytime highs next week should be in the 45-50 range. Just wondering what to expect and if this low temperature will affect the survival rate.

[Southside]

@Wudman

[customsawyer]

You will want to make sure that if the seedlings freeze while in the bag, you let them thaw before pulling them out, or it can damage the fine hair roots. It doesn't take much to protect them. A small tarp over them and some pine straw on that will do it. If you are planting by hand, you will need to let the ground thaw enough so there isn't a crust that can skin the bark when packing with your boot heel. Give me a call if you need to, I've planted more than my fair share.

[TroyC]

Thanks Jake! Picking up seedlings today at the Forestry service and using their small planter that goes behind the tractor. Thermometer showing 19 over here in Cadwell so I guess you are about the same. I'll keep seedlings from freezing tonight and will plant tomorrow and Thursday after it warms enough to get tractor going. I was concerned about what happens after I get them in the ground but hopefully the soil will not freeze. I did not know that the seedlings could withstand freezing after they are pulled. I feel for our northern friends in this cold weather. Stay warm this week!

[customsawyer]

Well I know how it went but I'm giving Troy a poke in the ribs to tell the tale. Fill them in on it Troy, so someone else can have it on here for later.

[TroyC]

The planting went as well as could be expected for someone that didn't know what they were doing. Got the seedlings and planter from the Forestry Service and stopped by Jake's on the way home. He gave me some real solid advice that saved me a great deal of grief. Thankfully I had someone to ride on the planter and stick the seedlings in the ground the next day. Took 8 hours for us to plant the 5000 seedlings.

The main problem I had was that the planter did not work on the TYM tractor. Seems the distance between the top link and lift arms on a compact tractor are different (shorter) than a regular tractor. The 48 hp TYM would not lift the planter after spending about an hour getting it connected. So, off the TYM and onto the Ford 2600. The Ford handled it OK but was light on the front end. Ended up the Ford was a better choice for this job anyway.

I'll see how many survived when I get back up for the Project.

[TroyC]