To plant loblolly pines...

[exploringalabama]

Hi, all. I am considering planting about 3 acres of existing grassy pasture in loblolly pines. I'm in Alabama, and I understand that Nov-Feb is the best time. My question is this: if I were to bush hog the field to ensure the grass is low, can I simply plant? Or, is it a requirement to kill the grass prior to planting? Will existing grass out-compete the small trees and kill them?

[Magicman]

On that small of a plot, I bushhogged low and then during the Summer I spot sprayed with "Remedy" which kills grass and will not harm the Pine trees.  "Escort" will kill woody plants and not affect the Pines so depending upon your situation, you may want to mix them.

I did not broadcast.

[beenthere]

Hi, all. I am considering planting about 3 acres of existing grassy pasture in loblolly pines. I'm in Alabama, and I understand that Nov-Feb is the best time. My question is this: if I were to bush hog the field to ensure the grass is low, can I simply plant? Or, is it a requirement to kill the grass prior to planting? Will existing grass out-compete the small trees and kill them?

Welcome to the Forestry Forum. 

Regards the question, do you really want to take the chance, given the effort in planting? Up to you.    

[WhitePineJunky]

@customsawyer 

[TreefarmerNN]

Hi, all. I am considering planting about 3 acres of existing grassy pasture in loblolly pines. I'm in Alabama, and I understand that Nov-Feb is the best time. My question is this: if I were to bush hog the field to ensure the grass is low, can I simply plant? Or, is it a requirement to kill the grass prior to planting? Will existing grass out-compete the small trees and kill them?

Welcome to the Forestry Forum.

Regards the question, do you really want to take the chance, given the effort in planting? Up to you.   

Unless you like replanting, it's worth spending a very little money to kill the existing grass and then plant.  In our area we usually apply herbicide in late August/early September but we're a bit north of you.  If you can give those trees a few months of competition free growth, nothing will catch them.  The dead thatch would suppress other competition a bit in the spring.

Our area is gradually changing from bare root to containerized trees as they start growing a bit quicker.  The additional cost would be minimal on 3 acres and might be worth it.

[Corley5]

I've planted more than a few trees on the estate, red and white pine, Norway spruce, oaks, wildlife shrubs. I'm way north of you but always do vegetation control. I've done two glyphosate applications. One in the fall and one in the spring prior to planting but have had issues with annual weeds after planting. The last four years I've only used a middle buster plow to open furrows and plant directly into them with very good success. No herbicide. Containerized evergreens are by far my favorite to the point that's all I'll buy from our local conservation district. Deciduous seems to only be available bare root. I'm in Northern Michigan a different world from you     

[Ianab]

Weed control helps a LOT, especially in that first year or 2. Grass and weeds grow a LOT faster than trees, so not only do you have 2ft tall grass smothering your 1 ft tall trees, the grass is also competing for water and nutrients from the soil. So you will lose some trees, and the survivors will have their early growth slowed. 

Locally they go around and spot stray the area at the planned planting spacing, usually Glyphosate. Once the grass is well dead ( a few weeks), then plant. Once the trees are established, with decent root systems they soon out complete any grass and weeds. 

[customsawyer]

I've received this question a lot over the years that I planted pines. Can you just bush hog off the grass and then plant? Yes you can. Is there better ways to do it? Yes there is. You can go the cheap and easy route and get what you get, or you can invest a little more funds and energy in the beginning to get way better results. 
Don't know how much traffic was on this field but if it was mine I would rent a subsoiler from the forestry commission office and subsoil the dirt now. If you don't have a tractor then rent one or hire some one to do it. Then I would spray as much or little of the field as you like and plant in the early winter. You can then keep an eye on the grass in the spring as you might need to band spray over the trees next year. If you go in the forestry and logging section on the forum here and search "Establishing a pine plantation" you will find some great information in there. Maybe someone with more computer skills can stick a link in here.