Direct Seeding of Bottomland Oaks in Oklahoma

Abstract

Abstract Competition control with a broad spectrum herbicide prior to planting and placement of a fertilizer tablet near the seed spot failed to improve establishment or height growth of direct seeded water, willow, or Shumard oaks on a bottomland site in southeastern Oklahoma. The percentage of seed spots stocked with a living seedling exceeded 35%, or 1460 seedlings/ha (590/ac) given the initial spacing of 1 x 2.4 m (3.2 x 8 ft). This success is generally comparable to results obtained in more favorable environments in the Mississippi Valley. The fertilizer treatment, applied as a single fertilizer tablet placed near the seeded spots at the time of seeding, reduced stocking by 12-15% during an especially stressful growing season. Bare-root, 1-0, water/willow oak seedlings planted for comparision exhibited 80-90% survival. South. J. Appl. For. 15(1):17-22.