Why Healthy Pine Seedlings Die after They Leave the Nursery

Abstract

Artificial regeneration is successful when high-performing seedlings are transported with care to the planting site, stored for a short period in an environment without desiccation or fungal growth, and planted in a deep hole, so roots are in contact with moist soil. One of the requirements for success is the ability to avoid common planting mistakes. Due, in part, to the use of container stock plus an increase in rainfall, the average first-year survival of pine seedlings (89%) in the southern United States is about 15% greater now than 45 years ago. However, when survival is less than 50% six months after planting, some landowners seek reimbursement for their loss. Some assume poor seedling quality was the cause without realizing that anaerobic soils or sudden freeze events, shallow planting holes, pruning roots, a lack of rain or underground insects can kill pines. With a focus on pines planted in the southern United States, we list non-nursery factors that have killed seedlings in North America, Africa and Europe.