Pine growth

[BSK]

The growth rate of pine seedlings planted at the right time of year in the right conditions - even in terrible soil - never ceases to amaze me. Planted these seedlings 15 months ago in serious rock ground after timber harvest. Now some are as tall as my shoulder.

 

[megalomaniac]

they really are amazing how fast they grow when they get some rain!

 

[Thelonegoose]

It has been 25 months since I planted mine and around 50% are head height now. Really looking forward to watching them grow over the years. Here is a picture I got from the tractor a month or so ago.

 

[BSK]

It has been 25 months since I planted mine and around 50% are head height now. Really looking forward to watching them grow over the years. Here is a picture I got from the tractor a month or so ago.

Looking good!

BTW, did you spray the area before or after planting?

 

[BSK]

Another pic. About average size. Again, pretty good growth for 15 months. I'm really impressed with the quality of the seedlings we got from the TN Nursery near Chattanooga.

 

[Grnwing]

It really is amazing. I remember planting some 3rd gen loblolly from the state nursery back in 2016. They are now over 25ft. I read they can grow 3-5ft per year and they have certainly done that. You'll have a great stand in no time!

 

[Thelonegoose]

Looking good!

BTW, did you spray the area before or after planting?

I had a crew do an aerial spray in august or September. Then burned it in early November. Then planted in April of 2020. The burn didn't do as well as I had hoped due to moisture but it still looks pretty good in most areas.

 

[BSK]

It really is amazing. I remember planting some 3rd gen loblolly from the state nursery back in 2016. They are now over 25ft.

25 feet in 6 years?! That's crazy!

 

[BSK]

I had a crew do an aerial spray in august or September. Then burned it in early November. Then planted in April of 2020.

Interesting. Looks good, that's for sure.

 

[BSK]

At only 17 months of growth, some seedlings as tall as I am. And that's in seriously rocky, poor soil.

 

[Thelonegoose]

At only 17 months of growth, some seedlings as tall as I am. And that's in seriously rocky, poor soil.

Looking good.

 

[BSK]

Just received the new East TN Nursery price list. if ordering more than 2,500 Loblolly Pine seedlings, costs per 1,000 seedlings is:

1.5 Gen $55
2.0 Gen $65
3.0 Gen $70

 

[BSK]

Planted 1.5 Gen Loblolly pines in heavily thinned timber areas 27 months ago. Found this one today. 9-feet tall. That's crazy growth in 27 months. Most are 4 to 7 feet tall.

 

[Boll Weevil]

What spacing or density (trees per ac) did you plant'em?

 

[BSK]

What spacing or density (trees per ac) did you plant'em?

VERY wide. I wanted a mix of regrowth instead of a pine-only stand. We planted at 10' x 10'.

It's been my experience that the pine-only stands are used as cover quicker in the pines' growth cycle than a mixed stand, but the mixed stands last longer as cover.

Normally, I expect to see enough growth in a mixed stand that deer will begin using it as cover after the 5th growing season. But these 1.5 Gen pines are growing so fast I think I'll see some use by deer after only 3 growing seasons, not necessarily as bedding cover but in incorporating this habitat into their travel patterns. In a hardwood environment, the visual screen young pines provide after the first freeze can temp deer to travel through the pines instead of the leafless surrounding saplings.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Will you plan to prune at any point or just let'em go and self-prune as best they can?

 

[BSK]

Will you plan to prune at any point or just let'em go and self-prune as best they can?

Just let them go. Although the habitat value falls off after about 15 years of growth, I still like hunting near them, especially on a rainy day when deer use the pines as a rain break.

 

[Thelonegoose]

The loblolly to the left of me was planted in March/April of 2020. This is the pine I use to take a picture next to every year. I believe this pine reflects roughly the average height of the of the of the pines that were planted a few years ago.

The big one further to the left is a regenerated loblolly that is several years older and also looks to be doing great as well.
It may not look "pretty" but there sure are a lot of deer, rabbits, turkeys, and quail that use the habitat these young pines provide.

 

[BigAl]

And out west in some places it takes 50 years to grow a harvestable pine.

 

[BSK]

And out west in some places it takes 50 years to grow a harvestable pine.

With industrial planting and maintenance techniques, southern pine plantations can produce pulpwood in 15 years. Lumber in 20-25.

On the steep, rocky ridges where I work, I can get 40-foot trees in 20 years.

 

[Football Hunter]

I've got plenty of long leaf trees I can dig up around me, im thinking fall would be a good time to transplant, just want em for shade and straw, maybe a double row on 10 x10 spacing?

 

[square]

I thought long leaf pines were further south. I just planted 60 acres of short leaf in AL just south on the TN border. The NRCS basically financed the prep and planting. They certainly don't grow as fast as loblollies. Only about 3 ft tall after 3 years.

 

[Boll Weevil]

I've got plenty of long leaf trees I can dig up around me, im thinking fall would be a good time to transplant, just want em for shade and straw, maybe a double row on 10 x10 spacing?

Shade, yes. Pinestraw, yes. But if they're right up close to your house, just know that cleaning gutters and the occasional snapped off limb from wind is a risk. That spacing is fine just limb'em to keep a modest crown and make a decent log one day.

 

[Biggun4214]

Why loblolly instead of short leaf? I've got about 15 acres that I'm thinking about putting in pines.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Why loblolly instead of short leaf?

Lobs grow faster.

 

[BSK]

Lobs grow faster.

Exactly. Loblolly, and especially the genetically selected seedlings, grow shocking fast, and produce great cover. That's what I want the pines for - cover in a predominantly hardwood environment.

 

[Biggun4214]

Thanks

 

[BSK]

Put those little 6" seedlings in the ground just 30 months ago, and a few are already 9 feet tall, with most being 5-6 feet tall. That's CRAZY fast growth.

 

[Football Hunter]

Just received the new East TN Nursery price list. if ordering more than 2,500 Loblolly Pine seedlings, costs per 1,000 seedlings is:

1.5 Gen $55
2.0 Gen $65
3.0 Gen $70

can u gimme a link to the nursery, maybe want 50 for my place in SC ?

 

[BSK]

https://www.tn.gov/agriculture/forests/seedlings.html