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.