Planting Instructions and Tips to Tree Growers

Plant Survival and Care before planting

Importance of handling and care of seedlings and transplants cannot be over emphasized.  The nursery environment can be heavily manipulated by nursery personnel, but the field environment in which seedlings are out-planted is less controllable and more diverse.  Seedlings must be able to cope with drought, heat, cold, vegetative competition and animals, for the most part without assistance from irrigation systems and other artificial means of protection.

Once lifted, the extremely vulnerable seedlings and transplants, must be protected from warm temperatures, freezing, plant moisture stress, and rough handling at all times during shipping, field storage, and planting.  While separated from the soil, the seedling is in a hostile environment-like man in space or fish out of water.  Although one or two minor violations in proper handling may not be critical, several together will almost surely cause some degree of irreversible damage.  It is therefore extremely important that all seedling handlers be aware of the proper methods of caring for seedlings and of the need for their rigid observance.