Subsoiling and mortality

Why do we need soil preparation to achieve 0 mortality? In some countries and regions, planting forest seedlings without subsoiling is preferred. The reason for this is primarily the preservation of moisture in the ground.
Especially if manual planting is done with a shovel, this is a clear way of doing things. However, modern forestry makes it possible to use a machine for tillage. Often, forestry cannot be compared to agriculture, but tree seedlings and root crops are comparable.
Why, because if you subsoil together with planting, you can plant deep and compact the seedling well to avoid evaporation from the soil. The roots get a quick start, and the competition of the grass decreases.
We are on our way to 100% survival.

Weed mechanical control

 In my previous post, I talked about the importance of a properly done field establishment for weed control.

When done correctly - cultivation, the right kind of seedlings, and other actions are a good foundation for the future growth of the stand.

But grass and bushes grow and compete for light and nutrients with the target crop.

In a plantation environment with straight lines and row spacings designed for extraction, it’s easy to control grass mechanically. But we shouldn’t discount cutting in northern conditions - where efficiencies can be gained with a small combi- or compact excavator.

It’s wise to cut the grass and bushes with an efficient method before the final cut. This is because the quantity and quality of the cut wood improve, while the final cut is quick and inexpensive, which is critical for controlling cost when operating with an expensive harvester.

Weed control in early stage plantation

Weed control is one of the most challenging things in forest management. Especially when planting, it is important to use pre-emergence herbicide, but if it is not allowed to use herbicide? We can control the weed in two ways: tilling the soil and using large seedlings.
Surprisingly, the best time to plant in very fertile soils is winter, when the grass is not growing. The planted seedling is ready to wake up with the sun and gets a few weeks ahead of the grass. This can be decisive. With mechanical planting, the seedling pot can be made deep enough. thus it is safe from the ravages of winter. The development and growth of the seedlings can also be accelerated in various ways, such as slowly releasing fertilizers and bioaccelerators.