Seedling Planting Operations • Seedlings exhibiting the occurrence of mechanical damage, size inferiority, or disease shall be considered unacceptable for planting. • Seedling root systems must not be exposed to direct open-air contact for more than 60 seconds prior to planting. Field storage must not expose seedling containers to direct sunlight. • Seedlings shall not be field stored more than two days when the ambient temperature exceeds 65 degrees F. • Seedling containers shall not be stacked or compressed in such a manner as to create the potential for heat build-up. Care must be taken to avoid excessive rough handling of the seedling containers. • Seedlings should be examined carefully for heat decomposition. No seedling shall be planted that is suspected to have gone experienced a heat build-up. • No root pruning will be tolerated. • Bare Root Slash pine seedlings shall be planted at a depth that ensures all needles are above the ground surface when planted. • Except for scalped pastures, bare-root longleaf pine seedlings shall be planted so that the terminal bud is at or slightly below the soil’s surface. • Seedlings shall be properly compacted in the ground so that the top needles break off when pulled vertically by hand. • Seedling root systems must be firmly planted in soil and not in an organic turf layer. • Drill spacing variability (between seedlings in a row) may not exceed 5% of the planting specification. • The typical targeted stocking level for bare-root seedlings will be 726 trees per acre unless otherwise requested by District Project Manager. Spacing dimensions for planting on District land are set on a 5’ x 12’ grid or a 6’ x 10’ grid.
