R.C. Beeson Jr. and E.F. Gilman

1992

Diurnal water stress during landscape establishment of slash pine differs among three production methods
J. Arboriculture 18 (6): 281-287
 
Three year-old slash pine seedlings (Pinus elliottii) were transplanted from 3.8-liter (1 gal) plastic containers directly into the soil, in the soil within fabric containers, or into 57-liter (15 gal) plastic containers. After 2 yr in the nursery, trees grown by all three production methods were dug and retransplanted to a new site. Eight weeks prior to transplanting, half the soil-grown trees were root pruned. Water potential was measured on needle fascicles on a diurnal basis at least monthly after transplanting. Based on comparisons of diurnal water potential curves with nontransplanted control trees, trees which were transplanted from field soil or from fabric containers were established after 27 weeks. Trees planted from plastic containers required 35 weeks to become established.
 
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