Barnett, James P.; McGilvrary, John M.  1997. Practical guidelines for producing longleaf pine seedlings in containers. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-14. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 28p.

Planting

Despite their bulk and weight, container seedlings are easy to plant by hand or machine because their root systems are uniformly shaped. The control of planting depth is critical for longleaf pine. The bud should be at about the soil surface (fig. 16). Dibbles shaped like the root plug work well because the problem of planting too deep can be avoided (fig. 17A). Most mechanical planters designed for bare-root seedlings can be adapted for container stock with only minor modifications (fig. 17B).

Because survival of container seedlings is very good, the planting season can be extended (Barnett and Brissette 1986). Planting longleaf pine seedlings in the fall, as soon as adequate soil moisture is obtained, results in good field performance. Root systems become well established during the winter months and as a result, the length of the grass stage can be shortened.