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FERTILIZATION SECTIONS:
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Phosphorus
Fertilization at Establishment in Loblolly and
Slash Pine Stands on Atlantic and Gulf Coastal
Plain Sites
Forest fertilization in the south has increased greatly since the 1960s. In 2000 and 2001 over 1.2 million acres per year of southern pine plantations were fertilized (NCSUFNC 2002). The predominant species fertilized are loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and slash (Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii) pine. Fertilization can enhance loblolly and slash pine growth and financial returns.
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Opportunities
for Fertilizing Pine Plantations
Fertilizing pine plantations has captured
the attention of forest landowners across the
South. While the majority of stands receiving
fertilizer treatments are on forest industry
lands, private nonindustrial landowners are
increasingly willing to consider fertilization.
Growth benefits can be gained from fertilizer
applications, but a good prescription is needed
to insure economic response as growth responses
can vary greatly across soil and drainage classes.
Before you begin any fertilization program consider
several points.
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Fertilize
to optimize your forest’s timber production
potential
From the August 2004 issue of The Forestry Source
- Dr. Micheal Blazier
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Straw
Raking in Southern Pine Stands and Fertilization
Recommendations
Pine straw, the uppermost forest
floor layer of undecayed needles, is raked,
baled, and sold as landscaping mulch in the
southeastern U.S. The value of pine straw as
a forest product is increasing in Georgia. Forest
landowners in Georgia received $15.5, $17.5,
and $22.4 million revenues from pine straw in
2000, 2001, and 2002, respectively (Boatright
and McKissick 2003). Conversely, annual timber
revenues in Georgia have declined by over 18%
during this same period (Boatright and McKissick
2003). Pine straw revenues have helped many
landowners maintain reasonable cash flows to
achieve attractive rates of return (Dickens
et al. 2001) on their forestland. Internal rates
of return can be increased from 8 to 11 % without
pine straw production to 13 to 20 % with annual
pine straw income in loblolly and slash pine
stands (Dickens et al. 2001).
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Pine
Plantation Fertilization
Forest fertilization has increased greatly since
the 1960s. Currently, there are an estimated 33.7
million (M) acres of loblolly pine, 10.4 M acres
of slash pine, and 3 M acres of longleaf pine
stands in the Southeastern U.S. (2001 figure).
Approximately 1.3 M acres of loblolly and slash
pine stands are fertilized in this region.
Fertilization can increase loblolly, longleaf,
and slash pine wood volume, pine straw production
(used for
mulch in landscaping), and per acre revenues.
Fertilizer recommendations should be site-specifc
and be based on soil type, land use history, control
of competing vegetation, pine species, age, stocking
(trees/A), and target products (pulpwood, sawtimber,
poles, pine straw) to maximize fertilizer benefit.
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