Establishing a plantation

Plantation Development Notice template

Planning

Before establishing your plantation, thought must be given to planning and the design of the area.  Correct design will minimise costs and improve the productivity of your trees.

You should consider where on your farm you want to incorporate commercial tree growing and decide what species of trees you wish to plant.  You should also consider what future markets may be available in your area and plan to establish your plantation suit the growing conditions of those products. You should source out all relevant legislation and policies that maybe applicable to you establishing a commercial plantation in your region. In Gippsland, plantations in rural zones in most instances do not require a planning permit, however you should check with your local government.   You should lodge a Plantation Development Notice to your local government which will indicate that the trees you are planting are for commercial purposes.

For the best future results from your plantation, follow these guidelines. 

• Design your plantation so it is as square as possible to minimise edge trees as these have lower value and reduce fencing costs. A squarer design will improve growth as trees shelter each other, and like livestock will grow faster in sheltered conditions.

• Mark out the area you wish to establish

• Measure the area to calculate how many hectares it is

• Lodge a plantation development notice with your local shire. This is evidence that the trees were planted as a commercial venture and will give you a right to harvest them in the future.

• Check with "Dial Before You Dig" to locate any underground cables or pipes.

• Remove any internal fences or other things that may hinder site preparation and access by machinery.

• Calculate a budget for all costs up to one year post establishment.

Commercial plantations are more profitable the larger the area is.  You should consider planting a minimum of around 8-10 ha as moving heavy machinery to the site can be expensive, and a larger plantation will help absorb some of these overhead costs.  A well planned and managed plantation will increase your returns from the trees through improved growth and reduced costs.

To make things easier and get the best results, talk to another local plantation grower to find out first hand the best design and planning.

Order seedlings If you are planning to establish a commercial tree plantation, November is the ideal month to be ordering seedlings. Preparing seedlings to survive the tough outdoor environment takes time.  Ordering seedlings in November will provide the nursery the right growing window to prepare tough, durable, vigorously growing trees for the planting season. To ensure that a high value product is produced from your farm plantation, it is essential to purchase top quality seedlings.   High quality stock can improve growth and survival of your tree crop and reduce maintenance and management costs. To ensure that you get the right number and best seedlings to get good productivity you should observe the following guidelines:

• Calculate the area of your plantation and work out how many seedlings you will need.

• Select the species you are going to plant to suit your site, and the final product you wish to produce.

• Know the genetic background and provenance information of the seed stock to be purchased. (Provenance is the local variation within the species).

• Decide what type of containers you would like your seedlings delivered in.  ‘HIKO’ and ‘Lannen’ trays have the advantage of quicker and easier handling in the field, easier transport and are more space efficient than conventional forestry tube systems.

• Trays that encourage downward and lateral root development are best.  Trays such as HIKO and Lannen have ribs down the inside of the planting cell which direct the roots.

• Nurseries that have a well known reputation for growing good quality seedlings will be the most reliable.

• Agree on the price and pay the deposit to ensure that you will be supplied with the seedlings.

 When ordering seedlings, you should also specify the height that you want the seedlings to be, which is ideally between 20 and 30cm.  Seedlings should also be straight, and be strong enough to withstand windy conditions.  The root collars should be a minimum diameter of 4mm and be slightly woody which will help it withstand frosts and browsing animals.  The roots should be dense and fibrous without a concentration of roots spiraling around the container.

Pre cultivation weed control

Controlling weeds is one of the most important exercises in establishing a successful, vigorously growing commercial tree plantation. Although the next planting opportunity is not until winter, it is important to start controlling weeds in December to achieve the optimum result.

Timely and well planned weed control will not only kill the above ground portion of the weeds, but also break down the roots.  Clods left by root balls in planting lines following cultivation significantly reduce the ability of seedlings to develop roots and grow rapidly.  Killing the weeds root systems will increase soil tilth, providing a better environment for newly planted seedlings to absorb water and nutrients. 

Pre cultivation weed control can be undertaken by using a chemical application, or by discing.  Discing is only really effective where grass cover is minimal, and is relatively short term.

To achieve the best results, the farm forester should:

• Remove as much weed mass as possible by grazing or slashing prior to weed control.

• Identify the weeds that need to be controlled.

• Select the appropriate herbicide or combinations of herbicides to control the target weed species.

• Calibrate your herbicide application equipment before using so you know the rate at which the herbicide is being applied.

• Follow all the instructions on the label and apply the herbicide at the specified rate.

• Generally the best weed control is achieved if the herbicides are applied when the plants are actively growing which improves uptake of the chemicals.

• Undertake weed control on a clear, still day as this reduces chemical drift to non target areas.

Depending on the types of weeds, and the chemicals used, you should start to see an effect after a couple of weeks.

 It is important to follow all safety and environment instructions relating to chemical application.  These will be found on the label of the chemical container.

Soil cultivation

Trees have a complex root system, and need to access soil nutrients and water to grow vigorously.  Like growing any crop, it is essential that the soil is correctly cultivated to provide the plants with the best opportunity to grow.

Trees quickly develop deep roots, and it is important that the roots can penetrate into the soil horizon.  The best way to achieve this is to undertake deep ripping.  The depth of the ripping will depend on the soil type and the site characteristics, however it is essential to break any layer that will impede root growth.  Soils are generally at their driest in March, after the summer, this is the ideal time for ripping as the soil will shatter rather than glaze as the ripper is pulled through the soil profile.  Shatter is important as it opens up more of the soil for root penetration.

Trees need water to survive, however generally they don’t like too much water.  Water lying around at the base of the trees in the first year of their life can easily kill them.  Mounding is an effective way of lifting the trees up out of any water that may pool, whilst still allowing their roots to access soil water located a few centimetres in the soil profile.  Mounding also breaks down any surface soil clods that may reduce root penetration and concentrates soil nutrients close to the tree.

Ripping and mounding is generally done as a one pass operation by a heavy bulldozer with both ripping and mounding tools attached.  It can be done with a normal agricultural tractor however this may require a number of passes due to the lower power of the machine to achieve a similar result.  Generally with an agricultural tractor, it may require two passes to rip sufficiently and another to mound.

For effective soil cultivation, the following guidelines should be followed:

• Ensure that the ripping tool is deep enough to break any layer that may be impenetrable to root development.  On most sites the ripping depth is between 70cm and 100cm.

• For the most effective result, use a winged ripper to further shatter the soil.

• Create a mound that is approximately 1m wide and a height of about 20-30cm above the normal profile.

• If big clumps of soil are present in mounds, they should be further broken down using a rotary hoe.

• The rip lines and mounds should be made along the contours to prevent channelling water down the hill and creating erosion.  This will also help collect water at the base of the mounds where the roots can access it.

Correctly performed soil cultivation will greatly enhance the growth, health and quality of the trees in your farm forestry plantation.

Browsing animal control

When the young seedlings are planted in June or July, it is important to ensure that the trees get a good start and don’t have to contend with animals eating their actively growing tip or established foliage.  Poor management of browsing animals at this early age can have a detrimental effect on a plantation right through its life.

Control of animals should continue until the trees are out of reach of the target animal, or are strong enough to withstand being pushed over. There are a number of different animals that browse trees and have a devastating effect.

Cattle, sheep and other livestock must be kept out of the plantation by sturdy fencing.  One cow or sheep entering a plantation can quickly uproot hundreds of trees, killing them and making them worthless.  It is also important that stock are not allowed back in until the trees are sturdy enough to withstand being rubbed against.  For cattle, the trees need to be at least 8-10cm in diameter, but sheep can be allowed back in earlier.  For pine plantations, wait until the bark on the trees is thick and dry, as sheep and cattle will chew the bark chasing the sugary sap.

Rabbits are easily controlled with traditional methods of ripping warrens and following up with fumigation of remaining burrows, or poisoning with Pindone or 1080.  Hares are generally best controlled by shooting or poisoning. Farm foresters should seed professional advice when using farm chemicals.

Wallabies are detrimental to plantation survival in the first year and are best controlled by traditional or electric fencing to prevent them entering the site.  Damage to trees by wallabies can be limited using repellents, or covering the seedlings with a commercially available product such as egg mixed with metal shavings.  Wallabies don’t like the taste of the egg and the metal shavings are unpalatable. 

Good establishment practices can also be the key to beating the browsing animals.  Good weed control, soil preparation and fertilising can help the trees grow quickly and get out of reach of browsing animals.

Pre plant weed control

Weeds and grass kill newly established trees by competing for soil moisture and nutrients, therefore it is important to control these grasses and weeds before the trees are planted.

Weeds can be controlled by physical disturbance using a rotary hoe on the mounds, however the most effective method is using appropriately selected herbicides applied at the correct rate.

The simplest method is to use a spray boom attached to an ag bike or agricultural tractor and block off the nozzles that spray between the mounds.  Two rows can usually be treated with one pass.

To achieve the most effective weed control it is best to use a knockdown herbicide mixed with a residual herbicide.  The knockdown will kill any actively growing weeds, and the residual will kill weeds as they germinate for up to six months.  The residual herbicide will not affect the trees as they will be planted down beneath the layer where the herbicide is located.

Pre plant weed control should be undertaken about 3 – 6 weeks before planting.  It is important to control weeds well during this operation, as post planting weed control can be much more expensive and may not be as effective.

Correctly controlled weeds will give a new plantation the best chance for good survival and vigorous growth by making all the soil moisture and nutrients available to the tree.

Planting

July is the ideal month to begin planting.  Winter rains and sunny days along with the cool moist air provide a fantastic start to your working trees life. At this stage, soil cultivation, weed control and browsing animal control should be completed and the site ready for planting.

Good planting techniques will improve survival, growth and tree vigour, improving your returns and bringing forward your harvest.

For best results for planting your farm forestry project, adhere to the following principles: 

• Transport seedlings in a covered vehicle to prevent windburn and drying of the foliage.

• Plant trees in the rip line or in deeply cultivated soil to enable the roots to penetrate.

• Cover the root plug with about 3cm of soil to prevent the roots from drying out in the element.

• Firm the soil around the seedling with the toe of the boot.

• Create a shallow depression at the base so that rain can be channelled to the roots.

• Leave plants vertical to prevent curves in the base of the tree.

• Weed control prior to planting will reduce competition and improve survival.

Planting is best at a rate of 1,000 stems per hectare on most sites and for many species, however this can vary depending on the tree growers objective and how it is integrated with other farming enterprises.  If you are planting a lot of trees, a planting tool such as a Potiputki is ideal to make the job easier. 

Fertilising

Newly planted trees, like babies, need nurturing and plenty of nutrition to make them grow into strong healthy adults.  “Feeding”, or fertilising is best undertaken about a month after planting when the seedlings have extended their roots into the soil.  September is the ideal time to fertilise your farm plantation, as the trees begin their spring growth.  

The right dose of fertiliser will help trees get through the critical infant stage allowing the roots to penetrate deeper into the ground accessing more water.  It will also give them an early growth spurt, helping them to grow tall quickly and getting them out of the reach of hungry predators such as rabbits, wallabies and wombats.

 For the best results implement the following guidelines.

• Note of the soil types on your property.

• Seek advice on the type and amount of fertiliser to use for each soil type.  This will give the best growth rates, and save you money.

• Time your application of fertiliser about one month after planting.

• Fertilise trees during active growth to get the most benefit.

• Place fertiliser in a spade slit about 20cm on the downhill side of the tree.  Fertiliser will kill the tree if it comes in direct contact with the roots and may wash onto the roots if placed on the uphill side.

Fertilising is most effective if it receives a light rain within a few days after application to wash the nutrients into the soil.  Without rain some of the nutrients may evaporate and will have not benefit the hungry trees.

With the right application, fertiliser will increase survival of your infant trees and help them grow into strong vigourous adults to be sold for high value timber products.

Post plant weed control

Post plant weed control is usually carried out in the autumn to early winter period of the year after planting.

Likewise to pre plant weed control, the herbicide prescriptions again usually include a knockdown component. You may also need to control inter-row weeds, eitherby slashing or by a herbicide application. Certain herbicides used for this purpose need to be applied by a shrouded boom to protect the trees. Shrouds for boom sprays are usually heavy skirts on a frame over the boom. They are used to prevent spray drift of chemicals which will scorch the trees. Granular herbicides can be accurately applied to both eucalypt and pine plantations.

Spot treatments of diameter 1-2 m can be applied around a tree by the hand-held ‘Weed-A-Metre’. Strip (band) treatments use specialised granule applicators, which include a powered back-pack applicator and a tractor applicator (3 point linkage). For strip applications, either spray or granular, the width should be at least 2 m, and on sandy sites, broadcast application may be preferred.