Management

Previous

Next

After planting it is essential that follow-up management is treated as a priority.  Effort that has gone into successfully establishing a stand of trees could be largely wasted if management is not ongoing.

Survival Counts

An accurate survival count and refilling if necessary is needed to maintain initial stocking.  An allowance for this and holding of additional stock may be required. 

Weed Control

As for weed control around the time of planting good weed control in the second year (if required) will help to maintain successful establishment, and continued survival and growth of the stand.

Fertilising

Fertilising aims to improve tree growth by ensuring that adequate and balanced levels of nutrients are available to the tree. In most cases fertiliser is not required for native species such as eucalypts and acacias, however exotics such as pines may benefit from fertiliser treatment. Fertiliser will need to be applied if the site has a poor nutrient history especially if the trees show signs of deficiencies. 

Protection

The main elements of protection needed are:

  • fire breaks are maintained at least annually, equipment is maintained and systems for control (neighbours, CFS) are established in advance,
  • regular monitoring for insect and browsing damage. Insects can cause major problems to the health of your trees, which can result in restricted growth, damaged wood or even death.  Fencing may be required to prevent access by stock and wildlife.

Pruning

Pruning is recommended for trees that are being grown for sawlog and other specialty products.  Product specifications and growth rate will determine the optimum frequency and timing for pruning.  It is important to consider the impact heavy pruning may have on the growth of individual trees by ensuring the retention of a healthy crown, relative to the size of the tree and stocking of the stand.  Pruning in autumn and winter is recommended as trees pruned during spring or summer are placed under greater stress.  The spread of some diseases related to pruning damage can also be minimised with correct timing, depending on the species.

Thinning

Trees that are planted at a high stocking enable selection to be done, that is, the retention of better quality trees and the removal by thinning of poorer ones. At higher stockings branch growth, and hence size, will also be restricted in the early years through competition for light, moisture and nutrients. As trees grow larger they compete more strongly with one another and thinning aims to reduce this competition by removing the less vigorous and poorly formed trees.  This allows the better retained trees to grow larger over a shorter period of time than they would have otherwise. A thinning program may be commercial and return some money to the grower or may need to be non-commercial, where trees are felled to waste.  Either will help to maintain growth and concentrate it on the final crop trees.

Previous

Next