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fertilizer

Started by leggs, May 11, 2005, 08:19:26 PM

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leggs

                 Would it help to fertilize a small woodplot if you dont intend on harvesting for several years?         Thanks Don

beenthere

Depending on the fertilizer, and the needs of the soil, likely the trees would respond to additional fertilizer, such as Nitrogen.
Fertilizer studies, done by Ray Finn, Iowa State University back in the 40's I believe, showed two year growth spurts and then some residual improved growth after that time from the recycling of the fallen leaves (high in nitrogen) back to the soil.

Laying on extra growth early in the life of the tree increases the diameter, which after that time makes for a larger stem to add new growth. Sometimes this is done by opening up a stand to allow smaller trees add extra growth that improves the base for subsequent growth.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

SwampDonkey

Having done an undergrad thesis on the subject, these where my results to the best of my recollection.

Dominant trees responded the first year and up to 7 years afterward, with diminishing growth rates

Co-dominant trees had a response up to 3 years with diminishing growth rates, delayed 1 year after application

Suppresed trees where further suppressed and responded negatively

Amonium nitrate was aerial applied and within 2 weeks the soil was analized and was found that the nitrate-N component was completely mobilized in the soil water following heavy rains. The Amonium-N remained available to plants (inorganic) after 2 weeks.

A comparison was made to thinning of young stands at various densities where the growth rate response was effective for 15 years after treatment.

cheers
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Don P

I think I remember that fertilizing in young trees extends the juvenile period?

beenthere

SwampDonkey
Did you do the field fertilization trials (tests)?
Did you fertilize softwoods, and/or hardwoods?

Did you have any literature cited from fertilization studies on n. red oak, white ash, and yellow poplar in the Harvard Black Rock forest in New York in the middle '30's? 

Just wondering.

I once was involved in some walnut fertilization studies, where 200#/A of ammonium nitrate was applied under the walnut tree crowns, and observed for any abnormal adventitious bud growth as well as diameter response. Lowlands didn't show any growth increase, but the sidehill trees did show a response for a period of several years, similar to your numbers.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

SwampDonkey

Don P,

Fertilization was done in mature red spruce forest stands in the upper Nashwack watershed, and thinning was done in young stands in the Noonan/Acadian Forest Experimetal Station in the 50's as I recall.

beenthere,

Remember, this was an undergrad thesis, which is more of an excercise in technical writing, although there is some hands on experience.

I wasn't involved in the fertilization stage, I just analyzed tree ring growth.

My professor (Paul Arp, a soil scientist) and his colleges did the fertilation and soil analysis. I had sited leterature from his work and the tree thinnings mentioned above. All literature sited were from New Brunswick sites.

We have limited N red oak and white ash, no tulip poplar.

cheers
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Phorester


Most reports I have seen say for private landowners..., nope.

Worth it for a forest industry on their company lands where squeezing out a harvest one or two years earlier in every rotation is a big deal.   But for private forestland owners, doesn't seem to be worth it.

Ron Scott

Ditto! It's not an economical management practice in the general forest.
~Ron

SwampDonkey

Not only is it non economical, but it has impacts on forest streams that are not completely understood. I've seen what phospate run-off from farm fields do to fish ponds. It promotes algae growth and robs oxygen from the water. Your fish have bloated heads and small skinny bodies as a result. (brook trout)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Wudman

In short rotation southern yellow pine forestry, fertilization is probably the single biggest return on investment one can make.  Translocation on site is not a problem in forestry.  For more info, look into the North Carolina State Forest Nutrition Cooperative.  Dr. Lee Allen is a leader in the field.

Wudman
"You may tear down statues and burn buildings but you can't kill the spirit of patriots and when they've had enough this madness will end."
Charlie Daniels
July 4, 2020 (2 days before his death)

ID4ster

It  depends. Most timber companies will only fertilize within 10 years of a harvest in order to get a payback. Klondike has mentioned the response rate to fertilization and that would be in line with industry expectations. There is some evidence from studies conducted by the Inland Empire Tree Improvement Cooperative that an application of Potassium (K) can help trees (in this case Doug Fir) to resist death from root rot, primarily Armilleria mellia. In that case it might be economically beneficial to fertilize several years out to keep your more valuable timber healthy. I don't know if that same fertilizer scenario would work out in the eastern hardwood forests but I may be trying it on a portion of the family forest that we own back there.
If you really want to fertilize your forest though I'd suggest that you commercial or precommercially thin your forest and leave the slash to rot in a broadcast manner. That will put a lot of nutrients back in the soil where they are needed and provide some large wood for the soil and long term nutrient release at the same time while reducing the competition that the remaining trees face for water and nutrients.
Bob Hassoldt
Seven Ridges Forestry
Kendrick, Idaho
Want to improve your woodlot the fastest way? Start thinning, believe me it needs it.

Larry

Just a off the cuff observation.  In my woodlot the walnuts growing in close proximity to honey locust are far ahead of walnuts without any association with honey locust.  Age of the walnuts are in the range of 40 to 60 years.  Again just an observation...seeding walnuts planted in a field of red clover are twice the height of trees planted in brome after 8 years.  Of course the red clover is  gone but maybe some residual effect. 

I'm thinking the nitrogen fixing plants like honey locust and red clover may well increase the growth rate...but who wants a walnut board with 4 rings to the inch?
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

beenthere

Walnut is diffuse porous, so maybe wide growth rings do not make that much difference, as the rings are hard to pick out anyway. As I understand, the density across ring width doesn't vary like other woods, so maybe 4 rings to the inch isn't a negative thing like in softwoods.
I'll do some searching and see if I can find learn more about it.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Phorester


LARRY,
you are correct with the nitrogen fixing plants.  Many tree species benefit from this action from legumes, and it is a viable recommendation to plant nigrogen fixing trees (locusts) along with walnuts.

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