Planting trees is hard work.

semologger · February 25, 2012, 04:17:51 PM

I am attempting to plant 1000 loblolly pine in my field. I am using a dibble bar this is going to b. more work than I planed. Will at pics soon

Texas Ranger · February 25, 2012, 05:04:55 PM

yep

customsawyer · February 25, 2012, 05:23:47 PM

Think of it in terms of exercise. ;D

POSTON WIDEHEAD · February 25, 2012, 05:32:04 PM

Been there......done that. Your in my prayers! :D

Larry · February 25, 2012, 06:18:43 PM

You might check with your local conservation office to see if they have a loaner tree planting machine. In north Missouri I borrowed one twice. Once to plant trees and the second time to copy for building my own machine.

Always got better survival rate behind the machine...maybe it was the operator.

semologger · February 25, 2012, 07:28:40 PM

Thanks all. I think its easyR to cut them down than plant them. I could probly get the planter but i only have a 2o ish horse power tractor. That i have to put the motor back in. It is 4 wheel drive. I was only going to go with 500 trees but for 10 dollars more i got 1000. i got around 300 nthe ground this afternoon. I ran out of beer and had to call it a day. I am going to try and get a few more in the morning.

Sprucegum · February 25, 2012, 09:04:50 PM

A few years ago I watched two old guys plant 20 acres to poplar. The whole time I watched I never saw either one of them stand up straight. I don't think they could if they wanted to!

customsawyer · February 26, 2012, 08:38:51 AM

It is like most other things. Not to bad once you get in shape for it. It is the getting in shape part that hurts. I used to plant 4000 trees a day, 6 days a week but I was a lot younger and had less options.

customsawyer · February 26, 2012, 08:45:53 AM

This was back in 1991

This was a few years later when the boys were getting a little big for their britches. The machine planters helped with the back.

Brad_bb · February 26, 2012, 09:45:38 AM

Beer is no help when it comes to really workin'.

semologger · February 26, 2012, 10:38:06 AM

beer was the only thing keeping me going. :D. I was planning on doing more this morning but i dont think i can. I have a bad leg and my ankle is hurting me to much. i cant hardly walk on it today maybe tomarrow.

CustomSawyer you must of been moving to plant that many trees a day. how many acres was that a day.

I am planning on planting my whole field but a little each year its 25 acres about. i am spacing the trees around 8 by 8 more and less. Will the deer eat loblolly seedlings?

semologger · February 26, 2012, 11:03:22 AM

The lift is what i used to clear the land. It was a briar patch you could not even crawl thru.

After i cleared it.

My only help. But he is still a pup around 1. his birthday was this month.

The tree are so small you cant see them Heck i lose them planting them.

SwampDonkey · February 26, 2012, 11:58:20 AM

I have planted 1200-1600 trees a day in cutover with brush. In a field it would be "cream". ;)

These were in the ground 3 years.

semologger · February 26, 2012, 03:10:16 PM

Custom i was looking at some of your photos. Seen one that is about 12 miles from my house.

Nice place indead.

SwampDonkey · February 26, 2012, 04:40:07 PM

Forgot to mention, where those spruce are I brushed around them this past spring, they are 7 feet tall.

Magicman · February 26, 2012, 04:47:31 PM

To protect your survival rate, I hope that you plan to apply Arsenal/Escort or something to kill those briers.

semologger · February 26, 2012, 04:56:47 PM

I will put a cable up about 4 foot high at night time across driveway. :D

The forester i got the trees from said i didnt have to spray for grass control around the trees. its mainly sage grass. and it can get pretty tall. Do I need to?

But do you have to talk your wheelchair to walmart cause it hurts your legs and back to much to walk? :D But i am lucky to be able to do what i do. I wish it was cream. ;D

Quote from: SwampDonkey on February 26, 2012, 11:58:20 AM
I have planted 1200-1600 trees a day in cutover with brush. In a field it would be "cream". ;)

Magicman · February 26, 2012, 05:13:26 PM

Quote from: semologger on February 26, 2012, 04:56:47 PM
The forester i got the trees from said i didnt have to spray for grass control around the trees. its mainly sage grass. and it can get pretty tall. Do I need to?

No, not for sage grass, but you said brier patch. In my area, briers will over story the seedlings and bend them down.

customsawyer · February 26, 2012, 05:21:50 PM

Semologger That pic was taken 2 years ago when the wife and I rode the bike out to visit Bro Noble. That is some great country to ride in. It also looked like some great trees in that area.
Back to the tree planting like I said you have to do it day in and day out to get in shape. I don't think I could do that many trees a day now even if I was in shape. The 4000 trees a day were planted on 6X12 spacing or 605 trees per acre.

SwampDonkey · February 26, 2012, 06:50:36 PM

I have no trouble bending, and your 10 years younger than me. Semo, you'd fit right in when some of the whiners on the brushing crew. ;) ;D

Magicman · February 26, 2012, 06:59:25 PM

I have no trouble bending, it's the straightening back up that is a challenge, and I am twice as old as you are. :-\

WDH · February 26, 2012, 07:21:56 PM

Quote from: semologger on February 26, 2012, 10:38:06 AM
Will the deer eat loblolly seedlings?

No. They don't eat loblolly here.

You might think about a little more space between the rows. When thinning, and you have a take out row, there needs to be enough room for the equipment to operate in without skinning the other trees that you want left on either side of the take-out row. 8' is a little tight.

semologger · February 26, 2012, 07:48:58 PM

Quote from: SwampDonkey on February 26, 2012, 06:50:36 PM
I have no trouble bending, and your 10 years younger than me. Semo, you'd fit right in when some of the whiners on the brushing crew. ;) ;D

My only problem is that when i was born i was club footed my left foot was turned around backwards. The docs corrected it and my left leg was a;ways smaller than my right. Then when i was 14 i dove in the river hit bottom breaking my neck. I broke 3 vertabre in my neck pinching spinal cord in 2 places. Paralizing me from neck down doc wasnt going to operate but he ended up. I slowly got better and got everything back. But my left side is still slow left hand only moves at half speed. And my left leg got more messed up. Then after a few years later trying to play wiffle ball i tore my akilies tendon off the bone. Another surgery on that foot. then another the next year to romove some bone in that joint. So I might whine but i still do more than half the people capable of doing more just sitting around drawing off the goverment. But im happy. ;) You can never give up ya know.

Most of my spacing might be around 10 foot. I will keep an eye on it. I have thinned out alot of stands. So i am going to try and plant in a way that will make it easiest for logging in the future

isawlogs · February 26, 2012, 08:11:45 PM

Crow sounds real good to me now SD... :-\ ;)

Danny How long before that pine, Semo is planting, will be needing a thinning and at what size would it be at that time ???

WDH · February 26, 2012, 08:23:53 PM

Marcell,

These were planted in February, 1998. They were thinned in the Fall of 2009, in their 12th growing season after planting.

Before thinning:

Post thinning:

Some serious fast growth:

Dominant Heights were about 38 feet. The post thin diameter was right at 8". However, I do not think that they will grow as fast in Missouri as in Central Georgia. This site was an old pasture. I would expect that Semologger would be commercially thinning them by age 15.