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White Pine Sprouts

Started by chuck172, January 05, 2015, 06:08:39 AM

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chuck172

For some reason white pine saplings are shooting up in certain areas of my property. My wife is complaining cause they are starting to obstruct her view from the kitchen window. I just can't get myself to cut them down like junk plants or weeds. I've never been into transplanting. What should I do, are the white pines to be saved and protected or just pulled out?
My property is primarily  hardwoods.

Ron Scott

Do you have some large white pine seed trees nearby?
~Ron

chuck172

Yes I do. It's not that I really want to get rid of the young trees.
   I just wonder if the white pine should be valued, moved possibly and taken care of. Or should I just cut them down as weeds. What benefit are they? Should I promote the growth?

Ron Scott

It sounds like you have an ecosystem which includes a white pine component. White pine is a suitable tree species for timber, wildlife, recreation, aesthetics, etc. as desired. You should determine what your management objectives are for your property and if they include white pine as a vegetation component.You might want to seek out the services of your local conservation district or extension forester to help you decide on your specific management of the white pine to meet your objectives.  A vision area can be planned and developed to be managed to address your wife's concern of having the view blocked from the house by the white pine.
~Ron

Ianab

Difference between a "good" tree and weed is often where it happens to be growing.

White pine is decent enough tree, useful timber, wildlife habitat, shelter etc. So leaving some, or moving some seedlings to a more desirable spot is fine. The smaller seedlings should transplant better than larger ones.

But if they are blocking the wife's view, they become weeds  :D From the domestic harmony point of view, it's probably better to remove a few of them.  ;) Keep the ones that aren't blocking the view so much.

They also make good Christmas trees, so you could prune the tips on a few to make them bush out more, and have a few years supply of trees on hand.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

chuck172

When and how is best to transplant white pine sprouts?

thecfarm

chunk,I kinda wonder why they started to sprouts. When my Father and me started to cut here,not much young white pine growing. But as soon as we let some sun light in and disturbed the ground,it was just like kicking a hornets nest. They came up all over the place.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

chuck172

Quote from: thecfarm on January 10, 2015, 06:40:27 AM
chunk,I kinda wonder why they started to sprouts. When my Father and me started to cut here,not much young white pine growing. But as soon as we let some sun light in and disturbed the ground,it was just like kicking a hornets nest. They came up all over the place.
I'd say that's what's happening here too.

chuck172

I sure would like to get more comments on this topic. White pine sapplings are just taking over. I like them! Seems like my woods are going through a big change. I built my house 30 years ago in the middle of 30 acres. Mainly hardwoods. Very wet, rocky, clay soil, on the side of a mountain. Not good land, but I like it. My forester said that the land is reverting to what it once was. White Pine woods.

Clark

If these little guys are obstructing your wife's view I presume they are from 4-10' tall. I wouldn't recommend transplanting them this spring unless the frost has just left the ground because the first thing to grow in the spring on hardwoods or conifers is the root system, interrupting that will cause some serious problems.

With that said, I do know a family that decided to dig up some white pine and transplant them along a field edge. They started with the smallest trees (<5' tall) but soon ran out of those. They had a tree spade and started digging up the larger trees. In the end they were transplanting trees 10-12' tall and didn't know how many would make it. Turns out all of them made it and did very well. White pine is a very hardy tree that can take a lot of abuse. So go ahead and transplant them, they should do fine.

The other option, if these little guys are growing fast enough, would be to prune them. The general rule is to only remove 1/3rd of the live crown. In your case if you want to keep some white pine around and keep your wife happy a delicate balance will need to be struck. Possibly transplanting some of the trees and then pruning the others to help keep her view. You could be a bit more aggressive and take 1/2 the live crown and see what happens. They might slow down a bit but if they are growing in shade then the lower limbs are fighting not only the hardwoods for sunlight but also the upper branches of the white pine. In 5-10 years you should have them pruned high enough that the wife doesn't mind. Until then, good luck.

Clark
SAF Certified Forester

chuck172

When is the best time to transplant the white pines?

Remle

IMHO the best time would be in September when they are going into the dormant stage. How ever the second best time is from March to May before they start aggressively growing again. Smaller the tree the smaller root system the better chance of transplanting as others have said. That's my preferences.

Ron Scott

~Ron

Danshook

I am new to the site but really appreciate the above. My question is this. I have many new white pine saplings in missaukee county michigan. I want to transplant them to monroe county michigan. 200 miles south. Will they survive in the new area?


coxy

I maybe speaking out of place but are you allowed to move trees that far would hate to see someone get in a pickle over planting trees

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