Planting the Maritime Pine

The reforestation by planting is the most used method in the forest range of the Landes of Gascogne. It represents 80% of the reforestations.
The other technics are artificial sowings and natural regeneration

Planting is one technic which allows benefiting from genetic improvement. This genetic benefit improves the productivity of the Maritime Pine and its rectitude.

Earth-balled plants:

In the case of reforestation by planting, the quality of the roots’ system of the earth-balled plant is essential.
A quality roots’ system is stability and a good restart guarantees for the future.
The earth-balled plants from PLANFOR are produced from a plant plug with openwork sides and above the ground. Likewise, the nature of the growing substrate of the earth ball 200 cm3 PLANFOR allows the development of a strong roots system and good water retention.

Planting:

It is important to draw up a diagnosis of the reforestation site.
The objective is to adapt the reforestations’ technics to the singularities of the plots (ploughing technics, fertilisation, planting density).

Stages of the reforestation:
- Cleaning of the clear-cut area.
- Working the soil (ploughing in strips, full ploughing, and tool string) with the possibility of fertilising.
- Planting the earth-balled plants 200cm3 with the possibility of treatment against Hylobius.

The planting technic according to the Planfor’s method:

The PLANFOR’s planting teams use a planting rod.

Watch the demonstrating video of the planting technic used by Planfor (click here)

Planting the Maritime Pine

Choice of planting density:

The criteria which define the planting density by hectares are the quality of the soil and the surface area to replant.
In the forest range of Aquitaine, the density varies from 1200 to 1500 plants/hectare, as a general rule. That is to say a distance between the Pines on the line contained between 1.5m and 2m, and spacing between the lines contained between 4 m and 4.50 m.

Planting period:

The use of earth-balled 200 cm3grown plants allows planting from September to June, that it to say the equivalent of a reforestation campaign.

Planting rules:

- Do not handle earth-balled plants in frosty weather.
- Do not plant in frosty weather.
- Adapt the planting hours and monitor the plants humidity according to the weather and the reforestations periods.
– Cover up the earth-ball well without pressing or tamping down.
- Ensure the plant is placed in straight (rectitude).

Pépinières PLANFOR
1950 Route de Cère
40090 UCHACQ - FRANCE
Tel : (020).7660.0178