Missouri Alternatives Center's Bimonthly Electronic Newsletter 1-800-433-3704 "AG OPPORTUNITIES" September-October 1999 (Vol 10 No 2) Propagating Container-grown Oak and Nut Tree Seedlings for Out-planting in Missouri (by Stuart Miller, MO Dept of Natural Resources, reprinted with permission from the North American Nut Growers Association) I have propagated approximately 1,500 container-grown oak and nut tree seedlings per year since 1990, outplanting on abandoned mine lands and old fields in central and western MO. Seedlings grown in the Whitcomb bottomless containers result in the taproot being "air-pruned." The taproot grows through the bottom of the container and is exposed to the air. The apical meristem desiccates and dies which stimulates lateral root development throughout the container. Once planted, a lateral root establishes a new taproot or multiple laterals that form co-dominant, branched main roots. First-year establishment success for container-grown seedlings is approximately twice the success of bare root seedlings in side-by-side field trials in MO. There is evidence that planting hard woods, using pines and Douglas fir, confirm higher establishment success rates for container-grown seedlings in native soils. Greatest mortality of container-grown seedlings in MO resulted largely from excessive competing vegetation and rodent damage in winter. It was not obvious that any container-grown seedlings were lost due to moisture stress. Bare-rooted seedlings were usually lost in the initial flush of growth or in midsummer due to moisture stress. Tap-rooted hardwoods such as oak, hickory and walnut responded well to air pruning, which resulted from using bottomless containers. In many oak plantings, the tops of seedlings die back in midsummer but later sprout back from adventitious buds located at the root collar. This is a common survival mechanism of most oak species. Seedlings were propagated in my backyard, placed upon a raised, welded hog or cattle panel, with 4 inch squares, and protected from squirrels by a wood frame and chicken wire. Bare root seedlings were purchased from the Forrest-Keeling Nursery in Elsberry, MO and from the MO Dept of Conservation George White State Forest Nursery. Methods ------- Qualitative observation of establishment success of container-grown seedlings since 1990 suggests a first-season survival rate of 90% for air-pruned bur oak and pecan grown in half-gallon bottomless containers. This compares to 35% survival of 2-year-old bare rootstock grown at either a local commercial nursery or the state forest nursery. These were side-by-side plot trials of seedlings planted in prepared rows of prairie soils in CRP crop fields in western MO. Additional test plots were established in neutral graded mine spoils and in a grassy, old field. Rows were set along the contour at 15-foot centers, disked and planted by hand. Container-grown seedlings were planted in the fall, and bare root seedlings were planted in the spring. Success rates were slightly higher in very fine sandy loam soils mapped as Bates loam (2-5% slopes, fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic Typic Argiudolls), compared to silty clay soils mapped as Kenoma (2-5% slopes, fine, montmorillonitic, thermic Vertic Argiudolls). Competition became intense in midsummer as late-season weeds such as common and giant ragweed, giant foxtail, cocklebur and beggar ticks germinated from the old-field seed bank. The rows were mowed in July to prevent shading of the seedlings. A second test plot was established on rough-graded, neutral minespoils, (silty clay texture with 15% shale channers, 5% sandstone pebbles and few sandstone cobbles) in western MO. Establishment success in the first season was approximately 75% for container-grown bur oak and pecan compared to 30% for bare root seedlings. Compaction was minimal since all grading was performed by a D-3 dozer knocking the tops off the spoil ridges, pushing the fill into the valleys between ridges. Wind-disseminated species, particularly broomsedge, slowly colonized the plots, competing with the seedlings. Adjacent minespoils were heavily vegetated, enabling deer to browse the plot undisturbed. Japanese honeysuckle invaded the minespoil plots from outside by rapidly spreading vines. A third test plot was established in central MO on loess-derived forest soils that had been cleared in the 19th century, then farmed and planted to tall fescue in recent decades. In places, much of the A horizon had been eroded and mixed by plowing into the E horizon. The soils were classified by the author as eroded Winfield silt loam (fine-silty mixed, mesic, Typic Hapludalfs). Fescue sod was removed with a heavy hoe around each seedling to reduce competition at the time of establishment. Spraying could be as effective, but must be done while the seedlings are dormant. First-year survival rates for container-grown bur and northern red oak were 90% compared to 35% for bare root. Mortality was high during the first winter due to a large population of voles. The author suspects the rodent predidation is due to the greater nutritional content of container-grown seedlings compared to natural seedlings in the grass pasture. Cattle were removed from the pasture prior to planting, and the vole population exploded afterward. Moisture was excessive at all sites during the period of fall 1992 to summer 1995. There was a pronounced water deficit in the summer of 1990 and in 1995, resulting in correspondingly lower establishment rates. Prolonged soil saturation resulted in anaerobic conditions in upland soils due to excessive rain throughout the summer of 1993. Many seedlings were observed to have suffered extensive root rot, killing the seedlings outright or indirectly by winter kill. Success rates were high in the well-drained Bates loam during the wet period. Oak Propagation Techniques Fall/Winter ----------- 1. Collect acorns with the proper color and without weevil holes, cracks or other surface blemishes. Do not collect green seeds. Acorns with caps still affixed should be discarded. Larger acorns tend to produce larger seedlings. Whether this difference is a short-term or long-term effect is not clear. However, it is obvious that a larger transplanted seedling has greater survival rates. 2. Acorns should be floated in water. Those that float should be discarded since they tend to be dead or damaged. Acorns that sink should be collected and allowed to dry to the touch on newspapers in a cool, dark location. Most acorns desiccate quickly, resulting in a serious reduction in viability. Sound acorns typically have a germination rate of 75-90%. For successful germination, white oak (Leucohalanus) group acorns must have a moisture content above 30-50%, with a minimum of 20-30% for the red oak (Erythobalanus) group. Bur oak acorns should have their caps removed for the float test. 3. Collect dried acorns into one-gallon sealable plastic bags, preferably freezer-type bags. 4. Place acorn-filled bags in a refrigerator set at 34°F to overwinter. Periodically, check and remove acorns damaged by weevil larvae and mold. 5. Hickory nuts, pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts require moist stratification for proper germination. They should be stored in a moist mixture of half sand and half ground peat. Storage containers with airtight lids should be used. Place storage containers in a cool, unheated location to overwinter. Floating cannot be used to remove dead or damaged nuts. Check periodically to maintain moisture level. Do not saturate the mixture because the nuts can rot. Spring ------ 1. In mid-March, check Leucobalanus (white oak group) acorns for the emergence of the radicle (first root) from the acorn tip. 2. Plant acorns in Whitcomb bottomless containers (also called milk cartons) that are resting off the ground after the threat of a hard freeze (around 25°F) is over. Flats with welded wire bottoms can be built to hold the containers. Acorns should be carefully planted once the radicle has emerged. The radicle should be planted with the growing tip pointed downward. Radicles planted upward cause the roots to spiral or bind. Planting can continue until the middle of June, although growth may be less than in earlier stock. Erythobalanus (red oak group) acorns germinate more slowly than Leucobalanus. Do not wait for radicle emergence to plant. 3. The potting mix that has yielded the best growth and development for me is two parts topsoil (silt loam, very fine sandy loam or silty clay loam is preferred), two parts ground peat (commercial quality with no sticks or stems) and one part composted manure (available at nurseries and discount stores in 40-pound plastic bags). Soil compaction or dense, tight potting mix can delay radicle emergence or even damage the radicle itself. Therefore, it is imperative to have a loose potting mixture. Using soil alone in the potting mix greatly reduces seedling growth. Using topsoil from oak-hickory regions inoculates the seedling roots with mycorrhizal fungi. Although there is always a risk of introducing pathogens or pests from the topsoil, the benefits of mycorrhizal inoculation outweigh the risk. The peat reduces total weight and improves the soil mix structure. Organic matter in the potting mix greatly improves water-holding capacity. This is particularly important for oak, hickory pecan and walnut seedlings. Manure in the mix provides slow-release nutrients. 4. Cover the plastic container bottoms with one layer of newspaper to initially contain the soil mix. The bottomless nature of the containers allows the taproot to grow downward until it penetrates beyond the container. At this point, the exposed root meristem dies, hence the term "air-pruned." This prevents the root spiraling and, girdling common in container-grown oaks and hickories. The air-pruned taproot stimulates the growth of lateral roots, which fill the container by the end of summer. Species with strong taproot tendencies reestablish this growth pattern once outplanted. 5. Periodically inspect stratified hickory, pecan and walnut seeds. Nuts that have opened or have emerging radicles should be planted immediately. 6. Protect planted containers left outdoors from squirrels. They will wipe out an entire planting within hours once they smell the nuts. Rodents, particularly deer mice, appear to be more damaging to dropped acorns in the forest than squirrels or chipmunks. Whether that is true in the backyard remains to be seen. 7. Do not plant defective, weevil infected, discolored or excessively moldy acorns. Do not plant hickory nuts, pecans or walnuts that have not split open for radicle emergence by June 1st. Throw these to the squirrels since it is unlikely they will germinate. 8. Planted containers should have a 1/8"-1/4" thick surface layer of shredded bark or coarse sawdust. This provides a protective mulch that reduces evaporative losses and inhibits puddlings and compaction of the soil surface. The mulch layer can save the seedlings from desiccation on a windy August day. This also mimics the natural revegetation process by simulating forest floor litter. I emphasize the importance of a protective organic layer for effective seed germination and seedlings establishment. This remains true for the outside grown, container-grown seedlings. Summer ------ 1. Keep the soil mix moist but not saturated during the entire growing season. Too much water causes the seeds and roots to rot. Once the secondary leaves emerge, transpiration becomes rapid and water in the plastic containers can be quickly depleted. Weeds should be pulled from the container soil. 2. In July and August, check the seedlings every day for moisture stress. Water as needed. 3. Insects usually are not a problem, but mold and mildew can cause leaf problems during a wet spring. Insect pests can be crushed by hand. Spraying should be done only as a last resort. 4. Transplant early, well-developed seedlings by late July into 1, 2 or 5 gallon plastic pots for the further flushes of growth. Only air-pruned seedlings should be transplanted into the plastic pots to prevent root spiraling and binding. Potted seedlings must be outplanted in the first fall season to prevent root spiraling and binding. 5. White oak, chinkapin oak and post oak seedlings tend to be small and slowly established in the first season. Initially, plant acorns in six-inch grow tubes and transplant to half-gallon milk carton containers by August. These seedlings will be too small to plant in the coming fall and should be stored over winter for another growing season before planting. 6. Inspect all seedlings to ensure air pruning has occurred. If not, prune the taproot with hand shears. 7. Seedlings grow best in full sun from the east in the morning, with light shade from midday to evening. Try to find a hedgerow or large tree, and locate seedlings on its east side. Allow the canopy to shade the seedlings by mid-afternoon. Deep shade is not desirable. Fall ---- 1. Outplant healthy, vigorous seedlings as soon as ambient daytime temperatures begin to drop into the low 80's and the fall showers begin. 2. Scalp overly competitive grasses by hoeing or spraying around the planted seedling. Make a 2-3' diameter clearing around each seedling Plastic tree tubes can greatly increase survival and growth of transplants, but cost must be considered. 3. Discard seedlings that are too weak, spindly or short. It is too much work to plant container-grown stock that will not survive. 4. Store small, slowly established white, chinkapin and post oaks for the winter in a cool dark, moist place such as a root cellar or earth-contract basement. They should have undergone a good freeze to slow or stop shoot biologic activity prior to storage. Roots continue to grow in winter until the soil temperature approaches freezing. 5. Seedlings can be planted successfully until early Dec in MO if properly mulched and located in a protected location. Frost heaving can be a concern for unmulched seedlings or plantings located in exposed areas susceptible to frost heaving. Good fall establishment enables the seedling to send out deep roots in preparation for summer drought and competition for moisture and nutrients. The result is the container-grown seedlings give the planter 5-6 months to plant stock as compared to the I month bareroot seedling-planting window. 6. Store extra seedlings over winter for a spring planting. These can be planted from mid-Feb to the end of April. 7. Select the correct native species, and adapt to local conditions. Conclusion ---------- The container-grown seedling methodology outlined in the case study has proven successful in small-scale establishment of deep taprooted hardwoods that are extremely difficult or impossible to transplant. Species without prominent taproots such as birch, ash and maple receive no advantage from air pruning as compared to traditional containers. All species of oaks, walnuts and hickories, including pecan, responded well to air pruning via bottomless containers. Bald cypress, hackberry, tulip-poplar, Kentucky coffeetree, persimmon and basswood are effectively grown and out-planted using the air-pruned method. Many later-successional species planted to enrich the ecosystem, are prevented or are limited in their natural ability to invade old fields due to the distance from the site to a seed source. Out-planted container-grown seedlings are more readily established with an intact root system as compared to bareroot. Growth and development of the air-pruned root system are rapid, enabling the seedlings to more readily survive harsh competition for water and nutrients in the first growing system than bareroot seedlings. Fall planting accentuates this difference. Container-grown seedlings continue to send out roots until the soil approaches freezing temperatures, which in MO are from late Dec to Feb. Some of the lateral roots enlarge and grow downward, developing into a multi-stemmed taproot system. Container-grown seedlings have a much greater planting window than bareroot in the East and Midwest, since their roots are continually growing which reduces or eliminates transplanting shock. Bareroot seedlings can only by planted while dormant in the spring, allowing little time to establish an effective root system that can compete against annual weeds and survive during summer drought. Natural succession processes on drastically disturbed lands mimic classic old-field succession. Often desirable oak and nut-seed trees are not close enough to abandoned or CRP fields to colonize them. With the bottomless container method, hard-to-find oak and nut seedlings can be propagated from seed collected from local parent stock that are adapted to the unique growing conditions of the planting area. High-quality, container-grown, air pruned, seedlings can be used to enhance the biological diversity and wildlife habitat. Planting long-lived oaks and hickories passes a legacy from one generation to another that outlasts many day-to-day labors. (Stuart Miller is Technical Assistance Coordinator and Soil Scientist, Land Reclamation Program, MO Dept of Natural Resources, PO Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102) 7TH NATIONAL SMALL FARM TRADE SHOW & CONFERENCE THEME: Profitable Alternatives for Family Farms WHEN: Nov 5-6, 1999 WHERE: Columbia, MO COSTS: Seminars, exhibits, demonstrations, Farmers Forum - $5.00/day or $8.00/2 day pre-registration (Oct 1st) or $8.00/day or $10.00/2 day Short courses: $20.00 each pre-registration (Oct 1st) or $30.00 each at the door (Short courses do include admission fee to the rest of the show.) SPONSORS: Small Farm Today Magazine; brought to you by Orscheln's; MO Beef Industry Council; University of MO-Columbia College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources; and USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. This is the largest annual small farm conference and trade show in the US. Over 2,800 people and 130 exhibitors attended our 6th conference in 1998. Five three-hour Short Courses: Making a Small Farm Pay; Agroforestry (nuts/timber/lumber); Dairying (sheep/goats/cattle); Fiber (alpacas/sheep rabbits); Greenhouses (large and small) and Culinary Herbs. Thirteen one-hour Seminars: Web Marketing; Cover Crops; Cut Flowers; Poultry; Vegetables; Small Fruits; Seed Saving; Finances; Media Marketing; Miniature Cattle; and Intensive Grazing Demonstrations: Draft Animals; Stock Dogs; Soap Making; Spinning; Poultry Show & Exhibition! Also included this year for the first time is Farmer Forum: Straight-talk from Successful Small Farmers sponsored by Small Farm Today magazine and brought to you by MO Organic Assn, MO Chapter of the Organic Crop Improvement Assn, Sustaining People through Agriculture Network, MO Alternatives Center, and the Univ of MO Sustainable Agriculture Extension Program. Farmers Forum will run from 9 am to 6 pm on Friday and 9 am to 10:30 am and 12:30 pm to 5:00 pm on Saturday. Twenty minute presentations include: Tempe Production; How to Make a Bouquet to Sell at Farmers' Markets; Micro-Irrigation; Farmer-Milled Flour; How to Write a Label; Growing on Straw Bales in the Greenhouse; Clues to Cucumber Beetle Control; Black Beans: How to Grow and Harvest; Soil Blocks: How to Make Them; How to Make a Farmers' Market Display; Potatoes for Sale: Growing for Local Consumption; Cucumbers on a Trellis; Biological Weed Control: Looking into the Future; Growing Goldenseal from Seed; Natural Worm Control in Cattle; Just Say No to Industrial Farming; Native Nut Trees; Prune those Brambles; Summer Salad; Temporary Fencing: The Perfect Solution for Small Farm Grazing Systems; In Praise of the Queen: Habitat Enhancement for Biological Control; What's New at ATTRA; AgriMO and MO Alternative Loan Program; Corn Loves Fish; Get that Fescue Off the Farm; Herbal Tincture; Vermiculture in the Kitchen; Poultry Swap; Ark-Type Poultry Housing For more information on attending, call 1-800-633-2535. MARKETING ASSISTANCE FOR PASTURED POULTRY PRODUCERS SEMINAR A 4 hour pastured poultry seminar sponsored by the MO Dept of Ag will be held Nov 10, 1999 at a central MO location. Final details on location and time are forthcoming. Topics: ------- Food Safety - Introduction to processing, handling and marketing principles that impact food safety. Why's and how's of process documentation and "best practices". On Farm Marketing Legal Issues - Information to help you avoid common pit falls. Marketing Tips - Ideas for developing a marketing plan and an update on ongoing projects around the state. For more information contact Rose Foster, MO Dept of Agriculture 573-522-3377 or email rfoster@mail.state.mo.us *** In the News *** MO-BIS (Missouri's Business Information Source) is a new business information web site (http://www.mo-bis.org) developed for you by the University Outreach and Extension Missouri Enterprise Development Focus Team (MEDFT) and Missouri Small Business MO-BIS is organized into six broad categories with 25 subcategories, linked to 436 sources. The primary categories and corresponding sub-categories are: * Business Development - Getting Started, Managing an Existing Business, Exit Strategies * Finance - Grants/Loans/Capital Records/Accounting, Taxes * Focus On - Agriculture, Franchising, Home-Based Business, Manufacturing, Retail, Service, Small Business and Technology * Legal/Regulatory - Copyrights/Patents/Trademarks; Government Sites; Licenses/Permits; Environment; Safety and Health; Insurance * Marketing - Planning, Market Research, Sales/Advertising, Web Marketing * Resources/Tools - Associations, Magazines and Web Centers, Maps, Phone Books, Reference Tools and Search Engines. *Purdue Pesticide Programs Website* http://www.btny.purdue.edu/PPP/ Resource provided by Purdue Univ Cooperative Extension Service, dedicated to pesticide education outreach; coordination of pesticide research and impact assessment projects; and transfer of regulatory information. Provides access to Purdue Pesticide Programs (PPP) publications for pesticide professionals and general public. Titles include Pesticides and Applicator Certification; Pesticides and Spill Management; Pesticides and Epidemiology and more. Includes links to current and past issues of PPP quarterly newsletter. Newsletter and other publications also available in hard copy, most free of charge. Contact Purdue Pesticide Programs, 1155 Lilly Hall of Life Sciences, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1155; 888-398-4636; email whitford@btny.purdue.edu ARS experiments show that diamondback moths can't resist the all-you-can-eat collards when planted completely around cabbage field edges, a strategy called trap cropping that could also work to protect other cole crops. Invading diamondback moths stop and deposit their eggs on the collards rather than on adjacent cabbage plants. Diamondback populations continue to recycle in collards as long as the plants remain green and continue to grow. The moths are becoming resistant to many chemicals. Spraying pesticides can be costly, ranging from about $10 to $21 an acre for each application, depending on which pesticides are used. It costs growers $80 to $168 per acre or more for insecticide sprays each season to produce the crop. The simple, low-tech, cost-effective method of planting collards also reduces pesticide use. Cabbage fields surrounded by collards required 75 to 100 percent fewer sprays to control diamondback moths than fields treated conventionally with pesticides. For more information contact Everett Mitchell, 352-374-5710. (Quarterly Report, April to June 1999) *** In Print *** *Hoop Structures for Gestating Swine* Available from Andrea Jahn, 219 BioAg Eng, 1390 Eckles Ave, Univ of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108; 612-625-9733, $5.00. *Marketing Sustainably Produced Foods* available from Food Choices, 30 West Mifflin St, #401, Madison, WI 53703, 608-258-4396. *Urbanization of Rural Landscapes* a syllabus and teaching materials. Available from CSAS, Univ of Nebraska, PO Box 830949, Lincoln, NE 68583, 402-472-2056, http://ianrwww.unl.edu/ianr/csas/reports.htm, $10.00. *Organic Dairy Farming* available from Community Conservation Consultants, Rt 1 Box 96, Gays Mills, WI 54631, 608-735-4717, e-mail ccc@mwt.net, $8.00. *IPM Field Corn Pocket Guide* from Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service, Cooperative Extension, 152 Riley-Robb Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, 607-255-7654, e-mail nraes@cornell.edu, $10.75. *Biological Control: A Guide to Natural Enemies in North America* available on the Internet at www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/, or from CR Weeden, Jordan Hall, Cornell Univ, NYSAES, Geneva, NY 14456-0462, 315-787-2253, e-mail crw7@cornell.edu. *Marketing Options for Commercial Vegetable Growers* (Univ of KY Publication ID-134). Provides a good basic introduction to marketing of commercial vegetable crops. ID-134 is available in print and on the web in both html and pdf formats under the UK College of Agriculture's "Pubs Online" pages at: http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/agpubs.htm *** On the Calendar *** Sept 26-MO Organic Association Monthly Educational Meeting: Cover Crops, Columbia, MO. Call 573-657-1177. Oct 2-3-MO Botanical Gardens' Best of Missouri Market, St. Louis, MO. Call 314-577-9400. Oct 9-10-MO State Beekeepers Association Annual Fall Meeting, Tan-Tar-A. Call 314-398-5014. Oct 12-15-National Small Farm Conference: Building Partnerships for the 21st Century, St Louis, MO. Call 202-401-4900 or 573-681-5550. Oct 15-Tree Farm 50th Anniversary Event, Salem, MO. Call 314-519-9300. Oct 24-MO Organic Association Monthly Educational Meeting, Columbia, MO. Call 573-657-1177. Oct 30-31-Taste of Missouri Marketplace, Springfield, MO. Call 417-862-9559. Nov 5-6-National Small Farm Conference & Trade Show, Columbia, MO. Call 800-633-2535 Nov 6-SPAN Annual Meeting, Columbia, MO. Call 573-445-2194. Nov 6-MO Organic Association Annual Meeting and Chili Dinner, Columbia, MO. Call 573-657-1177. Nov 19-20-Developing Alternative Agricultural Marketing Skills for the New Millennium, Lincoln, NE. Call 402-472-0265. Jan 5-6-Mid-America Fruit Growers Conference, St. Joseph, MO Jan 7-8-4th Annual Great Plains Vegetable Conference, St. Joseph, MO. Call 816-279-1691. Feb 6-8-Midwest Regional Grape & Wine Conference, Tan-Tar-A. Call 888-392-WINE University Extension does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran in employment or programs.