Bedding and Fertilization Influence on Slash Pine Development in the Florida Sandhills

Abstract

A field study on the infertile and droughty Lakeland sands of west Florida indicated that bedding or fertilization (134 kg P /ha as ordinary superphosphate and 90 kg N/ha as ammonium nitrate) or both increased early growth of planted slash pine ( Engelm.). Throughout the 6-year study, best growth was obtained when the treatments were combined, resulting in 6-year-old trees averaging 3.0 m in height, 4.3 cm in diameter (dbh), and containing 2690 cc of stemwood volume. These values represent increases in the respective parameters of 31, 54, and 76 percent over the control. Bedding + fertilization was also responsible for a significant shift in height class distribution, which was reflected in a greater number of larger trees per unit area. Foliar P levels were higher for trees on fertilized plots for the first 3 years after treatment, while foliar K levels were higher on bedded plots the first 2 years but lower the third year. Foliar N levels were not influenced by treatments.

Keywords

Pinus elliottii Engelm., intensive culture, height class distribution, nutrient status, foliar analysis

Citation

Baker, James B. 1973. Bedding and Fertilization Influence on Slash Pine Development in the Florida Sandhills. Forest Science 19(2):135-138.