Nursery moves into containerised pines
From the Winter 2007 edition of Bush Telegraph Magazine.
More than 500000 containers of radiata pine, grown from seed at the Narrandera nursery, will be used to replant areas of plantation pine burnt during fires near Tumut in December 2006.
This is the first time the nursery has produced containerised pine on a commercial scale.
Forests NSW Grafton nursery is also growing about 900000 containerised pine for planting across NSW in state-owned pine plantations.
Forests NSW manager of nurseries, Steve Sullivan, said some of Narrandera’s pines were planted in December last year as part of a trial of containerised genetically improved seed stock from New Zealand.
“This trial was highly fortuitous as the pines will now be used to top-up planting stock produced at Forests NSW Tumut nursery,” he said.
“Extra planting stock is necessary this year due to fire and drought losses.”
Steve said containerised pines had numerous advantages including using less irrigation water and being more flexible, as seedling growth and physiological characteristics could be more easily controlled.
“Container systems produce seedlings that can be planted across an extended planting season, as they can remain in their cells until weather conditions are suitable for planting.
“Unlike bare rooted stock, they don’t have to be lifted and replanted immediately, which is a great help in drought years when we are looking for soil moisture before planting.
“In the long-term, Forests NSW whole radiata pine program will become more flexible through the addition of containerised pine seedlings,” Steve said.
Public Affairs & Media, Albury
