Each year trees are planted on s several thousand acres of Michigan land.  Most are planted on cutover forest land or abandoned agricultural fields, and more recently on highly erodible agricultural land covered under the Conservation Reserve Program.

    Trees are planted for many purposes, including timber production, windbreaks, erosion control, Christmas tree production, wildlife habitat improvement, future investment, aesthetics and other land-owner objectives.  Tree plantings enhance the natural beauty of the state, protect watersheds, and enable forests to contribute to the state's economy by assuring a stable supply of wood and providing for recreational opportunities.

    Each year many trees are planted by private forest landowners.  Often these individuals are unfamiliar with planting techniques that will assure high survival and good growth.  To have a successful tree planting program, particular emphasis must be given to soil and species selection, soil preparation, nursery stock selection and handling, planting technique and follow-up care.  Each of these aspects of tree planting is discussed in this bulletin.

PLANTING CONSIDERATIONS

Species and Soil Selection

   Many trees grow under a wide range of environmental and soil conditions, but best growth in most trees is attained within a rather narrow range.  Tree species should be selected for their ability to grow on the proposed planting site.  Not all trees perform satisfactorily on all soils, although they may grow well on different soils in the same area.

    Tree species planted on unsuitable sites suffer high mortality, grow poorly and are more susceptible to insect and disease problems.  To help insure a successful planting, evaluate the soil-species combination before threes are purchased and planted.  Recommendations for coniferous species for various Michigan soil conditions are discussed in Extension Bulletin E-721, "Selecting Management Groups."  Important soil and site factors include air temperature (average, minimum and maximum), air drainage, soil texture and soil fertility.  As a general rule, hardwood species are better suited to loamy and clay loam soil types where soil moisture and fertility are generally higher.  although conifers will grow on heavier soils, they are more commonly planted on drier, coarser textured, and less fertile soils.   All things considered, tree growth is most rapid where soil drainage is good and competing grasses and weeds are controlled.

    Table 1 contains a list of tree and shrub species suitable for planting in different parts of Michigan .  A brief description of some of the commonly planted tree species follows.

Table 1: Planting guide for various forest trees and shrubs under Michigan soil and climatic conditions.