Establishing a Shelterbelt: Site Preparation and Planting Guide

1. Establishing a Shelterbelt April 2006 André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

2. Shelterbelt expectation André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

3. Farm plan • Location • Number of rows • Design • species • spacing André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

4. Agreement with the neighbours André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

5. Order the trees (heigth and format) André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

6. The size of the plants • Trees (60 cm- 1 m) • Shrubs (30 cm) Heavy clay: prefer bare roots André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

7. Soil preparation • Herbicide and mowing • Levelling and rock removal • Subsoiling • Primary and secondary tillage • Plastic mulch installation • Ground cover André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

8. Herbicide • Type: broad-spectrum herbicide (glyphosate). • Objectives: • Break down root mat to facilitate tillage. • Eliminate all perennials to promote good start of growth in newly planted trees and shrubs. • When: 1 month before tillage, between mid-August and end of August. • Dose: 2 litres/acre or 5 litres/ha. André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

9. Site before mowing André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

10. Mowing André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

11. Levelling and rock removal • Objectives: Ensure soil preparation and plastic mulch application can be done without damaging machinery. “Remember: The end result, at this point, should look like a garden-type soil.” André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

12. Subsoiling • Soil compaction indicators: • Inadequate drainage • Superficial root system development • Difficult penetration of metal prongs André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

13. Subsoiling • Objectives: Break down compacted area to ensure proper root development and facilitate drainage. • How: Use a 2-shank subsoiler (50 HP/shank). Ideally, shanks should reach below compaction zone for better results in sufficiently friable (dry) soils and to increase range of action (superior fissure cone). • When: Around the end of August when soil is dry. André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

14. When soil is dry, at the end of summer André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

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17. With subsoiling Without subsoiling André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

18. Organic amendments and fertilization • On agricultural lands, soil fertility is usually sufficient to allow woody plants to grow well. • Compost is the material of choice (20 tonnes/ha), rather than manure because of slower N release. • Always respect regulations (water courses). André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

19. Primary soil tillage • Objectives: Aerate and loosen soil. • How: Using a mouldboard plough to a depth of 15-20 cm, which is the depth of the surface soil. If tillage depth is 20 cm, mould board spacing should be 20 cm. Two adjustments are necessary: from front to back and from left to right. • When: Preferably in the fall to ensure soil will freeze then thaw, loosening soil aggregates. If a mouldboard plough is not available, a chisel plough (heavy offset) can be used. A single back and forth movement on each strip should produce adequate results. André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

20. Depth: 15-20 cm Width: 8 m (3 rows) 5 m (2 rows) 3 m (1 row) André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

21. The layer of soil treated by the first mouldboard should remain relatively thin (half the soil depth) during the first run. André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

22. Secondary tillage • Objectives: Prepare soil for laying of plastic mulch and planting. Loosen soil to obtain a 15-20 cm layer of very loose, garden-type soil. André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

23. Depth: 15 cm Speed: 4-5 km/h Number of runs: 3 or 4 André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

24. Light-duty cultivator: performs superficial (5-10 cm) and uneven soil tillage. Can require several runs before properly loosening soil. André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

25. Rotoharrow: Requires a more powerful tractor (10 HP/foot in width). Produces more even soil. For deeper tillage, remove levelling blade. André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

26. Laying plastic mulch André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

27. When soil is not adequately prepared = uneven mulch André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

28. Purpose of black plastic mulch • Reduce competition from weeds • Maintains adequate soil structure • Retains moisture in soil • Protective zone during weeding André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

29. Survival rate of Green Ash (source: PFRA) with and without plastic mulch survival rate Without plastic mulch With plastic mulch André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

30. Tracted mulch layer André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

31. Tracted layer (3-point hitch system) André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

32. Adjustment • The benefit of this equipment is that it allows even and regular laying of a plastic sheet over the soil and covers portions of the sheet to avoid repositioning. • Certain components need to be adjusted to ensure the equipment is maintained in the same axis as the working area and that it remains stable and evenly covers portions of the plastic sheet. • It is critical that the forces needed to work the soil and cover portions of the sheet be well balanced. André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

33. 3-point hitch system • This system allows farm tractors to transport and use equipment needed to install the plastic mulch. • Three adjustments need to be made to ensure proper balance. André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

34. Proportional sized tractor • To facilitate adjustments, the traction produced by the lower hydraulic arms and the traction force should be in the same axis or parallel to the work surface (Fig. 2.1). • If the tractor is too high, the total force will have a tendency to lift up the front of the equipment. (Fig. 2.2). André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

35. A tractor that is too small will push down the front of the equipment into the soil and lift up the rear end (Fig. 2.3). André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

36. Frontal parallelism (3rd point) • If the 3rd point is too short, the rear of the equipment will lift up and become unstable and ineffective in covering the plastic sheet. (Fig.2.4). If, however, the 3rd point is too long, the front of the equipment will lift up, which will also result in unstable direction an inadequate covering. André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

37. Lateral parallelism (rod) • Lastly, “lateral parallelism” must also be adjusted. This is done by adjusting the connecting rod on the right side of the hydraulic arm (Fig.2.5). André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

38. Disk adjustment Two pairs of disks are used to partially cover the plastic sheet with soil. Each disk digs up soil and is pushed by forces identified as Fa, Fb, Fc and Fd in Figure 3. If the front disks do not have the same force (Fa=Fb), the front end of the equipment will tend to turn to the side of the lowest charges. This also goes for the rear set of disks. Furthermore, if the forces applied on the front and rear disks are not equal, the equipment will become unstable and will not cover the sheet adequately. André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

39. Consequently, it is important that forces be balanced by adjusting the disks. Each disk has 2 adjustment devices. The first device allows users to adjust the rod or support pole to adjust the depth of action. The second device is used to adjust the approach angle. Both adjustments are usually done by loosening the rod attachment rings. André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

40. Mulch maintenance • Ensure plastic mulch is properly ploughed under. • Override mulch edges with a tractor or ATV wheel. André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

41. Caring for plants before planting • Keep in a cool, shaded area • Water regularly André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

42. Opening in mulch for rooted plants André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

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46. Reforestation: do’s and don’ts collar Don’ts Bunched roots Not straight enough Not deep enough Too deep Soil improperly compacted André Vézina, ITA, La Pocatière Campus

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