Itasca plugs

[John-W-WI]

We wrapped a 12 acre field yesterday with Itasca's plugs. The higher ground got white spruce, the rest got norways. I hope they do well this summer, because I can't do much with weeds until after a frost or two.

It amazes me how much you get for your money. The trees were really good sized and CHEAP!

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-John

 

[huntall]

Good looking plugs!

 

[dipper]

How much are they like that if u don't mind me asking? I grow my own barefoot spruce so the $s right, but it is so hard to keep them alive.
What do u mean about weed control after a frost?

 

[Jim Timber]

500+ is about $.25 each from Itasca.

My 720 spruce order was under $200.

I chose them for this year because their place is 2 hours North of mine - I figured if they could grow them on a commercial scale up there, then I should have good luck with their genes in my area.

 

[Buckly]

I just got done putting 1000 in the ground. How did you plant them? I use a cordless drill with a 1" brad point bit. I only found 50 that were less than desirable for planting out of the 1000 from Itasca. I planted the same last year and had 95% survival. The trees arrived right on schedule also.

 

[Jim Timber]

I made the tool (several guys have them now), and just poke a hole and drop the plug in it, then heel in and repeat.

Itasca had a bad winter for tree happiness. They had some with dead needles in my order, but those trees still looked pretty healthy. I doubt I'll have any issue with mortality from it.

 

[wiscwhip]

We wrapped a 12 acre field yesterday with Itasca's plugs. The higher ground got white spruce, the rest got norways. I hope they do well this summer, because I can't do much with weeds until after a frost or two.

It amazes me how much you get for your money. The trees were really good sized and CHEAP!

View attachment 5180
View attachment 5181​

-John

What size are those, 4A? If they are 4A they are huge!

 

[Freeborn]

Keep in mind bigger is not always better. Those plugs have very little for roots so if you have drought or a winter with no snow (like this last year) plugs can die back or die completely if drought is severe.

In my area where I have sandy soil and it is more arid I would prefer short and healthy 4A plugs.

 

[wiscwhip]

Good point Freeborn! That makes perfect sense in a situation like yours(we were in a similar boat as you), but I can see it being beneficial in certain instances as well. I can't really say those plugs in the pics are not "healthy", they may be more "spindly" than a shorter plant, but in the right circumstances that isn't as big of an issue. If you were planting those into a wetter area where moisture was not going to be an issue, those taller plants would be of great help in overcoming competition from taller grasses like RC or even NWSG. The grasses would also help to support the trees, and would help to hold snow and insulate them to some extent. I wish I could have gotten my hands on some like that when I helped my buddy plant the bedding areas on the "islands" in his RC swamp.

 

[Bill]

How tall are those things and what kind of weeds?

Grass or broadleaf? You can kill grass and not hurt the pines.

 

[John-W-WI]

Keep in mind bigger is not always better. Those plugs have very little for roots so if you have drought or a winter with no snow (like this last year) plugs can die back or die completely if drought is severe.

In my area where I have sandy soil and it is more arid I would prefer short and healthy 4A plugs.

Good point. I hope we get timely rains and their extra height help compete with weeds. I guess mother nature will decide :)

How tall are those things and what kind of weeds?

Grass or broadleaf? You can kill grass and not hurt the pines.

I didn't measure them, but I would guess the Norways were pushing 20" tall and the white spruce were 12-15" tall.

Every kind of weed imaginable. All of the ground was turned over multiple times this spring, so no established grasses. But in 60 days or so there will be LOTS of stuff growing around them.

My plan is to hit them with Princep this fall after a couple of frosts. That should get them ready for a good year of growth next year for sure. This season will just be a "get roots and stay alive" season :)

We also slammed as many cuttings as possible in-between them. Just because I had them and I thought it would give the deer something to munch on. We planted about 600 plugs, and approximately 2000 cuttings.

-John

 

[NWWI]

Keep in mind bigger is not always better. Those plugs have very little for roots so if you have drought or a winter with no snow (like this last year) plugs can die back or die completely if drought is severe.

In my area where I have sandy soil and it is more arid I would prefer short and healthy 4A plugs.

I agree I bought some Norways and Black Spruce last year. The Norways were shorter and I didn't like it first. After planting both, the taller Black Spruce were top heavy and harder to plant and keep up right. After a couple heavy snows last winter, in the spring I had a good number of them fall down from the weight of the snow. The smaller more stout Norways handled much better. That is just what I noticed. I had very good survival though.

 

[West Branch]

Last year I had 4a and 77 plugs that were both small and big. The biggest of both kinds seemed to have the most winter damage. But in the last few weeks the majority are putting out green buds and it keeps on raining so hopefully that does the trick.

I did two flats of 77 size balsam fir this spring and 75%+ were 20+ inches tall. I am hoping they have a head start over competitin and the larger soil plug helps them make it a bit better.

I have one of Jims planting tools and it works great!

 

[Jim Timber]

A little update on my Itasca black spruce:

The ones I've looked at all look like this. :)