One man plug planting: how fast?

[SD51555]

Ground needs to be soft too. Is it SD?

I'll know Friday afternoon. Should be able to provide an update friday afternoon.

 

[bigeight]

we used a sled to haul around flats of plugs when we did 500+ a couple years ago. That worked good.

Last spring I did 990 4a Red cedar in about 8 hours by myself. The sled was worth it's weight in gold. Little kids purple sled. Pulls easy, and can hold 2 trays at a time really cuts down on the handling time.

If they are 4a plugs, you'll be able to do it WAY faster with the 4a planting tool (lite/wood handle) than a dibble bar or drill. Tried all 3, for me it wasn't even close.

The things that helped me out a bunch were that sled, soft ground (that didn't stick to the tool) and my spacing was really tight so I didn't have much time pacing between plugging. (Plus at 5' 6" I'm pretty much at planting level )

I was amazed this spring to see that 90+% survived and are doing good. Big fan of the plugs now !

 

[Rally1148]

Last spring I did 990 4a Red cedar in about 8 hours by myself. The sled was worth it's weight in gold. Little kids purple sled. Pulls easy, and can hold 2 trays at a time really cuts down on the handling time.

If they are 4a plugs, you'll be able to do it WAY faster with the 4a planting tool (lite/wood handle) than a dibble bar or drill. Tried all 3, for me it wasn't even close.

The things that helped me out a bunch were that sled, soft ground (that didn't stick to the tool) and my spacing was really tight so I didn't have much time pacing between plugging. (Plus at 5' 6" I'm pretty much at planting level )

I was amazed this spring to see that 90+% survived and are doing good. Big fan of the plugs now !

Only 990? What happened to the other 10?!? :)

 

[bigeight]

Only 990? What happened to the other 10?!? :)

Itasca flats are in flats of 198. Not sure why that is either? :confused:

 

[scott44]

After today I can tell you that with a plug tool I could do 600 in less than 8 hours...but my back would not appreciate it one bit. I planted 500+ today and then my back said..."that's enough dude". :eek:
I've got about 700-750 to plant yet...by the end of the day Saturday I'll be a hurting unit.

I only did 100 yesterday but my back can feel it today, I can only imagine 6X that many.

 

[sandbur]

After today I can tell you that with a plug tool I could do 600 in less than 8 hours...but my back would not appreciate it one bit. I planted 500+ today and then my back said..."that's enough dude". :eek:
I've got about 700-750 to plant yet...by the end of the day Saturday I'll be a hurting unit.

Are you hitting any frost down by the swamps?

 

[tooln]

Plugs aren't bad. Try doing that many bare root. :eek:

 

[SD51555]

It sounds like Marv is coming up, so we'll get the side projects done first then get busting on that pile of plugs. It'd be nice to be done early Saturday afternoon so we got some time to drink beer and shed hunt.

I bought a 1000 foot pink string to guide our planting through the forest as we connect the bedding to the two plots to the crossing on the gravel road.

I thought that was a damn good idea. 3 on each side.

 

[sandbur]

Yep. Frozen solid...and I mean solid

My willow cuttings will not be going in until May! Same for many of my spruce. I hope I can get some of the crab apple grafts in soon.

 

[sandbur]

^^^I'm close to giving up on willow and poplar cuttings. By the time I can get them planted I think the cuttings will have lost all of their stored energy. What's interesting to me is that the closer I get to the ditch/creek the harder the soil is frozen. Along the edges where the swamp meets the upland I can find spots that are frost free for at least 6-10 inches.

Same thing here. I wonder if some new willow cuttings would work better, even if they have broken dormancy.

 

[sandbur]

I remember doing 500 bareroot pines on my folks' old place in one day about 20-25 years ago...I was in a time crush and had to get them planted. My back paid for that day for about a week. If the soil there was like it is here, I couldn't have gotten it done. The sand there was easy for planting trees with a dibble

I did that exact same thing- 30 years ago!

 

[bueller]

500ish more planted today...about 250 left to do tomorrow. I'll get 'em done tomorrow and then give my fat, old body a chance to recover until the apple trees arrive next week.

Damn you are rockin!

 

[tooln]

Keep on Pluggin.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh - the rewards of a good day's work !!!;)

 

[bueller]

Got done planting today about 1...been beer o'clock since then :)

Nice timing. Looks like all those plugs are going to get a nice soaking tonight and then cooler weather for a week or so!

 

[SD51555]

We finished our spring work just in time to jump in the truck and go count deer around the neighborhood. I hurt like hell right now, and i'm taking 12 keystone lights to mitigate.

 

[Jim Timber]

285 day one for me. If my knees hold out I should get the other 435 in tomorrow.