Comparing Planting Tools for Container Longleaf Pine
Abstract
We examined if compressing the soil to make a planting hole with a custom-built, solid round dibble versus coring the soil with a commercially available tube dibble influenced container-grown longleaf pine seedling development differently. Seven teen months after planting, the planting tool did not significantly affect root collar diameter, shoot or root mass, root-to-shoot ratio, or root system length. Seedlings planted with the solid round dibble, however, had significantly greater numbers of first-order lateral roots and better root system architecture. The light soil texture on the study site was likely an influencing factor in the relative performance between the two planting tools.