The Container Tree Nursery Manual

Volume One Container Nursery Planning, Development, and Management

Volume Two Containers and Growing Media

Volume Three Container Nursery Environment

Volume Four Seedling Nutrition and Irrigation

Volume Five The Biological Component: Nursery Pests and Mycorrhizae

Volume Six Seedling Propagation

Volume Seven Seedling Processing, Storage, and Outplanting

Landis, T.D.; Tinus, R.W.; McDonald, S.E.; Barnett, J.P. 1989. 

Seedling Nutrition and Irrigation, Vol. 4, The Container Tree 

Nursery Manual. Agric. Handbk. 674. Washington, DC: U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 119 p.

ii
iii

The Container Tree Nursery Manual

Volume Four

Seedling Nutrition and Irrigation

Thomas D. Landis

Chapter 1 - Mineral Nutrients and Fertilization1

4.1.1 Essential Mineral Nutrients 4

4.1.2 Mineral Nutrients and Seedling

Growth 7

4.1.3 Physical and Chemical Factors Affecting

Nutrient Availability 14

4.1.4 Characteristics of Fertilizers Used in

Container Tree Seedling Nurseries 17

4.1.5 Determining Fertilizer Needs 22

4.1.6 Methods of Fertilizing Container

Seedlings 26

4.1.7 Formulation of Liquid Fertilizer

Solutions 35

4.1.8 Applying and Scheduling Liquid Fertilizer

Solutions 50

4.1.9 Monitoring Container Seedling

Nutrition 53

4.1.10 Effects of Heavy Fertilizer Use in

Container Tree Seedling Nurseries 60

4.1.11 Conclusions and Recommendations 63

4.1.12 References 64

Chapter 2 - Irrigation and Water Management 71

4.2.1 The Importance of Water in Seedling

Culture 71

4.2.2 The Water Status of Container Tree

Seedlings 72

4.2.3 Factors Affecting Water Availability in

Containers 81

4.2.4 Quantity and Quality of Irrigation

Water 83

4.2.5 Types of Irrigation Systems 95

4.2.6 Monitoring Water in Containers Determining When to Irrigate 105

4.2.7 Irrigation as a Cultural Treatment

Determining How Much to Irrigate 110

4.2.8 The Problems of Irrigation Wastewater

Disposal 113

4.2.9 Conclusions and Recommendations 115

4.2.10 References 116

Index of Common and Scientific Names 119
Volume One Container Nursery Planning, Development, 

and Management 

Chapter 1 Initial Planning and Feasibility Assessment 

Chapter 2 Site Selection 

Chapter 3 Nursery Layout and Growing Facilities 

Chapter 4 Nonstructural Equipment and Controls 

Chapter 5 Auxiliary Equipment and Buildings 

Chapter 6 Shadehouses, Bedhouses, and Tunnels 

Chapter 7 Nursery Management 

Chapter 8 Troubleshooting Container Nursery 

Problems

Volume Two Containers and Growing Media 

Chapter 1 Containers: Types and Functions 

Chapter 2 Growing Media

Volume Three Container Nursery Environment 

Chapter 1 Temperature 

Chapter 2 Humidity 

Chapter 3 Light 

Chapter 4 Carbon Dioxide

Volume Four Seedling Nutrition and Irrigation 

Chapter 1 Mineral Nutrients and Fertilization 

Chapter 2 Irrigation and Water Management

Volume Five Biological Influences: Nursery Pests and 

Mycorrhizae 

Chapter 1 Disease and Pest Management 

Chapter 2 Mycorrhizae

Volume Six Seedling Propagation 

Chapter 1 Stock Types and Growing Schedules 

Chapter 2 Seed Factors and Presowing Treatments 

Chapter 3 Sowing and Other Propagation Methods 

Chapter 4 Establishment Phase 

Chapter 5 Rapid Growth Phase 

Chapter 6 Hardening Phase

Volume Seven Seedling Processing, Storage, and 

Outplanting 

Chapter 1 Processing and Storage 

Chapter 2 Handling and Transportation 

Chapter 3 Outplanting

Preface

Work on the first comprehensive technical manual on the 

production of container tree seedlings, "How to grow tree seedlings 

in containers in greenhouses" by Richard W Tinus and Stephen E. 

McDonald, was begun in June 1975 and was published by the 

USDA Forest Service as a General Technical Report (GTR 

RM-60) in May 1979. This manual achieved worldwide acceptance 

as the primary reference on the culture of container tree seedlings. 

"How to grow tree seedlings in containers in greenhouses" was 

originally intended as an interim publication and has been 

reprinted several times; however, it is currently out of print.

In 1982, plans were begun for writing a new container nursery 

manual based on "How to grow tree seedlings in containers in 

greenhouses" but adding several new chapters. The writing team 

consisted of Thomas D. Landis, Richard W Tinus, Stephen E. 

McDonald, and James P Barnett. Realizing that container nursery 

management had changed considerably over the previous 

decade, the team surveyed container tree seedling nursery 

practices in North America in 1984. The Container Nursery Survey 

was distributed to 135 container nursery facilities in the United 

States and Canada. Response to the survey was excellent: 78 of 

135 surveys were returned. Information from the survey has been 

used to determine writing priorities and emphasis, and informa tion 

from it has been included in many of the chapters in this manual.

The Container Tree Nursery Manual consists of a series of 

separate, sequential volumes. Each volume contains chapters on 

closely related subjects concerning the production of tree 

seedlings in containers. The volumes can be accumulated and 

used as a complete nursery manual, or can be used separately by 

specialists needing information on a particular subject. Because 

several subjects must be discussed in more than one volume there 

will be some redundancy in the Manual. Such repetition is justified, 

however, because most readers will be using the Manual as a 

technical reference and will not be reading the entire text.

The Container Tree Nursery Manual is structured around an 

outline of numerical organizational headings that allow the reader 

to quickly locate a specific subject without referring to an index. 

The general outline of volume and chapter titles is as follows:

IV
v

Chapter 1 Mineral Nutrients and Fertilization

Mr. R. Glenn Matthews, British Columbia Ministry of Forests, 

Victoria, BC

Mr. Rex Eng, Red Rock Nursery, Prince George, BC

Mr. R. D. Hallett, Canadian Forestry Service, Maritime Forest 

Research Centre, Fredericton, NB

Chapter 2 Irrigation and Water Management

Mr. Joseph Myers, Coeur d'Alene Nursery, Coeur 

d'Alene, ID

Dr. Steven Grossnickle, Forest Biotechnology Centre, BC 

Research, Vancouver, BC

Mr. Tony Willingdon, Surrey Nursery, Surrey, BC

Dr. Mary L. Duryea, School of Forest Resources and 

Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

This Manual is based on the best current knowledge on container 

tree nursery management and should be used as a general 

reference. Recommendations were made using the best 

information available at the time and are, therefore, subject to 

revision as more knowledge becomes available. Much of the 

information in this manual was developed for western and 

southern conifer seedlings. Although the authors attempted to 

include information for species from other geographical areas, because of the wide variation in individual species responses, 

container nursery managers will need to adapt these principles 

and procedures to their own nursery situation. There is no 

substitute for individual experience, and recommended cultural

practices should be tested before being implemented on an 

operational scale.

Trade names are used throughout the Manual but are only 

provided as examples and no endorsement of specific products, or 

the exclusion of equally suitable products, is implied. The mention 

of specific pesticides is intended only for general information and 

should not be construed as an endorsement. Because of frequent 

changes in pesticide registration and labeling, the reader should 

check with local authorities to make sure that an intended use is 

both safe and legal. Remember that pesticides can be harmful to 

humans, domestic animals, desirable plants, and fish or other 

wildlife if they are not handled or applied properly. Use all 

pesticides selectively and carefully, following the label directions. 

Follow recommended practices for the disposal of surplus 

pesticides and pesticide containers.

The Container Tree Nursery Manual was organized into separate 

volumes to allow for revisions and updating. The authors request 

that readers bring any errors in the text to their attention and also 

offer suggestions for improvement. Submit any suggestions to 

Thomas D. Landis, USDA Forest Service, State and Private 

Forestry, PO Box 3623, Portland, OR 97208.

Many people have been instrumental in the writing of this 

manual, and the authors would like to thank them for their 

suggestions and encouragement. Technical review of such a 

large publication involves considerable work, and the authors are 

extremely grateful for the invaluable service provided by the 

following nursery professionals for Volume Four: