Another advantage of containerized seedlings is that they can be produced faster than bare-root seedlings. Studies and experiments have proven that containerized seedlings have more uniform growth and generally have very few culls. Growing conditions are highly controlled, and each container holds the same amount of soil, which allows for equal growing space. With these factors controlled, the opportunity for uniform growth is greatly increased, however, this does not mean that these seedlings will produce bigger and better trees. Disadvantages of Containerized Seedlings.
Containerized seedlings are more expensive and require more attention than bare-root seedlings.
The reason for this cost difference is that containerized seedlings require more labor in the growing process. Bulkiness is also a problem with containerized seedlings. Therefore, handling, transportation, and planting processes must be invented to accommodate this disadvantage. Also, site preparation may become more intensive with the use of containerized seedlings due to the fact that they have smaller shoots than bare-root seedlings. As long as containerized seedling production continues to improve, foresters will have an alternative means of regenerating sites that cannot be reforested by natural regeneration, direct seeding, or bare-root planting.