Sometimes this is also amended with a pre-emergent herbicide to keep the weeds from germinating. Some nurseries place a wood chip mulch over the beds to keep the soil and seed from washing away. It also moderates soil temperatures. Seedlings are irrigated almost daily depending upon the rainfall. They are also treated with fungicides to control fusiform rust and fertilized to ensures proper seedling nutrition.
Seedlings are also top pruned to give a uniform seedling size and stem caliper.
After less than 8 months in the ground, seedlings are lifted for outplanting. Here are seedlings that are being removed from the ground and the soil shaken from the root systems. Seedlings are then packed for storage or sent to the field for planting. Once out of the nursery seedlings are subjected to all sorts of stresses. Proper planting is essential for seedling survival.