An intensive insecticide spray program is an integral part of plantation work. Insects are more susceptible to control measures at specific times during their life cycles. To get the optimum benefit of spraying with minimum insect damage to the trees, monitor the life cycle. Many growers use pheromone or sex-lure traps to monitor peak insect activity. When peak activity occurs, growers must spray.
Soil moisture is critical the first year that seedlings are in the ground.
In South Central and West Texas, trickle irrigation systems are used on Afghan pine plantations. Always control competing vegetation. Weeds compete with trees for available soil moisture and shade lower branches, causing sparse foliage in the lower portion of marketable trees. To control weeds, use herbicides in the immediate vicinity of the trees, but use them very carefully according to label directions. Mow row middles, avoiding damage to lower tree branches.