If ground preparation and planting are carried out properly, the plantation should establish with minimum maintenance. However, continuous checking of the afforestation site is essential, especially during the establishment phase (years one to four). It is no coincidence that the Forest Service pays out the final 25% of afforestation grant aid at year four when the plants are well established.

Plants can fail for a number of reasons, even when planting and ground preparation have been carried out properly. A prolonged dry period after establishment can result in plant failures while damage can be caused by frost, trespassing stock and other mammals, insect pests and diseases, nutrient deficiency and competing vegetation.

Vegetation control

Competing vegetation can cause major damage but it is within the control of the owner or forester acting for the owner. Ireland may have the fastest forest growth rates in northern Europe but these are accompanied by fastest growth rates of competing vegetation.

If mounding and/or pre-planting spraying with a suitable herbicide is carried out, fast-growing plants may establish without further weed control.

Cutting competing vegetation around the plant is acceptable and cost-effective, especially in small plantations. However, while cutting vegetation removes the tree’s competition for light, it doesn’t remove competition for nutrients, so application of herbicides is the preferred treatment.

Select spot spraying with glyphosate or other suitable herbicide may be carried out before vegetation grows too high. Use a cowl or guard to prevent herbicide drift on to plant foliage.

Health and safety standards need to be observed and spraying should never be carried out during windy weather.

Nutrients

Fertilisers should be applied prior to planting if required to stimulate early tree growth and quick establishment. Phosphorus is the most common fertiliser at crop establishment and should be applied between April and August to maximise uptake as well as minimising environmental damage.

Subsequent applications are usually not necessary on sites now approved for afforestation grant aid. However, on less fertile sites, trees may need a second application if showing signs of poor growth or discoloration. Soil and foliage analysis may need to be carried out in exceptional cases where it is difficult to identify the nutrient deficiency.

Crop protection

While it is impossible to legislate for disease damage, crop protection is usually no more basic than ensuring firelines and fences are maintained.

Firelines need to be kept vegetation free where plantations are located in fire risk areas.

To prevent damage by stock and other mammals, fences need to be continuously inspected and repaired where necessary.

Filling in

Where more than 10% of trees are damaged, they should be replaced as early as possible. This operation, known as “filling in” or “beating up” should be carried out within two to three years after planting using large nursery plants. It is important to replace damaged or dead trees before surrounding healthy trees grow too high. Regardless of who carries out the establishment and maintenance work, the forest owner should continuously inspect the planting site. This advice applies regardless of the plantation age but problems unresolved during the establishment phase will multiply as the crop grows older when access becomes more difficult.

Walking through a plantation will tell the owner about stocking levels and plantation health, which will ultimately decide the future profitability of the crop.