Field growing seedlings: any tips?

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I'm renting a field for about a dollar per year. It's maybe 2x3 meters in surface area.
It's being watered and fertlized, kept free of debris en weeds for free.
The two and only rules I have to abide to are: no sprays, no herbicides and no presticides. And to water the plot when the owners are on vacation.

I put a couple of cedar and JRP seedlings in the ground there. I'm planning on planting some more seedlings.

But I'm just wondering, is field growing a 'set and forget' kind of thing or is there more to it?
With me being a general Nopatience Norbert, I'm planning on doing seasonal cleanups and pruning and all that. There aint no nature controlling my nature.

If anyone could spare a few tips, hints or tricks, I'd be happy to take them!

 

[Anthony]

Eventual height, shape and first branch.
Also trunk thickness.
Good Luck
Anthony

 

[River's Edge]

I'm renting a field for about a dollar per year. It's maybe 2x3 meters in surface area.
It's being watered and fertlized, kept free of debris en weeds for free.
The two and only rules I have to abide to are: no sprays, no herbicides and no presticides. And to water the plot when the owners are on vacation.

I put a couple of cedar and JRP seedlings in the ground there. I'm planning on planting some more seedlings.

But I'm just wondering, is field growing a 'set and forget' kind of thing or is there more to it?
With me being a general Nopatience Norbert, I'm planning on doing seasonal cleanups and pruning and all that. There aint no nature controlling my nature.

If anyone could spare a few tips, hints or tricks, I'd be happy to take them!

First tip, space considerations, how long do you plan on keeping the seedlings in the ground? In a plot that size i would put six to nine seedlings to grow out for four to five years allowing space for appropriate pruning, wiring to take place. They grow quickly with proper care! Here is what 51 month pines can look like in size.
The first picture shows two JRP height over four feet and spread of 18 inches. ( this with some pruning) The second shows JBP same age, average height over 44 inches and spread of 20 inches. For reference the wooden grow boxes are 13 1/2 inches , the black anderson flats are 17 inches. They were grown in grow beds and colandars not in the ground. It is generally reported that in the ground planting produces faster results for growth.

 

[BonsaiFurLife]

I wouldnt say set and forget. You need to moniter pests and disease. Caterpillars and moles are a problem for me with pines. Caterpillars can be hosed off with jet setting on hose. May come back tho. not much you can do for moles. If i see a tunnel around a tree i just walk on it. Also voles will use mole tunnels and eat roots. Moles just eat bugs tho. But for a young seedling, a mole could easily kill by unearthing roots.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

There aren't any moles in this plot, it's too close to the train tracks, so that's a plus.
But hosing is going to be difficult: there's an oldschool groundwater pump (manual) and a bucket for water.
I'm just a poor guy trying to go with whatever I have, flats or containers of other sorts aren't in my budget. And I'm scared that someone would just decide to take them (it has happened annually in the past in these plots). Taproot removal is in the budget, so I'm thinking about chopping those off after the first year, before the spring of year 2. Then just let them rip until I find them suitable enough to dig up.

As for space, I intend to have an X shaped planting position; at the intersection of the X and the tips will be seedlings, so 5 per square. That's far from optimal, but I kind of want them to have a little harder time than they would in a well designed setting. They'll need to develop character through struggle, at least, in my opinion.

Thanks for the tips guys! It's helping me being a jackass and find my own way while ignoring some very good pieces of advise.

 

[jeanluc83]

Ground growing is for the most part set it and forget it but not completely. Roots will need to be worked every couple of years and you need to be sure that the low branches are not shaded out.

If I were you I would go with deciduous trees. You will find them much more forgiving in that you regrow branches once the trunk is established.