Shelter Spot Seeding Trials with Jack Pine, Black Spruce and White Spruce in Northern Ontario

Seeding trials were established on four different sites in northern Ontario (46°41′N to 49°19′N) in 1979 and 1980. Jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) was seeded on two medium sand sites, black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) on a sandy clay site, and white spruce (P. glauca [Moench] Voss) on a clay site. Conventional bare spot seeding was compared with spot seeding under Finnish-designed plastic shelters. At least two seeding dates were compared in each trial. Third- and fifth-year stocking and fifth-year height data are presented.Stocking of all three species was increased, regardless of sowing date, when shelters were used. With the exception of June-sown black spruce and one June sowing of jack pine, height growth was not significantly improved through the use of seed shelters. Shelters may prove to be a viable regeneration option only on cooler, exposed sites with little vegetative competition. Key words: Shelter spot seeding, bare spot seeding, Pinus banksiana Lamb., Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P., P. glauca [Moench] Voss.