Caring for Trees on the Job Site – Tree Planting and Establishment
R.C. Beeson, Jr. and E.F. Gilman
Journal of Arboriculture 18(6). November 1992.
Abstract.

Three year-old slash pine seedlings were transplanted from 1-gallon plastic containers directly into the soil, in the soil within fabric containers, or into 15-gallon plastic containers. After 2 years in the nursery, trees grown by all three production methods were dug and re-transplanted to a new site. Eight weeks prior to transplanting, half the soil-grown trees were root pruned. Water potential was measured on needle fascicles on a diurnal basis at least monthly after transplanting. Based on comparisons of diurnal water potential curves with nontransplanted control trees, trees that were transplanted from field soil or from fabric containers were established after 27 weeks. Trees planted from plastic containers required 35 weeks to become established.