Direct seeding black spruce on peatlands: fifth-year results

Black spruce seedspot and broadcast seeding experiments were completed on peatlands at four locations in northeastern Ontario. Poorly decomposed Sphagnum peat was the best seedbed for black spruce, with establishment ratios from 20 to 50 seedlings per 100 seeds sown. An effective seeding rate (actual seeding rate × receptive seedbed area fraction) of six or seven seeds per quadrat is required to obtain quadrat stocking of 80% or greater. Fifth-year seedling heights averaged from 8 to 17 cm. Black spruce advance growth is often an important source of regeneration on peatlands and must be considered in developing seeding prescriptions.