Unfortunately it is still difficult to find enough information about the successful paulownia planting. This article's purpose is exactly to fill in that missing. We did our best to select the necessary information and facts and, with our own experience, to submit them in easy to use form.
In case that paulownia shall be planted for wood, we need high, straight stems during the first season of planting.
The basic, you need to know before starting:
Soil. The tree is not pretentious to the type of soil as long as it is permeable, not loam and able to drain freely. The thickness of the soil has to be 1.5 m at least. Stones, even big ones, are not a problem, as long as there is not a rock plate on a higher level under the tree. This might stop its growing.
nPaulownia does not tolerate acidic soils; рН must be 5,5 and higher.
Вода. Paulownia does not tolerate high underground waters. Тtheir level must be 1,5 м most. You have to provide adequate irrigation to the young plant.
Altitude. Paulownia grows well at about 800-900 м altitude. Cold in higher places is not a problem for Paulownia tomentosa and some of the cold resistant hybrids. You have to remember that the higher plant grows, the shorter the vegetation season will be and therefore the less growth. We have planted paulownia at 1200 м – it definitely grows more slowly there. You have to pay special attention to the fact, that soil is usually acidic where conifers grow.
Wind. During the first 2 or 3 years of its growth, windstorms may cause serious harm to the young paulownia. Тhey could lead as to refraction and underlay of the stemо, and so to tearing of the leaves – damages, which the tree overcomes but they, of course, slow its growth. Paulownia grows faster on wind-protected places.
OUR TIP: Do not water in windy weather!!! The moisture in the roots releases them and the plants underlay easier!!!
1. Site preparation.
After choosing the suitable terrain, it is good to prepare it by plowing up. In cases of using drill 60 сm in diameter and 60-100 сm in dept, it is permissible not to plow.
2. Planting plans
When planning plantation, take into account the size of the work equipment (tractors, mowers, tanks). The plan for the sapling planting depends on the purpose they are planted for. When planting paulownia for wood and the area is not very large,but you want to get the maximux from the terrain for higher return, the proper lan for you is 3х3 m or 4х3 m. This makes respectively aboutо 105 or 82 trees on decare. But if you use this plan, it is mandatory in the forth year to cut the trees in one as a chessboard, because when grow, they interfer each other. Another four years later half of the trees in your forest shall be 8-years old and the other half will be 4-years old (these, which were cut off, would regenerate). Then you cut the 8-years old trees and etc. Thus you harvest 8-years old trees in 4 years. Disadvantage of this plan is – when cutting the trees in one, you have to be careful not to break neighbouring trees, which slows their harvest
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Other popular planting plans are 4х4 m - 63 saplings per decare; 5х4 m - 50 saplings per decare or 5х5 m - 40 saplings per decare. Each of these plans require to cut all the tree between the 8th and the 10th year.
When planting for biomass in 2х0,5 m or 1х1 m, 1000 saplings are planted on decare.
3. Planting
The proper time for planting saplings is from November to the end of April. Paulownia seedlings must be planted from the end of April to the first days of August.
The next step is marking and digging holes with machine,equiped with drill 60 cm in diameter. The dept may reach 1 m. This does not mean that the seedling have to be placed at their bottoms. Half of the removed soil, mixed with fertilizer, returnsto the hole till its depth becomes 30-40 cm, and then the seedling is laid. Thus a pad of soft and rich of nutritions soil is provided which leads to fast grow of the young roots.
4. Water
The water is of big importance for the young trees planting in the first and the second year of their growth. Then the root system is already strongly developed and reaches aquifer. The easiest way to water the trees is through drip irrigation system. One young tree needs about 20 - 30 l of water, provided by 1 - 2 irrigations a week. If you use Terawet, the need of irrigations halves.
