Whitjr
Pine and conifer needles are very acidic. But as long as they are scattered through out your woods, you should be ok to plant. But I would not plant directly under pines or conifers except under white pines.
Years ago I read about seng growing well under White Pines. So 4 years ago I planted a bunch under the edge of a Large White pine. And I mulched them with the dead needles from under that tree. I might add that the bed is positioned so it gets the right amount of light. Those roots are doing very well.
In Scott Persons Ginseng book on pg. 98. \"Visual site assesment and grading crieria\"
It gives points for different types of woods. It grades on a scale of 0-10.
#1 sugar maples scores 10 points
#3 mixed hardwoods, beech, black cherry, red maple, white ash, red oak, basswood, scores 5 points.
#4 mixed hardwoods as above plus some hemlock and/or white pine scores 5 points
#7 all softwoods, pine hemlock, spruce fir scores 0
I skipped some of the catagories, but the point is that a Hardwood forest mixed with some Hemlock and/or White Pine is acceptable for planting
My woods are scattered with pines, conifers and hemlocks. I do not plant where there is alot of these. I concentrate my plantings where there is 75% maple and other hardwoods and just a few hemlock or pine trees. I have over 50,000(1-5 yr olds) planted in these woods. They have all done well.
classicfur
