Activity | Prior to planting year | Summer (Dec-Feb) | Autumn (March-May) | Winter (June-Aug) | Spring (Sept-Nov) | Following years |
| Planning | Develop a long term planning approach for your farm forestry work. | Decide on the site and suitable species. Get advice. | | | | Start to plan silviculture work and future stand management for all practices. |
| Land Use Compliance | Check with both District and Regional Councils if there are rules that may affect your operation. | | | | | |
| Fencing and irrigation (if needed) | Book fencing contractor. Order fencing and irrigation materials. | Fenceline preparation e.g. bulldozing. Construct fence and install irrigation. | Construct fence and install irrigation. | If already planted and if dry, start irrigation. | If already planted and if dry, start irrigation. | Maintain fences. |
| Ordering trees | | Order trees from the nursery as early as possible. | Order trees from the nursery as early as possible. | | | |
| Spraying | It is important that one or two years prior to planting, implement spray programme for woody weeds such as gorse, blackberry and broom, particularly if they have been heavily grazed and are therefore difficult to kill. | Follow up spray programme may be required for targeted weeds. | If your site is not grazed pasture, or is pasture with excessive weed problems like thistles, pre-plant spray roughly 6 weeks prior to planting, using either blanket spray or spot spraying methods. If you are planting indigenous seedlings in late autumn, pre-plant spray in early autumn. | If your site is not grazed pasture, or is pasture with excessive weed problems like thistles, pre-plant spray roughly 6 weeks prior to planting, using either blanket spray or spot spraying methods. If you are planting indigenous seedlings in late autumn, pre-plant spray in early autumn. | If you applied a pre-plant spray, particularly Glyphosate, on a pasture site, then another release spray is needed in October or early November to knock the pasture down again. Begin hand weeding if not using a spray. | Maintain spray programme on woody weeds until they are suppressed by tree canopy. (However, the best method is to prepare the site thoroughly so that less follow-up work is required.) |
| | | | | Follow up with post-plant spraying if none occurred previously. Time spraying so it occurs at least 2 to 6 weeks after planting. Be careful not to be too late or you can lose sight of your plants. Carefully match chemicals and tree species. | Follow up with post-plant spraying if none occurred previously. Time spraying so it occurs at least 2 to 6 weeks after planting. Be careful not to be too late or you can lose sight of your plants. Carefully match chemicals and tree species. | |
| Grazing | | | If the site is in pasture and you intend to post-plant spray, livestock can graze up until planting occurs - this is also dependent on the suitability of the site to hard grazing. If you intend to pre-plant spray, the pasture needs to be ungrazed for a short period. | If the site is in pasture and you intend to post-plant spray, livestock can graze up until planting occurs - this is also dependent on the suitability of the site to hard grazing. If you intend to pre-plant spray, the pasture needs to be ungrazed for a short period. | Ensure no stock grazing occurs - especially while trees are small. | Ensure no stock grazing occurs - especially while trees are small. |
| Planting | | | If you live in an area with a consistent dry spring, plant barerooted trees in late May or early June. Container grown plants can be planted later in the season. | Planting season for most areas. If your autumn and early winter has been dry, causing low moisture levels, delay planting until the end of August, depending on soil moisture levels. In extreme cases don't plant at all. | | In the following summer (February - March), do a survival count and plan for blanking that winter to replace lost trees. |
| Pest Management | Eradicate any animal pests, eg. possums, rabbits, goats, deer and hares. | Monitor the reappearance of any animal and invasive plant pests. Bait stations can keep possums at manageable levels. Hares require immediate attention. Goats respect electricity - if it is going properly. | Monitor the reappearance of any animal and invasive plant pests. Bait stations can keep possums at manageable levels. Hares require immediate attention. Goats respect electricity - if it is going properly. | Monitor the reappearance of any animal and invasive plant pests. Bait stations can keep possums at manageable levels. Hares require immediate attention. Goats respect electricity - if it is going properly. | Monitor the reappearance of any animal and invasive plant pests. Bait stations can keep possums at manageable levels. Hares require immediate attention. Goats respect electricity - if it is going properly. | Monitor the reappearance of any animal and invasive plant pests. Bait stations can keep possums at manageable levels. Hares require immediate attention. Goats respect electricity - if it is going properly. |
| General tasks | | Manage fire risk if necessary. Greatest risk occurs where public have access - roads, rivers. Long dry grass burns easily | | | Re-ram poplar/willow poles now if you have soils that dry out, and/or you have had strong wind. | If drought conditions occur, spray grass around poles to help with their survival, irrigate if possible. |