NEEDLE ICE AND SEEDLING ESTABLISHMENT IN SOUTHWESTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Abstract

In some years in southwestern British Columbia needle ice may occur frequently enough to cause serious damage to late seedings of sportsturf, lawns, and forage. Damage is particularly severe on muck soils of the Ladner series and sandy loams of the Alderwood series. When earlier seeding cannot be undertaken, it is shown that increasing seeding rates to secure dense stands may ameliorate the damage done by the needle ice. It is also shown that needle ice is a factor of considerable potential in the erosion of slopes, especially those which are lightly- or non-vegetated.