Basal bark applications are most effective below what number of stems/acre?

Basal bark applications are a targeted method used in vegetation management, particularly effective for controlling woody plants. The efficacy of this application technique significantly depends on the density of the stems in the area. When there are fewer stems per acre, the herbicide can more effectively penetrate the bark and reach the cambium layer, which is crucial for killing the plant.

In this context, having a lower number of stems per acre, specifically below 1500, ensures that the herbicide can adequately cover and affect each individual plant. When densities exceed this threshold, the competition among the stems increases, and the herbicide may struggle to adequately reach all plants, resulting in a lower success rate for the treatment. This makes 1500 stems per acre the optimal threshold for achieving effective control using basal bark applications.