The results are summarized and briefly discussed below. Once again, the statistically significant growth responses indicated that Aqua-Soil could revolutionize tree establishment practices

•  5 g Aqua-Soil (Forest) in 200 ml, 300 ml, 400 ml and 500 ml water;
• 10 g Aqua-Soil (Forest) in 300 ml water. 
•  3 g Aqua-Soil (Horticulture) in 200 ml and 400 ml water.

For Pinus patula, each of the above-mentioned eight treatments was replicated six times.

For Eucalyptus the 5 g Aqua-Soil (Forest) in 500 ml water was omitted and the other seven treatments could only be replicated four times because of the limited number of available plants. The design was a complete randomised block.

The potted plants were placed in the Department of Forest Science nursery. All plants were irrigated daily with the same quantity of water, which varied between days because of differences in daily temperatures. Weeds were removed regularly by hand. No additional fertilizer was applied.

Shoot length was measured immediately after planting and again on 16 January 2002, i.e. 100 days after planting, when the trial was terminated. Representative plants of treatments were photographed. Roots of all plants were gently washed free of soil. For each plant the oven dry (80°C) mass of the roots that grew out of the original root plug, i.e. the root growth during the final period, as well as that of the shoot, were determined.

Shoot and root growth data were subjected to analyses of variance and the least significant differences (LSD) between treatment means were calculated.

The results are summarized in the following table, and also expressed as a percentage of the control, which was taken as 100% for every comparison.

Mean differences between Aqua-Soil treated plants did not differ significantly.

For the Eucalyptus clone, mean height increments of all Aqua-Soil treatments were very highly significantly (at the 99.9% level) better than that of the control. Mean shoot biomass of all Aqua-Soil treatments were significantly (at the 99% level) more that that of the control.

 The mean height of plants treated with 10 g Aqua-Soil (Forest) was significantly (at the 95% level) bigger that the mean heights of all 5 g Aqua-Soil (Forest) and 3 g Aqua-Soil (Horticulture) in 200 ml water. Dry root growth biomass of plants treated with 10 g Aqua-Soil (Forest) was significantly more than that of all other Aqua-Soil treatments (at the 99% level).

Those treatments again were significantly more than that of the control, also at the 99% level.

The pots were too small to simulate the standard fertilization practice at time of planting, i.e. 100 to 200 g granular fertilizer applied 20 to 30 cm from the plant.

The application of 10 g Aqua-Soil, i.e. double the recommended dosage, did not have a detrimental effect on the plants.

Although initially there were no visible differences in response of plants to the 5 g and 10 g Aqua-Soil, the heavier application eventually resulted in greener Pinus patula foliage, and significantly more Eucalyptus shoot and root mass. This may be due to the additional nutrients or the additional super-absorbant of a combination of both. This should be determined in another trial. An Aqua-Soil treatment that stimulates transplant growth throughout the first growing season, and not only for the first few months, is preferable, as quicker canopy closure will occur. Consequently weeding costs should be reduced.