Growing Oaks from Acorns

[GraceNmercy]

Oh I understand using space when planting. I just potted up several large Ozark chinquapins in a big 65 gallon pot, and planted a few maples and wild blueberries in between them until they're ready to be planted out in the fall.

I planted 20 trees in in-ground net pots this year and every single pot had a seedling come up. They are designed to constrict roots and only allow thin feeder roots out of the bag, containing most of the root system for better transplanting. I’ve got 7 sawtooth oaks, 5 chinkapin oaks, 1 chestnut from the grocery store that somehow sprouted, 1 burr oak, and 6 post oaks.

I had 3 of the bags left over, and I planted a few acorns I collected at the US military cemetery in Normandy this past fall. I am absolutely stoked that all 3 germinated. Those will be really cool to have around.

Don’t mind the lettuce... I decided to utilize the space between the trees while the seedlings were still small.


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[AgHntr10]

Gonna give it a shot this year got about two quart bags full we water tested and just put into the bags damp and in the fridge. What’s my next step?

[IkemanTX]

Well, i was going to collect and direct seed a bunch if acorns this year, but blew out my ankle… next year!


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[Mountaineer]

Gonna give it a shot this year got about two quart bags full we water tested and just put into the bags damp and in the fridge. What’s my next step?

Next step is put them in pots in the early spring and transplant in the ground next fall/winter. You should have most of them starting to send out a root after several months in the fridge.

Not sure what oak species you have there but if they’re in the white oak family you could also direct bury them this winter. I’ve had luck both ways. I have ~400 big bur oak and ~50 chestnut oak acorns in the fridge the kids and I collected. I plan to direct bury most of them unless they decide to pot them and try to sell oak seedlings this summer.


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[Boone44]

White Oaks

In 2006 I picked up some acorns and brought them home to plant. I had an empty chicken coop that I had raised chickens in for about 2 years prior. I planted 8 acorns. Within the first year each tree was 5-6 foot tall and about 1/2" to 3/4" at the base. The only branches, leaves were at the very top. I left one in the coop, added chickens back, transplanted the others around my 10 acres. By the end of the 4th year the one tree I left in the chicken coop was 15 foot tall, branched out really well, 4" at the base and produced a large amount of white oak acorns. The others I transplanted grew at an expected rate, not much. The difference in growth rate was extraordinary.

[AgHntr10]

Next step is put them in pots in the early spring and transplant in the ground next fall/winter. You should have most of them starting to send out a root after several months in the fridge.

Not sure what oak species you have there but if they’re in the white oak family you could also direct bury them this winter. I’ve had luck both ways. I have ~400 big bur oak and ~50 chestnut oak acorns in the fridge the kids and I collected. I plan to direct bury most of them unless they decide to pot them and try to sell oak seedlings this summer.


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Do you seal the bags up completely or let them get air? Wet paper towels for moisture? The first set is a live oak and second is a water oak.

[Mountaineer]

Do you seal the bags up completely or let them get air? Wet paper towels for moisture? The first set is a live oak and second is a water oak.

I just put as many acorns as will fit in a big ziplock with some garden soil and a little water and close it. Not an exact science. I checked the bags today and several of the chestnut oak acorns were already sending out roots in the bag.


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[IkemanTX]

In 2006 I picked up some acorns and brought them home to plant. I had an empty chicken coop that I had raised chickens in for about 2 years prior. I planted 8 acorns. Within the first year each tree was 5-6 foot tall and about 1/2" to 3/4" at the base. The only branches, leaves were at the very top. I left one in the coop, added chickens back, transplanted the others around my 10 acres. By the end of the 4th year the one tree I left in the chicken coop was 15 foot tall, branched out really well, 4" at the base and produced a large amount of white oak acorns. The others I transplanted grew at an expected rate, not much. The difference in growth rate was extraordinary.

Thats stinking awesome…. I might have to raid some chicken coops for nutrient rich soil amendments!


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[hog_down]

Really like this thread, thanks to all for sharing valuable information.

Here is what I have in my fridge currently in 2 tupperware containers, soil, and covered by a wet paper towel.

As far as planting trees in the Hill Country, I have been told that you should put them in the ground between Thanksgiving and New Years, and let them get established before the heat of the summer. Water water water, especially in the first 2 years, it is crucial! Also, I tried tree tubes from Plantra, and did not have much success with them; one guy said the trunk of the tree needed to 'breathe' and with the tubes didn't allow it. I also fought grasshoppers eating the leaves on my trees.

Let's keep this thread going.

[BCL]

I use grow tubes with holes in them. They have worked well so far.
My biggest problem is grasshoppers, none of my fruit trees have produced in 2 years because grasshoppers eat all the leaves and buds before they can produce fruit
I’ve tried everything I can think of and goggle and nurseries have told me but nothing has worked so far.
Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated

[Yak blue]

I use grow tubes with holes in them. They have worked well so far.
My biggest problem is grasshoppers, none of my fruit trees have produced in 2 years because grasshoppers eat all the leaves and buds before they can produce fruit
I’ve tried everything I can think of and goggle and nurseries have told me but nothing has worked so far.
Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated

Thing that you can spray to kill hoppers dead is tempo sc ultra.
It’s expensive. Should be able to get at most farm/ranch/feed stores. Messes with their nervous system and kills within minutes of them inhaling it. My understanding is the main ingredient is similar to the marigold flower, which bugs avoid.
You don’t necessarily have to spray the leaves. If I’m going to eat fruit from fruit trees, I spray tempo on the trunks of the bigger trees, and any vegetation that the big hoppers land on closeby, such as tall Johnson grass. Sprayed a foot diameter pecan tree base once. Grasshoppers will generally fly and land on the trunk then walk up the branches to the leaves to feed. The next week there was hundreds of dead yellow ones at the base of the tree.

[BCL]

Thanks I’ll have to try that