Q.growing oaks from acorns
Mine is not a question but an observation and response to the instructions for growing oaks from acorns. I have grown several oaks from acorns including valley oaks, white oaks, and bur oaks. None of these have been difficult to grow. In fact, undesired “volunteer” oaks appear pretty much wherever the acorns fall. The only specifics that have truly mattered in propagating oaks are this: find plump, full acorns without splits or holes and the acorn meat should not move inside the shell. Plant the acorns on their side, only an inch below the surface of the dirt (and they don’t seem to overly picky, but we always grow them in our ordinary garden soil). Water infrequently. In fact, starting them in pots in the yard where normal rainfall occurs seems to work best, but they may need a little extra in the dry, hot summer months. One the acorns germinate and sprout (this may take months so be patient), the baby oaks can be transplanted, CAREFULLY, trying to avoid disturbing the roots. This is the number one killer for baby oaks; oaks do not like to have their roots disturbed! If possible, start the oak in the location you want the tree to grow so that it can set its tap root deep. This not only makes the tree resistant to falling down, but allows the tree to find the ground water it prefers. If this isn’t possible, transplant after the baby tree goes dormant in the winter. I always use B1 to soak any transplanted plant or tree to protect against shock. Once the tree is established, three or four years old, we no longer supplement with any water; the tree only gets natural rainfall. Oaks grow like weeds when they aren’t fussed over.
Thank your for your input.
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