DCOs and Hazelnuts

[yoderjac]

I decided to try growing Dwarf Chinquapin Oaks and Hazelnuts from nuts this year. They were very difficult to germinate, but those that did germinate have taken off pretty well. Here is a picture of most of them taken today:

 

[H20fwler]

I have four 2' tall hazelnuts heeled into the garden along with a half dozen Chinese chestnuts that I picked up in March at TSC, they were around 10" when I bought them. Mine have grown well this summer with my only set back being a rabbit cutting one in half but it survived and I fenced them all. I will be transplanting them to some CRP ground in early spring, I also ordered 25 4' hazelnut from Cold Stream Farm out of MI for next spring.
Hopefully they will thrive and can help hold the turkeys on my property.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Man I hope you have better luck with the hazelnuts from Coldstream. Mine were really poor stock, actually everything I ordered from Coldstream in the past was nothing to get excited about.

Jack did you have a hard time getting DCOs to germinate? I have always had really good luck with germination on the them. I put mine in the fridge in September and plant in March.

 

[yoderjac]

Yes. I tried vernalizing my DCOs in the fridge over the winter in 32s and then transplanted them into 18s. I transplanted them all into 1 gal RB2s when I took them outside this spring. I'm now in the process of transplanting the larger ones to 3 gal RB2s. My germination rates were low compared to chestnuts and a few of those that germinated didn't make it. However the ones that made it really took off. I've never grown them before but folks who have told me that mine are doing well in terms of size. Evidently they are a fairly slow growing tree. My approach was to maximize growth in one season rather than maximizing germination rates. I'm sure that I would have had better germination with a longer cold period.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Turkey Creek]

I know a lot of guys and even studies I have read say the longer you hold acorns from the white oak family in cold storage the lower the germination rate, I cant say that I have found that to be the case with DCOs and my storage process for them. Yes they are slow growers. I have never had one get over @9" tall the first year. I usually get two flushes of growth in a growing season if I seed them in the ground. A number of them will never get more than 3-4 leaves that first year.

 

[yoderjac]

I'll have to measure mine but I'm sure my larger ones are already over 9" and we still have over a month and a half of growing season. But given that I started them indoors, I guess that makes sense. Because they are such slow growers, I'm considering keeping them at home in containers for a second growing season. So fall all of the root balls have been at an acceptable level of development for transplant to the next size container but they were clearly on the early side verses the late side.

I get what you are saying about cold storage and white oaks. Unlike chestnuts that need cold stratification, I think white oaks are more vernalized than stratified. They are ready to germinate in the fall when ripe but then go through a period of cold and damp after they have germinated during the winter and top growth starts in the spring. I tried to simulate that. I planted mine in 32s and then put the entire tray in a very large ziplock bag and stuck it in the fridge. I've just finished bringing the history over from QDMA: http://habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/dwarf-chinkapin-oaks-select-posts-from-a-qdma-thread.5602/
Thanks,

Jack

 

[H20fwler]

Man I hope you have better luck with the hazelnuts from Coldstream. Mine were really poor stock, actually everything I ordered from Coldstream in the past was nothing to get excited about.

I originally chose them because they are a northern nursery, with my location I try and go with trees from northern states.
I planted 100 18" scotch pine, 50 18" Norway spruce, 25 3' blue spruce and 25 3' white pine this past spring from Cold Stream. I was very pleased with the look of the trees the root structure they had and how they took off, I watered them in at planting and have done zero for them since because of location. With the dry summer in my area I have lost about a dozen of the scotch pine so far, the Norway spruce are holding their own and the white pine and blue spruce have candled up and are looking good.
I think going with bigger trees is the answer for me so I pre ordered a bunch of 4'-5' white pine, hemlock and norways from them for early next spring. I hope they do well..where are you buying your conifers from?

 

[Turkey Creek]

I originally chose them because they are a northern nursery, with my location I try and go with trees from northern states.
I planted 100 18" scotch pine, 50 18" Norway spruce, 25 3' blue spruce and 25 3' white pine this past spring from Cold Stream. I was very pleased with the look of the trees the root structure they had and how they took off, I watered them in at planting and have done zero for them since because of location. With the dry summer in my area I have lost about a dozen of the scotch pine so far, the Norway spruce are holding their own and the white pine and blue spruce have candled up and are looking good.
I think going with bigger trees is the answer for me so I pre ordered a bunch of 4'-5' white pine, hemlock and norways from them for early next spring. I hope they do well..where are you buying your conifers from?

I havent bought any conifers to speak of. I bought Hazlenuts twice and Persimmons once from Coldstream and those items I was not impressed with. 100% loss on the persimmons and 90% on the hazelnuts.

 

[H20fwler]

Where did you end up getting hazelnuts&persimmons that have worked for you? I'm completely open to any better source, I just want to get them growing on my places. I preordered 4'-5' persimmons and hazelnuts for next spring from Cold Stream hoping that bigger size will make a difference, I will be able to keep water to them on the farm I'm planting them on. What size did you get from them?

 

[Turkey Creek]

I ordered a smaller size, its been a couple of years. I would say they were in the 18" range. I have good luck with Missouri Dept of Conservation trees. I cant speak to persimmons, but I would be a little suspect of Hazelnuts that size. Hazlenuts are a bush not a tree. A 4-5' tall hazelnut bush would need a very large root system something that I found Coldstream trees to be very lacking.

 

[chickenlittle]

I have had good luck with MDC persimmon and hazelnuts in central PA. With a weed mat and 4 ft tube, the hazelnuts have been popping out of the tubes in year 2. They have gotten some supplemental water in a few dry times. The hazelnuts came with bigger roots than I expected, digging holes vs a planting bar.

The persimmons have done ok with little care. I tubed some but some without got browsed by deer or rabbits.

 

[yoderjac]

I measured my DCO started under lights last winter when I was watering today. The tallest is 23". I'm not sure height is the best measure, but it looks like while hard to germinate indoors, you definitely get accelerated growth doing it this way.

Thanks,

jack

 

[yoderjac]

I reorganized my seedlings today and grouped the DCOs and Hazelnuts so I could take pictures of each group:

DCOs

Note, there are still a few in 1 gal RB2s on the left, but most have been transplanted to 3 gals.

Hazelnuts.

There are still a couple in 1 gals as well but most are not in 2 gals.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[yoderjac]

Updated picture of DCOs:

And Hazelnuts:

Thanks,

Jack

 

[TreeDaddy]

great work,Jack

i am 6 months into rookie season growing chestnuts with techniques i learned from you and wayne and matt patterson


~110 in i gal RBIIs doing well

I have 4 trays of DCOs in 18s in an air conditioned utility room that i plan to refrigerate in a few weeks after radicles emerge

thank you for your help

bill

 

[yoderjac]

Updated Picture Links