Direct planting acorns

[4wanderingeyes]

Years ago when I had bow hunted on the ground, I would kneel and if I saw acorns on the ground, I would push them into the ground. I havent noticed any new oak trees in this area, but to be fair I havent purposly looked for them either. But over the years of hunting this spot, I probably shoved a thousand acorns into the ground.

 

[GoldenTriangleIL]

I gathered white oak acorns from a tree that seems to be a heavy producer and float tested the acorns. I planted the "good" acorns by placing 5-6 acorns in the ground and then placing a tree tube over them. I did this last fall and the plan is to cull all but one tree, assuming some germinate. The ones I planted before using the tube were being predated, likely by squirrels. As an aside, I threw the acorns that failed the float test out into my yard, I'm guessing 90% of them germinated and started sending tap roots down. Of course then I had to gather those up and plant in containers (couldn't help myself.)

 

[Angus 1895]

Here are some Minnesota white oaks a Minnesota red maple and an Idaho red oak. The last image are some potted store bought firs and pin oak and blue spruce red oak and persimmon

 

[b116757]

A little off topic but not much. Does anyone have access to the swamp white oak trees that grow on their northern most range around central Minnesota. I’d love to find a seed source that far north for some some property I have in Wisconsin.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

A little off topic but not much. Does anyone have access to the swamp white oak trees that grow on their northern most range around central Minnesota. I’d love to find a seed source that far north for some some property I have in Wisconsin.

Of all the SWCD tree sale order forms I looked at this year i only recall seeing them as an option in Meeker county. I think I've got a few on my property in kanabec county but i didn't get a real close look at em last fall to confirm.

 

[b116757]

Of all the SWCD tree sale order forms I looked at this year i only recall seeing them as an option in Meeker county. I think I've got a few on my property in kanabec county but i didn't get a real close look at em last fall to confirm.

I’d be interested in getting some acorns from you next fall

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I’d be interested in getting some acorns from you next fall

The couple I saw were pretty immature so don't get your hopes up to high. I'll keep ya in mind though!

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I've had good luck planting acorns right after collecting them in the fall. Oaks like full sun, so I would concentrate on areas with little/no competition. It might be difficult to get oaks to grow until you wipe out the millions of buckthorn seeds in the seed bank since those tiny buckthorn seedlings will grow thick and fast as soon as you remove the parent buckthorn trees.

I'm clearing out a few large buckthorn areas and it is a multi-year process. The first year I cut and spray all of the buckthorns and the next year or two are spent trying to kill off all the young buckthorn seedlings that sprout.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I've had good luck planting acorns right after collecting them in the fall. Oaks like full sun, so I would concentrate on areas with little/no competition. It might be difficult to get oaks to grow until you wipe out the millions of buckthorn seeds in the seed bank since those tiny buckthorn seedlings will grow thick and fast as soon as you remove the parent buckthorn trees.

I'm clearing out a few large buckthorn areas and it is a multi-year process. The first year I cut and spray all of the buckthorns and the next year or two are spent trying to kill off all the young buckthorn seedlings that sprout.

I am expecting a solid 6+ years of continued buckthorn war and frequent maint battles against "insurgents" afterwards but still need to get a few trees started along the road and property boundaries. That brings a good point that i would probably need to utility flag the acorn locations if I do direct plant to make sure any survivors aren't wiped out during buckthorn assaults.

 

[andersont@maccray.k12.mn.]

I have a similar question to the original post. I saw Bill Winke used this approach on youtube, where he disked an area then broadcasted acorns and disked again. My question is, I have a large number of sawtooth acorns that I want to try his method with. Am I better to do this now (September in Minnesota) or wait until the Spring. Will they still germinate this fall and die over winter? Or will keeping them in a garbage bag over winter not allow them germinate come Spring when I broadcast and disc them in. Thanks for any responses

 

[Catscratch]

I

I have a similar question to the original post. I saw Bill Winke used this approach on youtube, where he disked an area then broadcasted acorns and disked again. My question is, I have a large number of sawtooth acorns that I want to try his method with. Am I better to do this now (September in Minnesota) or wait until the Spring. Will they still germinate this fall and die over winter? Or will keeping them in a garbage bag over winter not allow them germinate come Spring when I broadcast and disc them in. Thanks for any responses

Believe sawtooth need cold stratification. They aren't exactly like our White vs Red oak categories (Asian). I personally keep them in the crisper until it's time to start them. Some will throw a radical around Feb. The more time they are outside the more likely they will be found by predators.

 

[yoderjac]

I have a similar question to the original post. I saw Bill Winke used this approach on youtube, where he disked an area then broadcasted acorns and disked again. My question is, I have a large number of sawtooth acorns that I want to try his method with. Am I better to do this now (September in Minnesota) or wait until the Spring. Will they still germinate this fall and die over winter? Or will keeping them in a garbage bag over winter not allow them germinate come Spring when I broadcast and disc them in. Thanks for any responses

As Cat says, they are like our White Oaks and require cold stratification, but their is no reason to try to cold stratify them yourself. Nature does a better job. The only reason I know of to cold stratify nuts yourself is so that you can start them under lights indoors with root pruning containers in the winter and give them a jump on the growing season. For direct seeding like you describe, you will be better off doing it now and letting nature cold stratify them.

One note on Sawtooth. They are a great addition from a feeding deer perspective. They produce more reliably and at a younger age. For hunting attraction, I found some issues. The ones I planted produced lots of nuts that fell in early September before other trees and were gone before our October archery season. I understand that there are different strains of sawtooth oaks and that some strains hold nuts into November. Just make sure the nuts you have will drop when you need them to.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[nwmn]

Just replicate nature. Broadcast this fall and you should be fine.

 

[TreeDaddy]

As Cat says, they are like our White Oaks and require cold stratification, but their is no reason to try to cold stratify them yourself. Nature does a better job. The only reason I know of to cold stratify nuts yourself is so that you can start them under lights indoors with root pruning containers in the winter and give them a jump on the growing season. For direct seeding like you describe, you will be better off doing it now and letting nature cold stratify them.

One note on Sawtooth. They are a great addition from a feeding deer perspective. They produce more reliably and at a younger age. For hunting attraction, I found some issues. The ones I planted produced lots of nuts that fell in early September before other trees and were gone before our October archery season. I understand that there are different strains of sawtooth oaks and that some strains hold nuts into November. Just make sure the nuts you have will drop when you need them to.

Thanks,

Jack

White oaks do not require stratification for germination

In fact, I have photos of live oak acorns sprouting radicles while still on the tree

bill

 

[b116757]

Bill is correct our native red oak require cold stratification our whites oaks do not. If I was going to try the disc method I would likely do it in the fall you will lose more acorns to predation with that method but if you where to wait until spring many of the acorns would likely have the radical exposed and the disc would damage the radicals. I would mix in many native oak acorns into a disc planting not just sawtooth they have a rather short lifespan and about the time the sawtooth are in decline the natives would be coming into production. Sawtooth oaks need full sun for high acorn production in a disc planting they could be clustered together you would get a more natural looking stand of trees but acorn production would suffer they are not a timber production tree at all so planting them in a more orchard style with plenty of space between them is probably a better choice. My preferred method of planting acorns is glyphosate treat a 3’ square area in late fall or early winter in the locations I want the trees then in spring I plug the acorns into the center of the sprayed area you could even drop two acorns into each hole doubling your germination your chances you can always pull the weaker seedling later if they both grow. Then early to mid summer weed mat, stake and tube any that took off. I think native oaks would be a better choice for a disc planting at least they have high timber values latter down the road when grown like that. Another option would be plow and disc the area then manually place the acorns at whatever spacing you choose in your prepared seed bed for maximum sun exposure.

 

[Catscratch]

As Cat says, they are like our White Oaks and require cold stratification, but their is no reason to try to cold stratify them yourself. Nature does a better job. The only reason I know of to cold stratify nuts yourself is so that you can start them under lights indoors with root pruning containers in the winter and give them a jump on the growing season. For direct seeding like you describe, you will be better off doing it now and letting nature cold stratify them.

One note on Sawtooth. They are a great addition from a feeding deer perspective. They produce more reliably and at a younger age. For hunting attraction, I found some issues. The ones I planted produced lots of nuts that fell in early September before other trees and were gone before our October archery season. I understand that there are different strains of sawtooth oaks and that some strains hold nuts into November. Just make sure the nuts you have will drop when you need them to.

Thanks,

Jack

I never said White oaks need stratification. And there is a second reason so to do it yourself; that is to protect the nuts from an additional 6 months of predation from every vole, mouse, rat, rabbit, squirrel, coon, and deer in the countryside. It can be done both ways but percentages go way down one way vs the other.

b116757 states some great info above!

 

[yoderjac]

Yes, I misstated it, it is the red oaks that require cold stratification (in general). Not the first time I said something backwards.

 

[b116757]

Yes, I misstated it, it is the red oaks that require cold stratification (in general). Not the first time I said something backwards.

You and me both brother

 

[Teeder]

One comment about sawtooth being a short lived tree. I planted a few about 18-19 years ago. Not only are they still producing heavily, but I have 2nd and 3rd generation trees producing. I didn't plant any of these. The squirrels did it for me.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I have a similar question to the original post. I saw Bill Winke used this approach on youtube, where he disked an area then broadcasted acorns and disked again. My question is, I have a large number of sawtooth acorns that I want to try his method with. Am I better to do this now (September in Minnesota) or wait until the Spring. Will they still germinate this fall and die over winter? Or will keeping them in a garbage bag over winter not allow them germinate come Spring when I broadcast and disc them in. Thanks for any responses

I was under the impression that sawtooth oaks are not hardy enough for MN temps. Have you found different info?