Do potted oak trees shock in too much sunshine too fast?

[Angus 1895]

I had these potted trees over winter.

They started leafing out prior to putting them outside. Mid may.

They look like this now.

The other three trees, a persimmon and a poplar, and a chokecherry look fine.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Maybe the tap roots have hit bottom and are circling the pot?? Just a guess. Oaks put down a deep tap root. I've never grown them in pots, so - I may be off-base.

 

[Angus 1895]

I culled some of them. But the ones I culled a few had in my opinion robust viable roots. So I repotted them in smaller containers.

 

[OakSeeds]

I had these potted trees over winter.

They started leafing out prior to putting them outside. Mid may.

They look like this now.

The other three trees, a persimmon and a poplar, and a chokecherry look fine.

Most likely you are experiencing the effects of the iron law of hydro-dendrology ... any attempt at producing an oak tree by keeping it in a small container (especially above ground with heat from the sun or drying winds) will, sooner or later, suffer hydration problems (either too much or too little H2O ... let alone the issue of adequate/appropriate levels of nutrients). Good luck my friend ... if you insist on attempting to grow them, I'd put them in bigger containers.

 

[Teeder]

I try to get my seedlings in the ground by may-june. Like OakSeeds said, it's tough to keep proper moisture in pots, plus I generally expose them to sun too soon and burn the leaves. I do think you need deeper pots, too.

 

[Angus 1895]

How big of pots are desired?

I think they were in 3 to 4 gallons.

 

[Angus 1895]

By the time I’m back from my spring business trip it’s already late June.

I leave before the hard frosts are gone.

I will show you pictures of the ones started this year.

But the person taking care of them certainly may have underwater ped them.

It seems they are best turned out earlier.

Due to my limited access to irrigation and labor in Aug, & September I plant in October.

The voles were so bad last fall I limited my planting.

 

[OakSeeds]

I posted the paragraph below on my thread about 6 yrs ago; if you want to see pictures of some seedlings in containers (seeds were planted in milk jugs that were placed in the ground with the top of the jug (with top cut out) level with the ground. See posts 208 / 213 on my thread to see photos and learn why direct seeding is my preference for growing oak trees.


I try to direct seed white oak acorns and chestnuts whenever possible; the benefits of a solid tap root and more natural development of the tree far outweigh - I believe - trying to grow them above ground in any sort of container. I do grow a few container-type oak and chestnut trees by planting a 1-gal container IN THE GROUND - with holes cut in the bottom to allow development of a tap root, and planting (in a direct seeding fashion) an acorn or chestnut in the jug. I rarely have any watering issues with trees germinated in this fashion and when transplanting one of these container-type trees, I attempt to get as much tap root as possible. In regard to your question above, the attached quote explains why I would never remove the nut in any sort of above ground growing circumstance. The nut should ALWAYS be protected until the tree is in - at least - it's second growing season. The reserves in the acorn sustain early growth and development of the tree. Good luck my friend.

 

[Angus 1895]

These were what they looked like when they left the garage.

The smaller new starts were put outside earlier and have fared much better. But the were in 54 ounce cups, inside big plastic coolers.

 

[RGrizzzz]

They look like they dried out to me. What kind of potting soil and amendments/fertilizer are you using? I've have better luck with tall/narrow pots for oak seedlings.

 

[Teeder]

They look like they dried out to me. What kind of potting soil and amendments/fertilizer are you using? I've have better luck with tall/narrow pots for oak seedlings.

Me too.

Here's one with 14" of root in 4 months.

Actually, it's a chestnut.

 

[Angus 1895]

They look like they dried out to me. What kind of potting soil and amendments/fertilizer are you using? I've have better luck with tall/narrow pots for oak seedlings.

I agree . Since I got home and been watering them, some have started growing again slowly. I use cheap compost and potting soil, and pearlite with 50 % native soil.

The person who has been caring for them while I am away I suspect runs them dry.

It seems I have much better luck growing white oaks versus reds.

Next year if I overwinter potted oaks I’m going to keep them colder so they bud out as if they were outside. Instead of in my heated garage area.

 

[bigboreblr]

Put some mulch ontop of the pots. Put some boards on the side to shade the pots from the sun. Apple trees really appreciate it.

Perhaps start them in the permanent homes with a good caging system. I mix my soil with crushed rock. Voles are not that eager to dig in that sharp mess. I put about 12 inch radius of stone around my tree cages, then use wood mulch w/o a weed mat around that. Stone get a weedmat and I mix sharp stone in the soil underneath. Dont ammend too much and make it too loose.