How cold is too cold

[Angus 1895]

How cold does it need to be before damage is done to oak seedlings?

Thanks

 

[rocksnstumps]

Need a bit more info around your question. Are you talking about ones recently leafed out or maybe just planted but not breaking bud yet? Oak variety also plays into the equation. Generally white and red oaks are very cold hardy before bud break.

Now a southern variety like a live oak or willow oak or ones like sawtooth probably not so much

 

[b116757]

What verity of oak?

 

[Wild Thing]

I had some young oaks take a hit from some frost last year in late May - early-June. They drooped down but began recovering a few weeks later. I hope to see them fully recovered this year.

 

[Angus 1895]

I got started oaks, scarlet,sawtooth,swo, and a few filberts and about 25 dunstan chestunt.

the chestnuts mostly appears to have dampening disease. There are also a dozen bare root trees. Maples oak and pear.

the big pots in the phot of the horse panels are not being taken in at night, I just been covering them with horse blankets. They are unerupted oaks, chestnuts and the chestnuts with dampened disease.

the smaller pots and bare root trees I been bringing in if it’s gonna get below 30 degrees. Just wondering how frost tolerant are seedlings?

 

[yoderjac]

I got started oaks, scarlet,sawtooth,swo, and a few filberts and about 25 dunstan chestunt.

the chestnuts mostly appears to have dampening disease. There are also a dozen bare root trees. Maples oak and pear.

the big pots in the phot of the horse panels are not being taken in at night, I just been covering them with horse blankets. They are unerupted oaks, chestnuts and the chestnuts with dampened disease.

the smaller pots and bare root trees I been bringing in if it’s gonna get below 30 degrees. Just wondering how frost tolerant are seedlings?

Presuming the trees you are using are well within the proper zone and if you started them outdoors, not in a greenhouse, they should be fine. Trees generally adapt their development as weather changes. Unusual unseasonal weather events can certainly impact trees but generally don't kill them.

If these are the trees you started indoors under lights, all bets are off. When we do that we trick the trees to thinking it is later in the season than it actually is. When we start them indoors under artificial light, we need to slowly acclimate them to the outdoors. Both sun and temperature fluctuations can kill seedlings. When starting trees indoors, I focus on night time lows. I don't want to see a frost. I prefer to see the lows at 35 degrees or higher for the foreseeable future before I begin to take my trees outdoors. It slows them down a bit, but I do it because I don't want the hassle of taking them in and out multiple times. I have enough work moving them from shade to sun in a way that avoids sun scald.

If you are covering them at night (which is a lot of work) you might consider an oil filled heater or even a 100 watt light bulb.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Angus 1895]

These trees were started in a heated garage. But lately I haven’t been keeping it that warm. I live in zone 5A at 5000 feet of elevation. The outside trees are just starting to produce leaves.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I am no expert on seedlings, but if the trees were still dormant, or just starting to bud, I don’t think you have any worries at all. I would say they should be able to handle lower 20’s for a few hours, even if they were leafed out.

 

[Angus 1895]

Thanks

I am getting weary of hauling them in and out!