Hybrid oaks.

[Wild Thing]

I have planted a fair amount of oak the last few years. My property has a good supply of native red oaks, especially young ones. I'm adding the accessories. 26 months ago I planted 30 size 25 burr oak plugs from Itasca greenhouse and tubed most of them. Also have a few schuttes, about dozen burr oak gamble, maybe 20 swamp white oak. My burr oaks planted 2 years ago are growing like crazy. 75% of them are right at the top of the tube. A few overachievers are already out and look really good. They have a weed mat, mulch, and fertilizer. They went through major drought last year with no watering. This year they are pissed off and taking revenge. I injected a little fertilizer into the soil about 3 weeks ago. They look very happy and healthy. Wanna cut the tube down 2 feet and slip a cage on a few of these.

Curious why you would want to cut the tubes down 2 feet when you cage them? Do you want your lowest branches only 2-3 feet above ground level? Also, the lower your tube, the more the small tree will be able to lean over to the side of the cage where the deer will be able to browse the top of the tree.

I used to remove the tree altogether when I caged my oaks but the spindly stems could not adequately support the top of the tree and they would lean over and rbt against the cage - damaging the top of the tree. In recent years I have started leaving the tubes on the trees even after I cage them to minimize this. I also want my lowest branches at least 4-6 feet above ground level.

 

[BuckSutherland]

My brother planted some burr oak on the property in 2014. Put them in 6 foot tubes. They have been extremely wobbly coming out of those tubes. The ones I cut back seem to be in better shape. My thought is exposing the tree to more wind will force it too root down better. Ive seen some scrawny trees come out of tubes. We really dont have many deer left in my part of the world.

 

[Wild Thing]

My brother planted some burr oak on the property in 2014. Put them in 6 foot tubes. They have been extremely wobbly coming out of those tubes. The ones I cut back seem to be in better shape. My thought is exposing the tree to more wind will force it too root down better. Ive seen some scrawny trees come out of tubes. We really dont have many deer left in my part of the world.


View attachment 44372

I really wish I would have purchased 5 or 6 foot tubes instead of 4’..

 

[Angus 1895]

I wonder if exposure to wind in the winter would help?

 

[b116757]

Nice

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Anyone have a line on a source for schuettes acorns or seedlings before they go on sale this fall?

 

[bwoods11]

Anyone have a line on a source for schuettes acorns or seedlings before they go on sale this fall?

Not sure about fall. But check Kelly Tree Farm in Iowa.

 

[b116757]

I think Native Nursery had them before

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Thanks, I see Great Plains nursery in NE carries them too.

Any issue with ordering from native nursery for zone 4a?

 

[Teeder]

My brother planted some burr oak on the property in 2014. Put them in 6 foot tubes. They have been extremely wobbly coming out of those tubes. The ones I cut back seem to be in better shape. My thought is exposing the tree to more wind will force it too root down better. Ive seen some scrawny trees come out of tubes. We really dont have many deer left in my part of the world.


View attachment 44372

I put 5' tubes around my oaks. When they get to about 1" in diameter, they are stiff enough to not need staked anymore. At that time I cut the tube down to about 4' and remove the stake. They can move in the wind, but still protected from rubbing bucks.
Here's a white oak that isn't quite ready and a couple that I removed the stakes from this year.

 

[Teeder]

Here's a schuette's shooting out of a 5' tube. Second year in the ground.

I made a mistake on this one. Now that the leaves have come out full, it's a chestnut oak! I don't remember planting it, but it must have been a nut from my one chestnut oak that produces.

 

[BuckSutherland]

This burr oak plug looked like this around July 4th. About 26 months old at the time.




Last weekend when I was up (6 weeks later) the central leader looks to have doubled in size, put out a little more height and turned DEEP green. I wish I could replicate this angry bastard every time. My trees will be going into the winter in fantastic shape. We had really nice rains last week. Northern MN is really pumping out the natural food this year.

 

[Teeder]

The more experience I get with burs and their hybrids, the more I like them. They are somewhat rare around here, so they weren't on my radar, but I wish I would have planted them years ago.

 

[b116757]

The bur oak around here have huge acorns and quite often still have the cap attached so somewhat questionable for deer usage but the hybrids would most likely be great. I do like the bur oaks trees shape and do plant a few bur oaks but mostly as yard trees. I have a strange stand of mostly mulberry trees maybe 1/2 acre in one of the crop fields. Last fall I direct seeded several bur oak and chinkapin acorns in amongst the mulberries hopefully to get some oaks in that area. I’ll gladly thin out some of the mulberry trees if some oaks take off it’s out in the middle of a 60 acre soybean field so I probably won’t be out there until after harvest.

 

[Duck Creek]

Schuette Oak planted 2016 or 17. Bareroot from Kelly tree farm. First year producing.

 

[Teeder]

Interesting. Your trees and the pictures on Kelly website show much deeper lobes than the ones I got from Nativ nursery. Must have more Bur in it? Love the variation in these hybrid oaks.
Please post an update when the acorns are filled out. Be interested in seeing how they end up.

 

[bwoods11]

Schuette Oak planted 2016 or 17. Bareroot from Kelly tree farm. First year producing. View attachment 45647View attachment 45648

I’ve got a few of those. Nice hybrid I’d highly recommend it !

 

[Teeder]

Interesting. Your trees and the pictures on Kelly website show much deeper lobes than the ones I got from Nativ nursery. Must have more Bur in it? Love the variation in these hybrid oaks.
Please post an update when the acorns are filled out. Be interested in seeing how they end up.

This is what the leaves look like on mine.

 

[BuckSutherland]

I’ve got a few of those. Nice hybrid I’d highly recommend it !

I bought a few from Nativ nursery about 3-4 years back. I might be a bit far north for them. The tops died back significantly after winter number 1. They have since restarted growing. Be interesting to see if they develop into something for me. Only have 2 left.

 

[bwoods11]

The Kelly Tree Farm source for Swamp Bur Oaks seems to be a good one . They survive in my zone (West Central MN) … I’m going to add some 3 -4 footers in Iowa.