Oaks: Let's have a hard conversation
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Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
I didn't plant many Dunstans, but I have about 30 Chinese Chestnuts that are getting to be massive trees. They produce almost every year as well.
This year I have noticed a bunch of Overcups producing acorns for what I believe to be the first time. It's possible that some out in the planting have produced before without me knowing it, but this year it is for certain. It will be interesting to see if the deer in my area like them or not. To the best of my knowledge there aren't any overcups within many miles of me. Some people say they are not preferred but others say they are. Since they have a reputation for staying intact late into the season, it makes me think they will be eaten at some point in the winter even if they aren't eaten early.
Electrodigical
5 year old buck +
The idea of planting oak trees make me sad.
The first time I thought about it, I looked into it, found out how many years it would be before they produced mast, and decided there would be no point. Looking 20-30 years into the future? Forget it. Either I wouldn't be around, or the family property wouldn't be in the family anymore. I also didn't trust other family members not to cut them down. Really no point to it.
30+ years later I'm thinking "I really should have planted those oak trees." That depresses me. Not so much because there's no oak trees, but because so much time has passed.
Well the family still owns the family property. And I recently bought more property adjacent to it. Now I'm thinking about planting oak trees. Do I want to babysit some trees for the next 10-15 years? Knowing I will never realize any benefit from them, but leaving them more as sort of a legacy, perhaps generations from now someone will enjoy them and talk about a time when there were no oak trees. The realization of my ever shortening time, also depressing.
"But there are times... when suddenly you realize you're nearer the end than the beginning. And you wonder, you ask yourself, what the sum total of your life represents. What difference your being there at any time made to anything - or if it made any difference at all, really."
The first time I thought about it, I looked into it, found out how many years it would be before they produced mast, and decided there would be no point. Looking 20-30 years into the future? Forget it. Either I wouldn't be around, or the family property wouldn't be in the family anymore. I also didn't trust other family members not to cut them down. Really no point to it.
30+ years later I'm thinking "I really should have planted those oak trees." That depresses me. Not so much because there's no oak trees, but because so much time has passed.
Well the family still owns the family property. And I recently bought more property adjacent to it. Now I'm thinking about planting oak trees. Do I want to babysit some trees for the next 10-15 years? Knowing I will never realize any benefit from them, but leaving them more as sort of a legacy, perhaps generations from now someone will enjoy them and talk about a time when there were no oak trees. The realization of my ever shortening time, also depressing.
"But there are times... when suddenly you realize you're nearer the end than the beginning. And you wonder, you ask yourself, what the sum total of your life represents. What difference your being there at any time made to anything - or if it made any difference at all, really."
Hell yes plant the oak. I plant the oaks and fruit trees all the time and will continue even though I am not young. Few points.....
1. YOU will Not need to baby 15 years. Oaks are tough and want to live. What has worked for me is plant seedlings and put a tube on them and water the first year if drought conditions. Spray and kill around tube for the weed competition the first few years . Perhaps if major drought they may need a drink or two second year but after that long tap root should be able to survive.
2. Try to buy seedlings through your state seedling supply or check the states around you, most states offer tree seedlings at a good price
3. Plant oaks that you would like to add to the environment that may be missing
4. Let the world know that it represents something better than a weed. Take pics and post. Put labels on each tree. Put up a sign of particular patch of trees. Tell the world.
5. I Double Dog Dare you to plant a few oaks
1. YOU will Not need to baby 15 years. Oaks are tough and want to live. What has worked for me is plant seedlings and put a tube on them and water the first year if drought conditions. Spray and kill around tube for the weed competition the first few years . Perhaps if major drought they may need a drink or two second year but after that long tap root should be able to survive.
2. Try to buy seedlings through your state seedling supply or check the states around you, most states offer tree seedlings at a good price
3. Plant oaks that you would like to add to the environment that may be missing
4. Let the world know that it represents something better than a weed. Take pics and post. Put labels on each tree. Put up a sign of particular patch of trees. Tell the world.
5. I Double Dog Dare you to plant a few oaks
TreeDaddy
5 year old buck +
rocksnstumps
5 year old buck +
You're not going to jump protocol and go right to the triple dog dare? Come on, pile it on! Just keep your tongue off the flagpole...
BuckSutherland
5 year old buck +
I finally got up to my land last weekend for the first time since April. I have a respectable red oak acorn crop coming again this year from what I saw. Oaks that are above the surrounding canopy and getting good sun on 2-3 sides are pretty well loaded up. Some of the same trees that were loaded last year are loaded again this year. A few of them have been opened up with a chainsaw by me. That is very encouraging to see. I have a couple additional areas selected to cut down all the trees, except the native red oaks.
I took note that many of my younger, but bigger red oaks do not have many acorns if they are competing for sunlight. 30-40 foot trees hidden under 50+ foot aspen and maples did not have many acorns. I did not get a chance to look at a couple big monarchs that live on the property. They are kind of tucked into the far corners and I had limited time. Also quite difficult for me to physically look up at them.
I took note that many of my younger, but bigger red oaks do not have many acorns if they are competing for sunlight. 30-40 foot trees hidden under 50+ foot aspen and maples did not have many acorns. I did not get a chance to look at a couple big monarchs that live on the property. They are kind of tucked into the far corners and I had limited time. Also quite difficult for me to physically look up at them.
Good threads!!!
I grow every type of oak known to man. Hybrids, dwarf chinkapin, chinkapin, etc are the ones I start from seed in root makers. Chestnut, persimmon, dco, hybrid oaks, chinkapin & almost all fruiting trees are producing some by 3-4 & a lot by 8-9 years. It’s not that long.
The oaks I add to my farms have some do with hunting but I just love oaks & plant the types the farms may be missing. If it’s a burr farm, I plant white, swamp, red, etc. Whatever is missing- add it on ideal sites. If fast production is important - very doable. But if your farm is missing white oaks for example- u gotta plant em!!! :)
I grow every type of oak known to man. Hybrids, dwarf chinkapin, chinkapin, etc are the ones I start from seed in root makers. Chestnut, persimmon, dco, hybrid oaks, chinkapin & almost all fruiting trees are producing some by 3-4 & a lot by 8-9 years. It’s not that long.
The oaks I add to my farms have some do with hunting but I just love oaks & plant the types the farms may be missing. If it’s a burr farm, I plant white, swamp, red, etc. Whatever is missing- add it on ideal sites. If fast production is important - very doable. But if your farm is missing white oaks for example- u gotta plant em!!! :)
Im in s iowa & have farms in ks. My ks stuff is wild because its naturally filled with chinkapin, burr, red, white, post & stuff like persimmon, etc.
My iowa stuff is full of: white, burr, swamp white, red, black, shingle, etc. No chinkapin except what I plant.
Yes- im obsessed & thats putting it mildly ;)
BuckSutherland
5 year old buck +
Checked some of the local swamp white oaks that I have been keeping tabs on for a few year. Looks like a very respectable crop coming again, but its a bit early to tell. Acorn development of a swamp white oak always comes later than the local burr and red oaks. Thinking that these will be hitting the ground at a good pace starting around Oct 1. Someday some lucky hunter will be so happy that I planted about 50 of these beauties for them. So far....
BuckSutherland
5 year old buck +
Also been doing roofs/siding for 5 homeowners that have a burr oak savanna running through their back yards. They live next to a decent size lake/pond. Probably 175-200 big mature trees between them owners. There are a few "other" trees mixed in, but about 95% are oak. They have a decent looking crop coming. Hard to see way up into some of them. The neighbors all report a BIG buck already in there eating some of the acorns the squirrels are knocking down. They also have some low hanging fruit to chew on. Very pleasant area outside of town to work on.
Do plant oaks,they are the most majestic tree no matter what variety.There is not an oak on my property that we didn't plant or it grew from an acorn from a tree we planted.I planted thousand of seedlings and a few balled trees.I actually had acorns on bur oaks before sawtooth,a few at around 5-7 years.This year not seeing many acorns.I have a tree spade so I am moving a bunch next year.Anyone that want to come dig sawtooth seedlings they are welcome.On oaks I would plant less and tube than plant more and watch them die.I have pin,sawtooth,bur,swamp white and want to get some of these giant acorns I found and see what they are.
I have been scouting acorn production here in Western Kentucky and the red oaks seem to be loaded. Buckets could be filled from the Cherry Bark and Northern Red in my pasture. I have checked about 8 White oaks around the house and only one has decent acorns, I would say weak year around here for white oaks. I will keep looking
Angus 1895
5 year old buck +
I harvested some northern red acorns from Rogers Minnesota. They sprouted wonderfully, but I think my Idaho native soil proved too moisture retaining. They are now a motley crew. I will take pictures when I get home.
The crimson spire, the chestnut oak, and burr oak acorns you guys sent me froze or failed to sprout.
The burr/ English, Concordia, SWO, Hybrid Columnar, English, Garry and even some black oak s are doing much better.
I have on three year old burr English that should be five feet tall soon.
Thanks to Teeder for getting me started!
The crimson spire, the chestnut oak, and burr oak acorns you guys sent me froze or failed to sprout.
The burr/ English, Concordia, SWO, Hybrid Columnar, English, Garry and even some black oak s are doing much better.
I have on three year old burr English that should be five feet tall soon.
Thanks to Teeder for getting me started!
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Angus 1895
5 year old buck +
BuckSutherland
5 year old buck +
I stopped to check a local SWO today. I have been keeping a close eye on this tree the past 3 seasons. Produced a respectable crop for the 3rd year in a row. Looks like about 2-3% of its acorns are on the ground. Likely to drop most of its load by around Oct 10th and then the local critters will be looting it.
Stubborn1VT
Yearling... With promise
Interesting thread. I would absolutely cut an oak tree. That said, I don't have many on my little property. I have released a couple red oaks that produce ok. I'm starting to wonder if there is something wrong with my white oaks. I can't say I've ever seen one produce an acorn.
There were no oaks on the farm where I grew up, so I'm still learning to hunt around them. This year on a permission piece I put a camera under a swamp white oak and got 900 pictures in a week.
Bucks, does, bears, coons, squirrels, and turkeys. Unfortunately, they had the acorns cleaned up before our archery opener.
One year the squirrels buried red oak acorns in all my gardens and raised beds. I had dozens of little oaks the next year. I dug some, potted them, and watered them through the summer, then planted them at the family farm. That was 10-12 years ago and they're only 2-3 feet tall.
There were no oaks on the farm where I grew up, so I'm still learning to hunt around them. This year on a permission piece I put a camera under a swamp white oak and got 900 pictures in a week.
Bucks, does, bears, coons, squirrels, and turkeys. Unfortunately, they had the acorns cleaned up before our archery opener.
One year the squirrels buried red oak acorns in all my gardens and raised beds. I had dozens of little oaks the next year. I dug some, potted them, and watered them through the summer, then planted them at the family farm. That was 10-12 years ago and they're only 2-3 feet tall.
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