The Year of the Oaks

[Cool Hand Luke]

How about Chinkapin's Native? I got 50 bare roots for a deal from the county this year. They all seem very healthy, budding with small leaves at the moment. Can't wait to see what they do. The only oaks I have currently are massive Burr's that are probably pushing close to 150+ years old.

(EDIT) Went back and found your section on this. Thanks for all the information!

 

[Teeder]

I have 2 chinks that are about 10 years old. The bigger one has produced catkins the past 3 years, but has aborted the small acorns. I assume it's a pollination issue, but it's surrounded by producing English oaks and a chestnut oak. ???

 

[letemgrow]

I will also say that the growth rate and ruggedness of Sawtooth Oaks is remarkable. I planted some about a foot tall three or four years ago in a remote section of the farm. I put down a ground mat and caged them. The only time I see them is once a year in the spring after I do mowing. They get no watering or any other special treatment. This spring they are all still alive and some are around 7 feet tall.

Sawtooth seem to do better further south. I've watched some for several years up here in northern MO and have never seen the vast amount of mast produced here like you guys get in the south.

Anyone else confirm this observation?

 

[Teeder]

My sawtooth trees put tons out in northwestern PA. They're a great start to the hard mast season. I wouldn't be without a handful of them.

 

[KY wild]

My sawtooth trees put tons out in northwestern PA. They're a great start to the hard mast season. I wouldn't be without a handful of them.

How old when they really pot on the acorns?

 

[Teeder]

They started at about 7 years. 10-12 years and they are putting out alot. My 4 main trees are 22 years and they are putting out thousands.

 

[Teeder]

They started at about 7 years. 10-12 years and they are putting out alot. My 4 main trees are 22 years and they are putting out thousands.

Just a wee bit of catkins this year!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I planted 6 white oaks a few weeks ago along the north sides of our food plots, to avoid future shading of those plots as the oaks grow. The "seedlings" were about 3 ft. tall and had branches. Planted them far enough off the plots to avoid root damage from discs, etc., and robbing too many nutrients from those plots. If we hit them with 15-15-15 or 19-19-19 for a few years, they ought to bounce upward. All caged with 5' tall concrete re-mesh.
As someone said on the previous page - they won't grow if you don't plant 'em.

 

[Native Hunter]

I’ve never seen as many acorns in my life. This includes native trees and the ones I planted. The sawtooths caught my eye the other day. Limbs sagging from the load.

 

[Teeder]

Same here. Good year for acorns!
English, NRO, Blacks

 

[Bowsnbucks]

The big pin oak in our yard is loaded too. Squirrels & blue jays are camped out.

 

[bwoods11]

Bur, Red, SWO you name it… good year !

 

[Teeder]

The big pin oak in our yard is loaded too. Squirrels & blue jays are camped out.

I never paid much attention to Pin's, but I have one that's in the middle of the bean field on our hunting property. I was just walking around it this afternoon. Lots of acorns have already dropped, but not a single one on the ground, but lots of deer tracks all around. I had the idea that pins weren't a preferred acorn, but here it is in the beans and the deer are cleaning them up!

 

[The Fishman]

I’ve never seen as many acorns in my life. This includes native trees and the ones I planted. The sawtooths caught my eye the other day. Limbs sagging from the load.

All the sawtooths I have seen in Louisiana and Mississippi dropped their last acorns about a week ago. Your acorns look like they will not drop for another couple of weeks. I have about 10 mature trees scattered across my property and don't have plans to plant anymore. If they dropped in October or November, I might change my mind.

 

[Teeder]

My sawtooth started to drop this week. Just in time for our archery opener this weekend.

 

[Native Hunter]

All the sawtooths I have seen in Louisiana and Mississippi dropped their last acorns about a week ago. Your acorns look like they will not drop for another couple of weeks. I have about 10 mature trees scattered across my property and don't have plans to plant anymore. If they dropped in October or November, I might change my mind.

Yes, I only have one sawtooth that has dropped any so far, and it has only dropped a few. The rest are still holding tight. You are correct about when mine will drop. They will start about mid October and go well into November. The Overcups are still holding tight too. It will be interesting to see if the deer eat the Overcups like they did last year. This year there is an abundance of White Oak acorns, so the Overcups may not be eaten as well.

 

[TreeDaddy]

All the sawtooths I have seen in Louisiana and Mississippi dropped their last acorns about a week ago. Your acorns look like they will not drop for another couple of weeks. I have about 10 mature trees scattered across my property and don't have plans to plant anymore. If they dropped in October or November, I might change my mind.

Interesting observation

Same timeline in east texas

All sawtooth acorns dropped and gone!

bill

 

[OakSeeds]

Teeder ... road trip Tuesday to check out 2 trees one of my sources told me about ... 1st one is Quercus Robur aka English oak ... tree was loaded and not a single cap or acorn on the ground. Acorns exhibited all characteristics of EO ... elongated shape, faint lines running the length of acorn 2- 3 - inch stems, etc. Most of the EO's I have experience with have acorns at maturity that are somewhat yellowish in color before turning brown (like your last photo in post 90 above) or the photo 2 below from Morton Arboretum. The acorns on the tree I checked were still very green ... I wonder if that means they are not yet fully ripe. I grabbed a handful off a lower limb - photo 1 with the quarter; I am curious to see how long it will take for the tree to drop all the fruit. Most of the EO's I have seen in central IL usually have completed their drop by Oct. 10. You have indicated you have great EO's ... what is your experience with color and drop times? Thanks!

 

[Teeder]

Some of my trees still have completely green acorns. Others are turning yellow to brown.
Mine will drop into november. Usually about a full month of dropping.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I never paid much attention to Pin's, but I have one that's in the middle of the bean field on our hunting property. I was just walking around it this afternoon. Lots of acorns have already dropped, but not a single one on the ground, but lots of deer tracks all around. I had the idea that pins weren't a preferred acorn, but here it is in the beans and the deer are cleaning them up!

Our house is in a suburban development - not prime deer territory. Yet - last fall, I found deer droppings under our pin oak. I'm hoping the deer return to help clean up the acorn bounty this year too. Recently I found tracks of a very small deer under our Sugar Tyme crab apple too. Small woods patches around our area must be holding deer, and they've found our yard!!