Two seedlings in the pot

[Angus 1895]

Hello I got a few pots where I planted two acorns and both have sprouted.

what’s the downside of letting them stay together?

is it better to split them up.

 

[b116757]

I usually cull the weaker of the two if the same acorn puts two up. Separate acorns you maybe could separate them into separate pots. Idk for sure maybe you can just wait and separate them when you put them in the ground or step to the next size pot whatever system your using.

 

[Teeder]

This is two English oaks that were in the pot together. This was the only time I did this and no idea why I did it that time.

 

[yoderjac]

The beauty of starting trees in a root pruning container system is that you can do 1 nut per container and then cull those trees that don't perform well. Some nuts will just produce weak trees. When you have two in the same container, they steal resources from each other and neither tree does as well as it would if potted along. For folks who direct seed, it is a common practice to put more than one nut in the hole that you tube and protect. With direct seeding, you don't know if the nut will germinate. You simply pinch off all but one after they start growing. When using the root pruning container system, you cold stratify (if needed for the particular species) and can germinate the nut before you plant them so you know the nut is germinated. If you have enough 18s to cover the number of nuts, you can just plant them in the 18s without germinating them first.

Imagine what that tree Teeder posted if all that wood was in a single tree!
Thanks,

Jack

 

[Teeder]

It would be more like these that were planted at the same time.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Funny. The singles look less impressive @Teeder

Regardless, I’m excited for the day that oaks I planted get that big! Must be a good feeling.

 

[Teeder]

Just a perspective thing with the pictures. The singles are much better trees.
It is a great feeling. I was real excited seeing a red oak tassle out for the first time this year. I wasn't sure how long they would take.

 

[yoderjac]

Funny. The singles look less impressive @Teeder

Regardless, I’m excited for the day that oaks I planted get that big! Must be a good feeling.

Also keep in mind that even small differences in location can make a difference in trees as well as the genetic potential of each individual tree. Both of the double planted trees did very well considering. Either of them would have been huge as a single!

 

[Wild Thing]

I ended up with 2 acorns in the same Rootmaker Cell this year. When they germinated I separated them and now have 2 nice single seedlings growing. Not interested in doubles of any kind of tree if I can avoid it.

 

[Angus 1895]

Thanks teeder!