Planting Hickory nuts

   / Planting Hickory nuts #1  

rekees4300

Elite Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2010
Messages
4,590
Location
Indiana
Tractor
JD4300
Any advice and/or experience planting Hickory nuts would be appreciated thank you.
 
   / Planting Hickory nuts #2  
Hire a squirrel! :laughing:

But seriously, folks... isn't there some sort of method called stratification where you have to bury them for a period of time?
 
   / Planting Hickory nuts #3  
•Remove the husks from the hickory nuts and soak the nuts in water for a few days. Change the water twice a day to ensure proper oxygen levels.

•3
Plant the nuts outside in the area you want the trees. Hickory trees prefer full sun and well-drained soil. Place two or three nuts in two separate areas of your yard, at least 24 feet apart, if you want to be assured of nuts. Plant the nuts about 3 inches deep in the fall.



Read more: How to Plant Hickory Nuts | eHow.com How to Plant Hickory Nuts | eHow.com
 
   / Planting Hickory nuts #4  
Been planting a lot of oaks and pecans. Pecans are the same family as Hickory. The instuctions I found on the internet have worked well for me. Gather or buy stratified seed. If you gather your seed put them in water and throw away the floaters. (Floaters are no good.) Store the nuts in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator (about 40 degrees) though the winter for stratification. I have had the red oak sprout while still in the fridge. Not a problem but must be handled more carefully. Plant as soon in the spring as you can. No deeper than 2-3 inches.

Kansas Forestry also furnishes bare root seedlings that I have had some success with. Check your state forestry for seedlings and helpful info.

Problems I have encountered; Squirells and other rodents finding the seed and eating it. Not preparing the locations well and the seedling fighting other vegetation for survival. Deer eating the tender sprouts. marking flags disappearing and mowing off the seedlings.

Thing I would recommend but haven't done. Use weed barrier fabric around the seedlings. Consider the tubes for protection.

I am 68 yrs. old and expect to sit under these trees when I am around 150 yrs old.
 
   / Planting Hickory nuts #5  
I've had white oak acorns sprout in late winter or early spring where they had fallen in the fall. None of them lived because it was in the play area for the kids. They are made to grow laying on top of the ground. One sprout goes into the ground to become the root system and another goes up to become the limbs. The ground was bare of leaves and slightly sandy. We had plenty of rain last winter for them to get started.
 
   / Planting Hickory nuts #7  
Hey there jbooth, we are the same age. Mind if I join you in the shade of those trees? :)...
 
   / Planting Hickory nuts #8  
Hey there jbooth, we are the same age. Mind if I join you in the shade of those trees? :)...

You bet! I'll furnish the lawn chairs. We'll talk about how we used to do it , if we can remember.
 
   / Planting Hickory nuts #9  
You can always put them in tree tubes once you have them sprouting.
the bluex are the cheapest, but the tubex will last.
get the 5' size if have deer. The tubes also protect against rodents, which cause a lot of crep/reforestation projects to fail.
 
   / Planting Hickory nuts #10  
scarification. not stratification.

I try to kill as many hickory trees as I can on my place. low value tree for the most part except to smoke pork and even then i prefer cherry or apple or maple. Its ok firewood but not great however it smells wonderful outside when i burn hickory.
 
 
Top