Planting Hickory nuts

[smstonypoint]

Hickory Seed Germination - The hickory tree nut is generally considered to exhibit embryo dormancy and needs stratification.

Thanks for clarifying that, Mr. Language Person.

I just Googled "scarification" to see what it meant. Check out the image at

Scarification - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Now that gal really, really, really, really loves math!!!!!

Steve

 

[smstonypoint]

Mr. Language Person,

Upon further research, here is another definition of scarification.

Scarification is a natural process important for germination of many species' seeds. This process involves the breaching of the natural seed coating by mechanical, thermal or microbial methods. While this process occurs naturally in the wild, humans have developed techniques to emulate the natural processes for some seeds used in cultivation.[1] In the case of chaparral plant communities, many species' seeds require fire scarification to achieve germination; an exception to that phenomenon is Western poison oak, whose thick seed coatings provide a time delayed effect for germination, but do not require fire scarification.[2]

Scarification (botany) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Please clarify this issue.

Steve

 

[HickoryNut]

Our state forestry commission sells hickory seedlings for $30 per 100 and they come from champion trees. I planted a hundred ten years ago. For about 3 dozen of them I drilled a hole 4' deep with the PHD and filled the holes half full of sunfish from a fishkill on a local lake. The rest that I planted in a slit made by a sharpshooter are about 3-4' feet tall now while the fertilized trees are all around 12-15'.

 

[jbooth]

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.

I am not worried about low money value of the trees I plant although I am certainly not opposed to making some coin. Most are planted to replace absolutely no value nusiance trees like honey locust and osage orange*. I am hopeful, that by planting a variety of trees, the deer, squirrel, turkeys and other wildlife will always have acorns/nuts to eat. There are a lot of natural Oaks and Black Walnuts that may or may not be high value trees. 10 yrs. ago some of my walnuts would have brought $1500, but now would be lucky to get $500. If a person had the ability to process the Hickory into marketable chips/sawdust for the smoking market, I believe there would be some money value to the hickory also.

*The osage orange is a fantastic stove wood but for every tree I cut for firewood, 2 grow back to replace them. The honey locust is also supposed to be good firewood, but the 4" thorns intimadate me.

 

[MossRoad]

Mr. Language Person,

Upon further research, here is another definition of scarification.

Scarification is a natural process important for germination of many species' seeds. This process involves the breaching of the natural seed coating by mechanical, thermal or microbial methods. While this process occurs naturally in the wild, humans have developed techniques to emulate the natural processes for some seeds used in cultivation.[1] In the case of chaparral plant communities, many species' seeds require fire scarification to achieve germination; an exception to that phenomenon is Western poison oak, whose thick seed coatings provide a time delayed effect for germination, but do not require fire scarification.[2]

Scarification (botany) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Please clarify this issue.

Steve

Yes, I know about scarification of seeds. For hickory nuts, the preferred method is stratification.

The other form of scarification looks painful, buy the way. :laughing:

 

[LostInTheWoods]

You are correct about the chestnuts. I can recall old timers talking about the beauty of the chestnut forests that are now long gone. However, I believe I recall reading that efforts to develop chestnut trees that are blight resistant are progressing.

Steve

I remember stories in the local paper where I grew up. A rather large tree had been found in the county that had resisted the blight. It was big news at the time, and is now part of the tree registry for blight-resistant chestnuts.

The American Chestnut Foundation - Find an American Chestnut Tree?

 

[rekees4300]

Planted the 78 viable nuts today. Hopefully they will make it through the Winter and sprout next year. Thanks to everyone for their advice.

 

[sixdogs]

My dad has several black walnut trees in his yard. He tried for years to make them sprout.
Long story short he found that just stepping on them (mashing them into the ground) is the way to make them sprout and transplant when sprouted.
Now he has them all over his hill place even complains about all the walnuts on the ground.haha.
Just saying

DAVID,

Any more on this?
I have a bunch of walnuts I picked up and they are just dried out and waiting.
Do I just step them into the ground or crush them hard into the ground ? Crack the hull? Leave then surface level?
Any info helpful.

 

[blackie65]

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.

I thought I read somewhere that Hickory was a good wood to burn. High BTU's on the chart.

 

[1010]

Any more on this?
I have a bunch of walnuts I picked up and they are just dried out and waiting.
Do I just step them into the ground or crush them hard into the ground ? Crack the hull? Leave then surface level?
Any info helpful.

Where they fall to the ground and is soft from rain, he just mashes them into the ground with his foot. Covers them with a few leaves to keep from drying the seed out. Come late spring some are sprouting.

DAVID,