Raising an acorn

Geri · Feb 15, 2006

Anyone know the best way to get an acorn to put out a shoot?
I have some year old acorns from a famous old oak tree in Austin,Texas called the Treaty Oak. I'd really like to get one to grow.

beenthere · Feb 15, 2006

I am not positive, but I have heard it is very difficult. Last fall, I watched a demo where acorns were planted with a machine that 'dropped' them in an opened trench, about every 9-10 inches in rows about every 2-3 ft apart. They were collected from under the tree just days before being planted. I think one has to avoid letting them dry out.
Others may have better information.

JimR · Feb 15, 2006

I have those oaks popping up all the time in my backyard. I find that the acorns that sprout are the ones I have dug partially into the ground when mowing with my tractor. I don't know if a dried out acorn can sprout. Google acorn.

ToadHill · Feb 16, 2006

First put them into a dish of water, those that float will never sprout. Nic the shell with a file and put them into pots with a light planting mix. Keep the mix moist but not wet and put them in a dark cool place for several weeks. If you have luck some of them will germinate. Use peet pots as the roots don't like to be disturbed in the very small trees. When they get 6 or 8 inches high transplant them into a larger container by putting the whole peet pot into the soil.

BB_TX · Feb 16, 2006

They are not hard at all. I have raised a number of them by just putting potting soil in a pot and putting the acorn just below the surface. Keep the soil moist and they will sprout easily. One fall about 12-15 yrs ago I picked up a bunch of acorns (I had 3 red oaks in the yard) and just walked around the back of my lot dropping acorns in cracks in the ground and stepping on them. I forgot about them until early the next summer. As I was mowing, I kept noticing these strange plants as I mowed over them. I finally realized it was oak saplings coming up. I only had 3 left by the time I realized it. But those 3 are about 15 ft tall and dropping acorns of their own now. I also planted some burr oak and some live oaks in pots. Those did well also. One thing you need to make sure of is that the acorn hasn't been "stung" by an insect. There is some kind of insect that will pierce a small hole in the acorn and lay eggs in it. Those will not sprout. Look very carefully around the acorn for a tiny hole.

scott_vt · Feb 16, 2006

( I have those oaks popping up all the time in my backyard. I find that the acorns that sprout are the ones I have dug partially into the ground when mowing with my tractor. I don't know if a dried out acorn can sprout. Google acorn. )

I never really tried to grow them, but I find in the spring that the ones that were imbedded in the ground with the turf tires on my lawn tractor are popping up all over /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

scotty

rogdan · Feb 16, 2006

Probably doesn't apply to Texas variety of oaks but up here my BIL raises them year to year by freezing them and then putting in pots indoors to start. The freezing is supposed to be part of the cycle for them to sprout, mimics that winter has come and passed.

jinman · Feb 16, 2006

( They are not hard at all. )

I find that all I have to do is let the squirrels bury them in my flower beds and I'll have a bumper crop. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

SPIKER · Feb 16, 2006

this year they were sprouting ON the trees around here after last winters ice storms... the trails in my woods had them so deep that it was difficult to walk the trails. they were sprouting & sending shoots out and thesew were the same ones that fell only days before.

anyhow like otheers said if they are half burried and a viable seed they should germinate & grow. some say to pick the best lookingones big & fat then take a pocket knife & make a small X in the end to it will split easier. then plant then point down as others described. I must have gathered 10 gallons of them this year and possed them randomly about the property by hand fulls in areas I don't mow. I also took a good 5 gall pale and tossed them into 2 areas of grass/yard that I rototilled up first 100+ feet long by one width each. I also planted a 35 gallong tub of black wallnuts and hickory in there though they are all sepperated I'm sure I'll have my own JUNGLE by july in those 2 patches. I'll weed out any that are SO SO and groom the others and transplant them in a few years. (or sell em on e-bay & TBN lol) /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

mark M

riptides · Feb 17, 2006

Some of the finest trees I have ever seen (only 20 years) were sprouts, that I avoided cutting. So good luck with your project! The only thing I might add is a small layer of mulch below the acorn. That seems to get it interesting in finding soil rather quickly. Just an observation of mine.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif