Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Mighty Oaks from little acorns grow !

Collapse

X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
  • #1

    Mighty Oaks from little acorns grow !

    We are all familiar with the above saying but exactly how do you get an acorn to grow

    A few years back I collected about 20 acorns and 'planted' them in small pots, some with the 'cap' thingy down, some with it up, and about half I laid on the side with a bit of soil on top. I watered them and keept them indoors near a window for light (Even I know that's important )

    Well NONE of them germinated, not a single one out of 20

    So I'm wanting to have another try but I think I need some help

    I've again got 20 acorns collected from below a wonderful tree, at least a 100 years old, and I'm soking 5 in water, the rest I'll 'plant' soon but what sort of soil?, how much watering?, indoors or outside or greenhouse (If SWMBO will allow it )

    After the abject failure a few years ago I'm looking for help please.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Pretend you're a squirrel and bury them! Then forget where you put them.
    I'm always pulling up baby oak trees, some of them in the GH.
    You may be pampering them too much.

    Comment

    • #3
      Exactly what I was going to say. Go out and hunt around for saplings and you wont have to wait for them to germinate.
      Good luck.

      And when your back stops aching,
      And your hands begin to harden.
      You will find yourself a partner,
      In the glory of the garden.

      Rudyard Kipling.sigpic

      Comment

      • #4
        If the acorns you collected still had the base 'cup' on, then they probably were not ripe. Ripe acorns drop out of their cup and are a rich brown colour. If you look around carefully under an oak tree in autumn, you can often find acorns that are already starting to sprout. These, if planted sprout down (the sprouting bit is the baby root) about half an inch deep, should grow.

        Leave the pot outdoors in a shady place, but where it will get some rain, or plant acorns in the ground. They'll be too hot indoors, as VC says, they don't like to be mollycoddled.
        Last edited by mothhawk; 06-10-2016, 06:38 PM.
        Location - Leicestershire - Chisit-land
        Endless wonder.

        Comment

        • #5
          Last year I put half a dozen acorns in a pot of multipurpose and left them to it. Two of them germinated in the spring and I've grown one of them on to a small sapling. I have vague plans for bonsai if I can keep it alive for a few more years...
          My gardening blog: In Spades, last update 30th April 2018.
          Chrysanthemum notes page here.

          Comment

          • #6
            Like many seeds it's possible acorns need to be fooled into thinking there has been a winter. A spell in a freezer might help or leave them outdoors in a bucket of leaves before planting them in early march.
            Don't molly coddle them, a bit of nice leaf mould and some regular soil in a pot will get them away. Don't plant them out near drains or buildings and hard footpaths, the roots are strong and will invade - not that we're likely to have to worry about that in our lifetimes.

            Comment

            • #7
              They may need stratified? I grew raspberries from seed and it took a year for them to germinate!
              My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
              to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

              Diversify & prosper


              Comment

              • #8
                Thanks to you all for replies, it would seem that I've been too soft with them, funny that 'cos my wife usually says I'm the opposite

                VC - I can't pretent to be a squirrel 'cos my dog chases them in the forrest (never caught one )
                Bramble - Pick one that has seeded under the tree - brilliant - why didn't I think of that
                Mothhawk - Thanks for the correct technical term 'cap'
                ESB Kevin, Martin H, Snadger thanks for your thoughts.

                So it's off to a cold place for them with half a dozen lashes of the whip, that should sort them If I'm still breathing a year from now I'll report back and let you know how I got on.

                Comment

                Previous template Next

                Latest Topics

                Collapse
                View All

                Recent Blog Posts

                Collapse
                View All
                Working...
                X