Bur oak acorn help

[Dliverance9]

Hi there i am trying to grow some bur oaks but i dont know if i am doing it right. So I've purchased some acorns from a seed company and they came stratified with tap roots already started so i have planted about 10 in 4 inch pots about 2-3 months ago and placed them in a South facing window as i live in canada and needed to start them inside. So today i still have none that have sprouted unfortunately, but i have inspected one of the pots and the acorn has established a root system deep into the pot. Should i be waiting a little longer to see if they will sprout or do you think there may be something wrong with these acorns.

Any insight or tips are greatly appreciated

 

[djg james]

Hi there i am trying to grow some bur oaks but i dont know if i am doing it right. So I've purchased some acorns from a seed company and they came stratified with tap roots already started so i have planted about 10 in 4 inch pots about 2-3 months ago and placed them in a South facing window as i live in canada and needed to start them inside. So today i still have none that have sprouted unfortunately, but i have inspected one of the pots and the acorn has established a root system deep into the pot. Should i be waiting a little longer to see if they will sprout or do you think there may be something wrong with these acorns.

Any insight or tips are greatly appreciated

I'm guessing they will sprout. Just slow. Sounds like they have a viable root system already. Maybe get a heated seed starting mat to place your pots on. Soil may be too cool.

 

[kyle1!]

Oaks really establish their root systems before their above ground growth.

In the future you could do this. I know this is more work but find some burr oaks in the fall dropping seed. Collect a bucket full of them, add water to float the seed and through away the ones that float. Now plant about 10 to 15 seeds in an area you want to grow the tree and mulch. The seeds need to overwinter before they will sprout.

Brian

 

[Dliverance9]

Oaks really establish their root systems before their above ground growth.

In the future you could do this. I know this is more work but find some burr oaks in the fall dropping seed. Collect a bucket full of them, add water to float the seed and through away the ones that float. Now plant about 10 to 15 seeds in an area you want to grow the tree and mulch. The seeds need to overwinter before they will sprout.

Brian

Sounds good thank you, i may be looking to go that route this coming fall. I had no luck with the oak acorns i had found last fall every one seemed to float out of the ones i found and my wife may have started to think I'd gone crazy the amount ive time id spend searching for acorns. This was probably the only reason i found a company that had stratified seeds so that i would have hopefully had a few oaks sprouting in spring, i did luck out and got a few apple seeds sprouted though.

 

[kyle1!]

You need to collect alot of seed because of the insects/critters to find viable ones. For some reason I have 30gallons worth stuck in my head. I know I was floating garbage cans worth when I was hunting seed. Walnuts were much easier. Good luck

 

[djg james]

Oaks really establish their root systems before their above ground growth.

In the future you could do this. I know this is more work but find some burr oaks in the fall dropping seed. Collect a bucket full of them, add water to float the seed and through away the ones that float. Now plant about 10 to 15 seeds in an area you want to grow the tree and mulch. The seeds need to overwinter before they will sprout.

Brian

I read somewhere to put the acorns in a container of wet sand and refrigerate over the Winter. Keep wet. I did Hickory nuts one year and they did develop roots.

 

[kyle1!]

Yes you can do that. The seeds need a period of cold to germinate. I let mother nature do that for me with winter.