This year my oak trees have a VERY large number of fallen oak nuts, some of which are already sprouting roots. I thought that fallen oak nuts must go thru winter before they root. Is this true of all varieties of oak trees?
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Oak Trees
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treeclimber165
Member A.K.A Skwerl
Dunno about the nuts needing a cold winter to sprout, seeing as we don't have cold winters here! But if the oaks are dropping a lot of nuts, it indicates that the trees are stressed in some way. They produce extra seeds to ensure continuation of the species when they are stressed. Did you have a very wet or very dry year last year? Stresses can take 1-3 years to show up, as the tree can survive on stored reserves for that long. Might even be worth feeding the trees. Even a good granular (not too much nitrogen-the first number of the 3) can be quite helpful if the trees have a nutrient deficientcy.
But if the oaks are dropping a lot of nuts, it indicates that the trees are stressed in some way. They produce extra seeds to ensure continuation of the species when they are stressed. Did you have a very wet or very dry year last year? Stresses can take 1-3 years to show up, as the tree can survive on stored reserves for that long. Might even be worth feeding the trees. Even a good granular (not too much nitrogen-the first number of the 3) can be quite helpful if the trees have a nutrient deficientcy.
John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
Using an NPK fertilizer on a stressed tree will just stimulate topgrowth without adding the other products that protect the tree from pests. This is why I am always pushing the "organic" emultions. (for the greeneis out there; you should see the annalysis on these thing. Fish and seaweed accumulate some interesting metals out there!) By using these broad spectrum products we provide all the parts of Mr Hopkins CaFe. This is especialy true with older landscape trees where we have removed all the shead material for ages, not paying Dr. Shigo's Taxes to the soil. NPK fert is the junkfood of the plant world.
As for the acorn crop, it could be a cyclycle thing. Some trees will have bumper crops then run thin for a few years. This is not to say that there is not a problem, but if there are no other signs of decline, such as chlorosis, early fall color, tip dieback, I would not jump to a decline or stress senario.
As for the acorn crop, it could be a cyclycle thing. Some trees will have bumper crops then run thin for a few years. This is not to say that there is not a problem, but if there are no other signs of decline, such as chlorosis, early fall color, tip dieback, I would not jump to a decline or stress senario.
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