Acorns to Oaks!

[letemgrow]

I am starting to see some sprouts above the soil and out the bootom of the palnter cells. The 18 count cells I used are about 2 inches deep. Do I need to move the sprouted acorns into bigger cells now or can they stay in these small ones for a while yet? It has taken between two and three weeks of being in the soil mix for this growth to occur. Is that normal. The acorns were red oak.

Reds sprout pretty fast and grow fast too. I would say that is pretty fast, what 18 cell trays are you using? The rootmaker cells are 4 inches deep so you can follow the 4 inch rule. If they are the 4 inch cells, you should leave them in there till they are about a foot tall or so. Basically you want the root to prune back until they fill the cell up with roots and then transfer it. It may be that they are 18 inches tall when they fill up the cells with roots. The best way to find out for sure is to remove one when they are a foot tall and see.

 

[SDHunt24/7]

Reds sprout pretty fast and grow fast too. I would say that is pretty fast, what 18 cell trays are you using? The rootmaker cells are 4 inches deep so you can follow the 4 inch rule. If they are the 4 inch cells, you should leave them in there till they are about a foot tall or so. Basically you want the root to prune back until they fill the cell up with roots and then transfer it. It may be that they are 18 inches tall when they fill up the cells with roots. The best way to find out for sure is to remove one when they are a foot tall and see.

I am not sure what brand of cells they are. I bought them at Lowes and they are the biodegradable type. They are smaller than 4 inches though. The containers have small pencil size holes in the bottom and the roots are coming through these holes in some of the cells. Just feel that maybe I should move them to bigger cells. By the way I really appreciate your replies. Very prompt and informative.

 

[letemgrow]

If they are only 2" deep, you are probably right to move them now then. Oaks like to put down more roots than top first anyays.

Are they the jiffy peat pots or something along those lines that you can plant pot and all and it will decompose? I use those some too, the 4 inch models work great for oaks and other nuts.

 

[SDHunt24/7]

I think they are like those pots that you can just bury in the soil to decompose. I came home today and have a few more sprouting so I am going to put them in bigger pots.

 

[huntdoc]

So I thought with warm weather it would be good to put my tray with more mature seedlings out on the front porch. One of the white oaks must have been exposed more than the rest as all but on small leaf was blown right off! I will be a bit more careful in the future, just thought I would warn others that these little trees aren't as tough as I thought!

 

[letemgrow]

So I thought with warm weather it would be good to put my tray with more mature seedlings out on the front porch. One of the white oaks must have been exposed more than the rest as all but on small leaf was blown right off! I will be a bit more careful in the future, just thought I would warn others that these little trees aren't as tough as I thought!

20+ MPH winds will do that to young seedlings. :way:

 

[dbltree]

It's been an unbelievably busy winter and no end in site but I finally got a few minutes to get some Dwarf Chinkapin Oak acorns planted in the Rootmaker cells.

Good link to more info on growing oaks from seed: Growing Oak Trees from Seed


From that link....

Note that the shoot and the root exit the seed at the same spot.

and you can see that here after these acorns have been stored in the fridge since last fall.

These are acorns I bought from Advantage Nursery down south and happen to be from a bag I marked "floaters"...acorns that normally would not be considered viable..yet most did indeed sprout over the winter.

Now to get them up and growing and then eventually planted in hinged areas that are comprised of mostly cull trees now.... :way:

 

[ironwood]

I just planted my first white oaks in the root prunning trays 5 days ago. I was wondering about how long these would stay in the 18 cell trays. If the 12 to 14 week range that I seem to remember is correct that puts me at the first part of July. I too intended to plant in a hinge cut area but I don't want to water trees all summer. Should I be planning on transplanting to a larger root pruning tray in July and a fall planting in the field?

 

[letemgrow]

I just planted my first white oaks in the root prunning trays 5 days ago. I was wondering about how long these would stay in the 18 cell trays. If the 12 to 14 week range that I seem to remember is correct that puts me at the first part of July. I too intended to plant in a hinge cut area but I don't want to water trees all summer. Should I be planning on transplanting to a larger root pruning tray in July and a fall planting in the field?

The last 3 years you could plant them whenever with all the rains, to be 100% safe, moving them to the bags/bigger trays then a fall planting would be the safest way.

You could also hedge and plant 1/2 out in June/July, or whenever the trees get about 12-18 inches tall in the trays. If they get that tall by mid June, I would for sure plant 1/2 out then and move the other 1/2 up to bigger trays/bags then fall plant them.

 

[ironwood]

I wish I had held back some of those DCO accorns I put in the ground last fall.

Thanks

 

[huntdoc]

Is there any benefit to adding a little miracle grow to the water or fertilizing the trees while still in the trays? Any tips to helping them be stronger before they will get transplanted? I can give them special treatment if needed as I don't have very many trees.

 

[letemgrow]

I fertilize them a couple times before transplanting them to the farm or bags. I have some packets that get dropped into a gallon of water and give them all a little soaking.

 

[bryan]

I think i remember someone posting something about drilling some more holes in the protex tree tubes... I just bought some and was wondering where and how many holes you were put in the tubes...

I was also wondering if a store like stiens or walmart would carry the rootmaker pots... I just found some acorns that were sprouting when i was turkey hunting and i want to get them planted as soon as possible...

,Thanks bryan

 

[dbltree]

I use a 3/8 auger bit and just drill a dozen holes randomly thru a stack of Protex tubes. I doubt you will find Rootmakers in any chain stores but you can order them from Big Rock Trees or just pick up some ordinary peat pots for this year.

Root growth won't be the same but you can certainly get by :way:

 

[bryan]

Thanks for the quick feedback i will probably just use some four inch square pots i have from planting perrenials then...

 

[Sligh1]

I was also wondering if a store like stiens or walmart would carry the rootmaker pots... I just found some acorns that were sprouting when i was turkey hunting and i want to get them planted as soon as possible...

,Thanks bryan

I know Dbltree mentioned Big Rock for pots BUT I'll second that and it'll be just as easy as running to the store BUT the quality and the benefits to your seedlings will be well worth it. If it were me, I would for sure get those rootmaker pots from Big Rock

 

[bryan]

Alright you guys talked me into it... I guess i will try putting the acorns in the fridge till the rootmaker pots come... Man i have spent alot of time and money on trees year... But it's just so freakin fun!!! haha

 

[letemgrow]

Thanks for the quick feedback i will probably just use some four inch square pots i have from planting perrenials then...

The roots will cirlce in the bottom of regular plastic pots that do not train the roots to grow out and/or prune them to create more lateral roots.

I would not keep them in those type pots very long and you will have to cut the roots at the bottom that circle before planting. Jiffy pots would be a MUCH better option at the chain stores where they promote root pruning and you can also plant the pot and all in the soil. Just remember, they cannot stay in those little pots long. I go with the 4 inch square or round jiffy pots and they work well for acorns.

 

[SDHunt24/7]

The roots will cirlce in the bottom of regular plastic pots that do not train the roots to grow out and/or prune them to create more lateral roots.

I would not keep them in those type pots very long and you will have to cut the roots at the bottom that circle before planting. Jiffy pots would be a MUCH better option at the chain stores where they promote root pruning and you can also plant the pot and all in the soil. Just remember, they cannot stay in those little pots long. I go with the 4 inch square or round jiffy pots and they work well for acorns.

Phil, I know we have chatted about the pots I used to plant my acorns in. I moved some of the sprouts to 4 inch pots a while back after talking to you. The pots I have them in now are the ones you can just put in the ground. After reading these last few posts on the thread, I am wondering if I will need to cut the roots back or not. Any advice on this. Dbltree I would love your input as well. From now on I will use the rootmaker cells you guys use. I have attached a couple pics of the pots I have them in. I hope I attached the photos correctly because I have not done that before on the forum. Thanks.

 

[letemgrow]

Phil, I know we have chatted about the pots I used to plant my acorns in. I moved some of the sprouts to 4 inch pots a while back after talking to you. The pots I have them in now are the ones you can just put in the ground. After reading these last few posts on the thread, I am wondering if I will need to cut the roots back or not. Any advice on this. Dbltree I would love your input as well. From now on I will use the rootmaker cells you guys use. I have attached a couple pics of the pots I have them in. I hope I attached the photos correctly because I have not done that before on the forum. Thanks.

No need to cut the roots back, they will penetrate those pots and will prune themselves with air....I would plant the seedlings out when they get to be about a foot tall in those containers.

Just check and make sure they don't try to circle in the bottom in 2-3 weeks as the roots should be down there easily by that time.