How to grow an oak tree from an acorn? How to grow a mighty oak from an acorn? How an oak grows.

Oak - a majestic tree with a spreading crown, is considered a symbol of health, strength and longevity. Planting a tree on personal plot, you can create a cozy, shady seating area. The life expectancy of oak is at least 300 years, so more than one generation will be able to enjoy its beauty. You can buy a seedling from a nursery for planting, but there is no guarantee that it will take root, so some gardeners prefer to germinate an acorn. Knowing how to grow an oak from an acorn, you can get a miniature seedling in a year.

How to plant an acorn and grow a seedling?

Growing a tree is not so difficult if you find high-quality seed material. Acorn suitable for sprouting can only be found in the forest early autumn. best time for collecting green acorns - the end of September - the beginning of October. It is worth giving preference to those specimens that have not yet fallen, but are on the trees. You can collect a whole package of seed material and inspect them more carefully at home.

How to select acorns for planting?

Many gardeners are interested in the question of how to grow an acorn? The most important thing is to choose high-quality seed material. If mature tree with signs of the disease, then the seedling from the seed taken from it will be of poor quality.

Several signs by which seed material is selected:

the hat from the acorn should be easily removed;
the casing must be free of holes, cracks, mold spots or worms;
for selection, a test should be carried out: acorns are lowered into a bucket of water - only those that immediately drowned are suitable for planting.

Planting an acorn in open ground in autumn

You can grow a seedling from an acorn different ways. The easiest is to immediately plant an acorn on the site. This method is as close as possible to the natural conditions of seed germination, because this is how oak reproduces in the forest. How to plant an oak acorn in autumn and choose appropriate place in the garden?

Oak prefers a sunny place, so it is better to immediately plant the seed in an open meadow. If you plant it in the shade of other trees, the seedling will quickly wither. Given that the mighty oak grows to an impressive size, it should be planted at a distance of at least 6 m from the building and other trees.

The soil for growing a tree needs fertile and loose. Professionals recommend taking a couple of buckets of earth in the forest where the mother tree grew and adding it to the planting hole. In the future, this will favorably affect the growth of the seedling. If the soil on the plot is depleted, then the ridge on which the acorn will be planted should be dug up, adding leafy soil or humus.

What to do next, how to plant an oak acorn? First, the seed material is washed in warm water, this procedure will help get rid of pest larvae and fungal mold spores. Then, a hole is made in the prepared place and the acorn is placed horizontally in it so as not to confuse the top and bottom. Planting depth in autumn should be 5–6 cm so that the seed does not freeze. After that, the hole is covered and watered regularly until frost begins. It should be noted that this planting method is simple, but not all acorns will be able to take root, so it is better to plant several copies.

Planting an acorn in a container

If the planting of the collected acorns is planned for the spring, then the seed material must be put into a state of "hibernation". To do this, take a tightly closed container and fill it with dry sawdust, wood shavings, and chopped moss. Acorns are placed in the substrate and placed in the refrigerator on a shelf where the temperature is kept at 0 ° C. In this state, they will be 40-60 days until they germinate. All this time, the substrate is carefully monitored, and if necessary sprayed and mixed, it should remain slightly moist.

As soon as roots and sprouts began to appear, the acorn can be planted in the ground. It is better to grow several copies in case some of them die. How to plant an oak acorn in a container or pot? The containers are filled with a soil mixture intended for growing seedlings or ordinary garden soil. Next, the acorn is planted with the roots down, planting depth - no more than 2 cm.

If warm spring weather has already established on the street, then a sprouted acorn with a well-developed root system can be planted immediately in open ground. In this case, the side with the roots is added dropwise to the loose, fertile land and lightly pressed into the ground.

Growing a seedling

After planting the seed in a container Special attention need to be watered. The soil is moistened frequently, avoiding drying out. Seedlings are grown on a windowsill facing south, but protected from direct sunlight during lunch hours. Long time the plant will direct all its forces to the formation and development of the root system, so the sprout will not appear soon, after 1–2 months.

Planting a seedling in the garden

How to grow an oak from an acorn and decorate garden plot? As soon as the seedling reaches a height of 12-15 cm, it can be planted on the site. Some people prefer to change the container to a larger container and keep the tree indoors until next spring. It all depends on the personal preferences of the gardener.

Landing in open ground should be carried out in early spring, so the plant acclimatizes faster. The selected place is dug up before planting, if necessary, humus is added. The hole is made in such a way that a clod of earth removed from the container along with the seedling fits freely into it. If the soil is too dry, then water it. The seedling must be in the ground at the same level as in the container. After planting, the soil is compacted and the plant is watered. It is recommended to cover the near-stem circle with mulching material ( sawdust, small flail, bark) so that the earth does not dry out.

After transplantation, a young oak can abruptly shed its leaves. Do not worry, this is a normal reaction to the changed conditions of detention, soon new leaves will appear on the branches.

Features of caring for a young oak in a garden plot

Knowing how to grow an oak from an acorn, it remains to learn how to properly care for this forest dweller.

The first 2 years, when the seedling is still young, with a weak root system, it must be watered regularly, especially if the summer is hot and dry. In the absence of mulching material, occasionally loosen the soil and weed weeds.

Starting from the second year, the young oak is fertilized. Most effective method- use of mineral granules. Well stimulates the growth of the root system and the seedling itself such a fertilizer as "Kemira-Universal". It contains all the trace elements necessary for the development of plants grown in the open field.

Every 2-3 years in early spring, pruning can be carried out, removing broken and dried branches. Sometimes the top of a young seedling is pinched to stimulate the growth of lateral shoots, but it is worth considering that in this case the growth of the tree in height slows down for a while.

Oak is a slow growing tree, so it will take a very long time to bear fruit. Depending on the species, it can only begin to bear fruit after 20–40 years.

Video how to plant an oak acorn

Oak has always been held in high esteem by people at all times. This powerful tall tree with a spreading crown is considered a symbol of courage, strength and nobility. One of the most valuable and expensive mushrooms - truffles - grows in oak groves. But why might you need to grow at home? Some amateur gardeners grow it as a bonsai tree, forming a neat nice shape, others want to have a personal oak on their site that will delight more than one generation of descendants, others simply plant strengthened sprouts on the streets and in forests, restoring the green cover of the planet. Whatever your goal, growing an oak from an acorn at home is as easy as shelling pears, and today we'll show you how to do it.

Oak grows very slowly, and it will take decades to make a tall tree out of an acorn, but this process is quite interesting, not requiring special skills and labor. You have a unique opportunity to literally observe the miracle of birth, especially since at first the oak tree develops very actively.

This is one of the longest-lived trees in the world, and it can grow in almost any soil (but still prefers rich nutrient soil). If you decide to grow an oak from an acorn at home, and then plant it outside, then get ready for the fact that it will take 2-3 years.

Unlike the vast majority of tree seeds, acorns lose their germination after drying and during long-term storage, so they should be sown and germinated immediately after ripening and before frost. Of course, you can postpone sowing until spring, but in this case, the acorns must be stored properly. To do this, you need to place them in the conditions high humidity at a temperature of 0-3C and moderate ventilation. Such an atmosphere usually reigns in the cellar or basement where vegetables are stored. You can also dig acorns a little to a depth of 20 cm and cover the area plastic wrap so that an air gap remains inside - you get the effect of a greenhouse and at the same time protection from rodents.

Collect acorns for cultivation should be in early autumn. Choose only whole fruits without visible damage (holes, mold, black spots). Brownish acorns with an emerald sheen are considered the best, but the color for the most part depends on the type of oak. Another criterion for choosing a good seed if the acorn easily moves away from the cap. The hat is a protection and, if you like, a way of attaching the acorn to the branch, but not a vital part of it.

Helpful Hint: Keep an eye on oaks in the summer, noticing the largest and most powerful trees. In autumn, you can immediately go to the right trees and harvest. However, in some varieties, acorns ripen only once every 2 years, for example, in red oak.

When you brought the seeds home, you need to select unusable "dead" acorns. To do this, pour them into a bowl with cold water mix by hand and leave for 5 minutes. During this time, all spoiled acorns will float to the surface, while the good ones will remain at the bottom. Drain the water and arrange the selected good seeds on a towel to dry properly. You don’t need to expose them to the sun, just like putting them on a battery - let them dry in natural conditions in the shade. Transfer dry planting material to plastic bag and store in the cellar. To keep the acorns from drying out, place them in a bag with moss, wood shavings, vermiculite, or other material that holds moisture well.

How to grow an oak and select seeds for planting, see the video below:

To strengthen the "immunity" and endurance of acorns, they are subjected to stratification. To do this, the seeds in the bag are placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator (for vegetables) for 30-60 days or longer until they germinate. Stratification helps the seeds germinate faster in the spring, but they must be constantly monitored and controlled for the moisture level in the bag. A little more water - the acorns will rot, too dry - they will not germinate.

If it was not possible to stock up on acorns in the fall, then this can be done in the spring, if the winter was not too cold. In March, you can find acorns untouched by mice and already germinated. It is better to collect them immediately after the snow melts, so that the birds do not have time to peck or damage the tender roots that have barely emerged from the shell. Seeds can be sown immediately in open ground or a pot, or stored in plastic box, covering with wet leaves or sawdust. In the latter case, it is important to provide at least minimal ventilation, otherwise the roots will begin to rot. But it’s better to plant the hatched acorns right away, then it’s more likely that they will develop into strong seedlings.

sprouting acorns

Sprouted acorns require careful handling, as their roots are very fragile and delicate. Plant them in small pots, cut plastic bottles or disposable cups with a volume of 0.5 liters. in the sides of the container with an awl, make several holes around the entire perimeter so that the water inside does not stagnate and the roots get access to oxygen.

Pour regular garden or forest soil into the pots, mixing it with a little peat moss or vermiculite to hold moisture. Make a depression of 3-5 cm and lower the acorn into it with the root down. It is possible to plant a young oak tree immediately in open ground, but this is fraught with damage by mice and insects, since the tender root is not protected in any way.

Once you have potted your acorns, water them quite often, especially the first 2-4 weeks. You need to pour water until it flows from the side holes in the pot. Place the seedlings on a windowsill on the south or west side so that the spring sun warms and "lures" the sprouts out of the ground. You should not expect that green stems will appear in the first week - at first, all the energy of the plant will be spent on the formation of the root system (and in oak it is very powerful), and only then a sprout will appear.

Good to know: Acorns germinate pretty quickly, and it doesn't matter if you covered them with wet cotton wool or planted them in the ground. A powerful sprout will appear in 2-3 weeks.

planting oak

So, a small grove of young oak trees already flaunts on your windowsill. Since they have powerful and rapidly developing roots, they cannot be kept in a cramped pot for a long time - they must be transplanted into a larger container or into open ground. If you still want to settle an oak tree at home, prepare a capacious tub of 100 liters for it.

If in winter the sprout suddenly stopped growing and began to wither, do not rush to stuff it with fertilizers, dressings, and even more so throw it away. It is quite possible that the plant simply felt that it was winter outside and “fell asleep” in a completely natural way. Leave him alone until spring and see how he behaves with the first rays of the warm sun.

By the following signs, you can determine that it is time to transplant acorns:

The sprout grew to a height of 15 cm, and 3-5 leaves appeared on it.
The roots of the plant are strong and healthy white.
The central main root is well developed.
The sprout itself has become taller than the container in which it is planted.
The seedling has been in the pot for over 2 weeks.

It is very important to correctly determine the place of planting oak in open ground. Now it seems small and compact, but in 20-30 years a modest sprout will turn into a big tree with a powerful root system and spreading crown. If such a giant is in close proximity to a residential building or some kind of building, be sure that it will destroy or move any foundation with its roots. Choose immediately a spacious and free area, so that later you do not experience inconvenience. By the way, it will not work to transplant a grown oak tree without harming it - the roots go deep into the ground and are widely distributed in breadth, so in any case you will injure the plant, as a result of which it may die.

How to plant an oak acorn in an ideal location:

Oak is very fond of sunlight and needs good lighting, so it is best to plant it on the south or west side. But at the same time, keep in mind that over time it will create a lot of shade, and therefore it will not work to break a garden under it. It is better to immediately plan to make a gazebo under the oak, a swing, or just leave a place to relax.
The site for oak should be located as far as possible from the water supply, pipeline and garden paths, because powerful roots will destroy any obstacles in their path.
By planting an oak tree on the southwest side, you will provide natural shading to the residential building. This option is good if you are going to install skylights or make panoramic glazing. But if you live in the southern region and want to shade your house, plant an oak tree on the northwest side of the site.
Do not plant oak in areas with lush vegetation, otherwise the "old-timers" simply will not allow the young plant to develop and will take away moisture and light from it.

When you have decided on the site, you can start planting sprouts.

Planting an oak consists of several stages:

Clear a piece of land from vegetation so that you get a flat area with a diameter of 1.5-2 m.
It is necessary to create a homogeneous soil saturated with oxygen, so dig it to a depth of 25-30 cm, carefully crushing all large clods.
Lightly dampen the soil if it is dry. It is necessary to plant an oak sprout in a hole with a diameter of 30 cm and a little depth. more length root.
Lower the seedling into the hole and gently sprinkle the roots with earth, lightly tamping it down.
At the end, water the plant abundantly and lay out pieces of bark or mulch 30 cm from the young tree to prevent the soil from drying out and the spread of weeds. Make sure the mulch does not touch the stem of the oak tree.

Useful advice: For a 100% successful result, professional gardeners recommend planting 2-4 acorns at once in one area. To do this, clear an area of 60x60 cm and plant a few sprouts there.

oak care

After planting in open ground, the first few weeks you need to pay a lot of attention to oak sprouts. A change of scenery for immature plants is a real shock, so they need special care. In addition, tender leaves and roots are a delicacy for rodents, birds and insects, so care must be taken to protect plants. For this, a strong plastic fence or a mesh grate is usually used. If deer are present in your area and they may enter your property, protect the canopy of young trees by constructing a tall fine mesh fence. Also, oak trees often suffer from May beetles and aphids, so in the spring you can treat the leaves with pesticides.

Since oaks have a powerful root system that goes deep into the ground and finds moisture on its own, closer to autumn, watering should be reduced to a minimum. In summer, on the contrary, it is better to water the seedlings as often as possible. Experienced gardeners apply the system drip irrigation as it ensures regular and even watering of the plants. Oaks, according to rough estimates, need 30 liters of water for 2 weeks. If you use a drip system, then you will need it only in the first 2-3 years. Install it around the trunks so that moisture does not accumulate. When the oak becomes powerful enough, that is, already for 4-5 years, it is enough to water it only on very dry days.

Finally, we invite you to watch an unusual video that shows in detail the development of an oak sprout from an acorn into a seedling.

Walking through the forest, you can observe the greatness of the trees. Beautiful and graceful, they look into the sky. Often the eyes of many people attract oak, but few people know that such a massive tree can be grown independently from an acorn. Oak as a symbol of life will pass from generation to generation.

Selection and preparation of the acorn

In order to grow a tree from an acorn, you must follow the following tips from experienced gardeners:

For planting, acorns must be harvested in early autumn, around the beginning of October.
Choose approximately 10 good fruits, which will later be selected for planting.
Choose only those fruits that are not damaged, do not contain any holes and mold.
Give preference to fruit Brown color with a slight greenish tint.
The fruit cap should be easy to separate.

After choosing the planting material, it is necessary to select the best fruits by stratification.

Stratification is the keeping of seeds under certain conditions to accelerate their germination and the selection and screening of defective ones.

The stratification of the fetus is carried out as follows:

Wash all planting material well running water, you can rub them a little with a kitchen sponge to better remove the dirt accumulated on them.
Dip them in a container of water for 5 minutes.
Acorns that were on the surface, and also became soft, are unsuitable for further cultivation.
The remaining seeds must be removed from the water and dried in the shade.
Place the dried fruits in a plastic bag, pre-filled with your favorite substrate, which retains moisture well.
Store the bag in the refrigerator until the planting material germinates. This process can take several months.
Periodically moisten the substrate in the bag so that the seeds do not dry out and can germinate, but you should not over-moisten, as the seeds may rot.

Stratification is necessary so that the seeds germinate and are better accepted in the spring for their further transplantation, first into a pot, and then into open ground.

Germination

After the seeds begin to germinate, the tip of the root will slowly begin to break through the shell of the acorn. At this time, it must be handled carefully so as not to damage the young root, otherwise all the work was in vain.

As soon as the oak seeds have sprouted a little in a plastic bag, they must be transplanted into small pots, as for ordinary seedlings. For this you need:

In containers for planting, make small holes on the sides so that excess water can drain during irrigation.
Fill the planting container with ordinary soil with the addition of a small amount of peat.
Plant germinated seeds root down, but shallow.

Water the planting material so that water flows out of the holes on the sides 2-3 times a week for a month. Seedlings are best placed in a well-lit area.

Care

Do not be upset if the seedlings do not grow for several weeks, at this time all the forces of the seeds are aimed at creating a good root system for further growth. At this time, he only needs frequent watering and airing the room where the seedlings are located.

After the acorns germinate and small leaves appear on them, they need to dive into larger pots so that they grow and get stronger.

In order to find out when the plant is ready for picking, in time it is approximately two weeks later, after planting in small containers, the following nuances must be taken into account:

The height of the seedling has reached about 14 cm and already has several leaves.
On examination, it is clear that the future oak is cramped in a small pot.
If you carefully remove the plant from the pot, you can see that it has healthy white roots.

To make a pick as follows:

Pour the substrate into larger pots.
Carefully remove the seedling from a small cup and put it in a large container and add the substrate until the pot is full.
Put the seedlings in a well-lit and ventilated place.
Watering is carried out twice a week.

Location selection

After all stages of growing oak from an acorn are completed, it must be planted in open ground. The choice of a place for the future oak is significant and significant event Since the lifespan of this tree is about 100 years, oak can please several generations.

Oak in the family is considered a symbol of fertility and wealth.

Oak requires a lot of free space, as mature plant very sprawling and he lives a very long time

In order to correctly determine the landing site, you must consider the following tips:

Landing area should have a lot free space because oak is a large tree.
The space should be well lit, shady areas will not work.
root system the tree is very developed, so there should not be pipelines, water pipes, gas pipelines on the site. Since in the event of any repair work, there is a high probability of damage to the root system, which can lead to the drying of the tree.
Keep in mind that as the tree grows, it will cast a shadow.
Clean and dig the oak planting site within a radius of 3 m from all vegetation so that the plants do not destroy the oak seedling in the struggle for moisture and sun.

Landing in a permanent place

After choosing a location and holding preparatory work, an oak seedling must be planted on permanent place growth. To do this, do the following:

Dig a hole about 25 cm wide.
The depth should be such that the root of the seedling fits completely into the hole.
Water the hole thoroughly.
Carefully remove the tree from the pot and lower it root down into the hole, and straighten the leaves up.
Sprinkle with soil and lightly tamp the hole.
Water the tree generously again.
After planting, it is recommended to cover the planting site with stones, boards or plastic to protect the young oak.

IN further care It consists in regular watering so that the seedling does not dry out. In about two decades, the tree will give its first fruits.

It seems almost unbelievable that inside the acorn - this plump barrel with a coquettish rough hat - lurks the germ of a mighty oak, glorified in folk tales. However, you can germinate a capricious acorn in the country and even at home. The proposed article contains detailed instructions And step by step photos the process of growing an epic tree in the garden.

Step one - selection of planting material

The best way to get acorns is to collect them yourself from the ground in an oak forest when going out into nature. The fruits of oaks ripen within a month starting from mid-August. The first acorns should not be taken - they fall off earlier precisely because they are affected by various rot and mold, gnawed by pests.

It is best to visit the oak grove in the last ten days of September, when the tree drops its last fruits. At the same time, the acorn is already easily taking off its hat (it is also a bowl, or a saucer, and in a completely scientific way - a plush).

Acorns for planting can be collected at the end of September

Each acorn must be carefully examined. The presence of cracks, dents, spots, holes and deformations on it is a sign of poor quality. A full-fledged fruit has an even shape and a light brown surface. If blackness is visible under the shell, discard it - the embryo in the stomach is dead.

Advice. Throw the collected acorns into the water. As with chicken eggs, the very best will drown. Dry them in the shade on a towel before storing.

Step two - stratification

Under natural conditions, the acorn hibernates on the ground. It makes no sense for him to rise before the onset of frost: the snow will fall on young, fragile leaves. Therefore, a natural program is “built into the acorn”: first low temperatures, then awakening. Cold processing of fruits is called stratification. This operation can be carried out in two ways.

In the ground Acorns are planted in fertile soil in the fall, a month before frost, that is, immediately after harvest. Embedding depth - 6-7 cm. The disadvantage of such natural stratification is the very possible death of embryos during thaws, autumn droughts, late snow cover. Yes, mice will.
In the cellar or refrigerator wrapped in a layer of leaves. An even temperature just above zero, humidity without fluctuations and ventilation will ideally support the viability of the embryos.

Attention! Do not store acorns in the room: they will dry out and permanently lose their germination.

If the second method is chosen for stratification, you can take a newspaper, kraft paper, a glass jar with a perforated lid as packaging. Polyethylene is categorically unsuitable - it will not pass to the embryos Fresh air, but it will collect moisture from their breath and cause mold to spread.

When soaking acorns, remove low-quality specimens

In the spring, inspect all acorns again, discarding moldy, blackened, and those that will float when placed in water. If there are more acorns than required, you can open one and look at the condition of the cotyledons. They should be light yellow.

Step three - sprouting

For germination, as well as for stratification, there are two options. You can plant an acorn immediately in its intended place in the garden. This is done simultaneously with the planting of potatoes in the region. The embedment depth is about 3 cm. The acorn is placed horizontally in the hole, sprinkled with earth, crushed and watered. It is protected from rodents by a piece of fine mesh rolled into a cylinder, driving it into the ground by at least 40 cm.

A more reliable method of growing a seedling in a pot. It consists of the following operations:

wrap the acorn in a damp cloth or sphagnum, cover and ventilate 2-3 times a day;
not forgetting to monitor the humidity, wait for the fruit to peck;
plant an acorn in a disposable cup filled with garden soil;
when 2-3 leaves develop, carefully, without damaging the root, transplant the plant into a larger pot;
after a couple of weeks, start taking it out to fresh air to adapt to temperature changes;
at a height of about 15 cm, plant in a permanent place.

sprouting acorns

It should be remembered that oak seedlings will have to wait for a rather long time - up to one and a half months, since the plant will spend maximum strength on the development of the root system.

Oak seedling care

So that the efforts to germinate the acorn are not in vain, the young seedling must be protected from:

drying out - timely watering and mulching of the near-stem circle;
weeds - systematic weeding;
rodents - with a metal mesh;
powdery mildew- 1% copper sulphate.

Follow the simple rules for caring for a young oak

In the first years of a tree's life, it is important to stop watering a month before leaf fall, which in oak is middle lane Russia starts around September 20th. Otherwise, young shoots will not become woody and freeze in winter.

An oak rustling in the wind will stand for centuries. Sprouting it from an acorn is a great opportunity not only to witness the miracle of the birth of a future giant, but also a way to leave a mark on the earth that great-grandchildren will admire.

Growing oak: video

Consumption ecology. Oak is one of the most long-lived trees in Russia. Within its range (area of natural growth), it is able to grow in various soil conditions, but it develops well only with sufficient soil richness.

Oak is one of the longest-lived trees in Russia. Within its range, it is able to grow in various soil conditions, but develops well only with sufficient soil richness. Under certain conditions, it is possible to sow oak with acorns in a permanent place. In a forest nursery, growing large seedlings takes one to two years, sometimes three.

Pedunculate oak is grown in state forest nurseries in some regions, and it is sometimes possible to purchase annual oak seedlings (from which large seedlings can be grown in one to two years).

Oak acorns, unlike the seeds of the vast majority of our other trees, do not retain their germination capacity when dried and stored for a long time. room temperature. Therefore, it is necessary either to sow them in the fall before the snow falls and the soil freezes, or to provide them with special storage conditions. autumn sowing is the simplest, but with it there is a serious risk of damage to part of the acorns by rodents.

For spring sowing, acorns must be properly stored. Better conditions storage are created at low (about 0 ° or a little higher) temperature, high humidity and moderate ventilation. Acorns can be stored in the basement, where potatoes are well preserved in winter; you can also dig them into the soil in the fall to a depth of at least 20 cm, covering the top with a sheet of waterproof material, leaving a layer of air between this sheet and acorns and providing protection from mice.

In any case, put on winter storage you need healthy acorns without external damage, preferably collected in dry weather and dried at room temperature for a week. Any special preparation of seeds that have survived the winter is not required before sowing.

Before sowing, evaluate the quality of acorns by opening a few of them. Live acorns have yellow cotyledons, and at the junction with each other there is a live (yellow or red-yellow) embryo. Dead acorns are black or grey. By external signs, it is not always possible to distinguish living acorns from dead ones. Soaking acorns in a container of water gives good results - dead acorns mostly float, living ones mostly sink (if there are a lot of acorns, then this method of separating the dead from the living can be quite recommended, but a small part of the live acorns will be lost).

If you have not been able to stock up on acorns since autumn, then in some years (after a large harvest of acorns and subject to a "failure" of mice, and if the winter was not very frosty), you can pick up live and germinating acorns in the spring in the nearest forest or park. It is necessary to collect germinating acorns in early spring, almost immediately after the snow melts, otherwise you will find damaged roots in many acorns.

Collected acorns should either be sown immediately or stored until sowing in such a way that the roots do not dry out (for example, mixed with wet leaves in plastic box put in a refrigerator or a cold basement). Even with short-term storage, it is necessary to ensure that germinating acorns do not become moldy (throw out damaged ones immediately), and ensure their ventilation. The faster you can sow acorns collected in the spring, the more of them will be able to develop into seedlings.

When sowing acorns, mark parallel furrows on the bed at a distance of 15–25 cm from each other. Arrange the acorns in the furrows at the rate of 15-50 pieces. per 1 m of the length of the furrow, depending on the quality and size (if the acorns are large and almost all live, then they should be laid out less often, if small and with a large proportion of dead and doubtful - thicker). If you plan to plant annual oak seedlings in a permanent place, then acorns should be sown even less often - at a distance of 7-10 cm from each other (this will ensure the maximum growth of each tree). Press the acorns into the bottom of the furrow so that they are at a depth of 2-3 cm from the soil surface when spring planting and 3-6 cm - with autumn. After that, level the furrow by covering the acorns with earth.

Acorns germinate for a very long time. First, they develop a powerful root, reaching a length of several tens of centimeters, and only after that the stem begins to grow. Therefore, oak sprouts can appear on the soil surface only a month and a half after the start of germination. Do not rush to conclude that your oak trees have died and dig up a bed with crops (as the experience of novice amateur foresters shows, this happens). If in doubt, try digging up some acorns. If their roots have grown, then the acorns are alive.

How to grow oak.

Oak cultivation. Establishing a seedling nursery Oaks are often damaged by powdery mildew. As a rule, this disease does not lead to death, but it can slow down their growth. At strong development powdery mildew annual oaks can be sprayed with a one percent solution blue vitriol or colloidal sulfur solution of the same concentration.

Oak seedlings are much less affected by weeds and soil drying out than seedlings. coniferous trees(due to the supply of nutrients in the stomach, large roots and leaves immediately develop). However, try to always keep crops free of weeds and ensure watering during severe drought, especially if you want to get large seedlings in one year.

Stop any additional watering about a month and a half before the time when mass leaf fall begins in your area - this will allow oak seedlings to better prepare for wintering (too late growths in oak often freeze out in winter). In summer, oak seedlings are often affected by powdery mildew, a fungal disease. Powdery mildew is not able to kill oak seedlings, but can significantly reduce their growth.

With a strong development of powdery mildew (if white coating will cover more than half of the area of all leaves), seedlings can be treated with a 1% solution of copper sulfate or a 1% suspension of sulfur. Oak seedlings can be grown for two years in one place without a transplant, or they can be transplanted in the second year into a "school". The second method is preferable, because it allows you to form a more compact and branched root system, which suffers less when transplanted to a permanent place (for two-year-old seedlings grown without transplantation, the length of the main root can be more than a meter, and it is almost impossible to transplant them without damaging the root).

Seedling transplant in the "school" should be produced in the spring, preferably as early as possible, so that the root system damaged during transplantation has time to partially recover even before the leaves bloom (it is also important that the soil is still wet during transplantation). When transplanting, cut off the main root of each seedling at a distance of 15-20 cm from where the acorn was located (in most seedlings, the remnants of the acorn in the second year are still visible). This will form a more compact root system. It is possible not to cut the main root, but in this case it will be very difficult to dig up two-year-old seedlings without serious damage to their root system.

In the "school" place rows of seedlings at a distance of 25–30 cm from each other, and seedlings in a row - after 12–15 cm. so that when the seedling is planted, the place of attachment of the acorn is 2-3 cm below the soil surface). Insert the seedlings into the holes (the main root of oak seedlings, unlike the root of conifers, is hard and straight and inserted into the holes without problems). Then fill the holes with earth and compact it with your hands so that the earth fits snugly against the roots of the seedlings.

Transplanted seedlings in the first weeks after transplantation suffer greatly from root damage - leafing is rather slow, and shoot growth is relatively small. Nevertheless, by the middle of summer, the normal development of seedlings is restored, and by autumn, as a rule, large seedlings (30–50 cm high) are quite suitable for planting in a permanent place. If the size of the seedlings by the fall leaves much to be desired, then only the largest can be selected for transplantation, and the rest left in the “school” for another year.

If you are transplanting annual oak seedlings to a permanent place (this is quite possible if planting is done in areas with low grass cover or plowed soil), then do not cut the main roots of the seedlings - try to keep as much of their length as possible. The root system of an annual oak seedling is represented mainly by a long and straight tap root with weak and short lateral roots, therefore, for transplanting, it is enough to make a narrow hole of the appropriate depth using a stake or a shovel handle.

Oaks (Quercus) are central components of trees in various forests. Large-fruited oak (Quercus macrocarpa) and white oak(Quercus alba) produce tasty acorns, with minimal preparation, an edible acorn meal can be obtained. Other types of oak also produce acorns, but they need more processing to make them edible.

The space under the wide-spread branches of the oak is a great place to grow shade-tolerant species. One possibility is Azimina three-bladed ( Asimina triloba), the only relative of the temperate tropical cream apple. Also called banana tree. Azimina - deciduous tree, reaching several meters under favorable conditions (at home about 12 meters); easily formed into a dwarf form. Fruit ripens in September-October. These are juicy berries of a cylindrical shape with twisted ends, reach 12 cm in length and 5 cm in diameter, they are collected in infructescence.

Areas near the canopy edge of oaks where there is sufficient sunlight for other species such as hazel (Corylus) and quince (Cydonia oblongata). Open areas with semi-light niches for berry bushes such as gooseberries (Ribes uva-crisp), black and red currants (Ribes nigrum & Ribes rubrum).

Perennials: comfrey (Symphytum officinale) and horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) accumulate nutrients in the leaves and after they die off they give them to the soil, they can mulch bushes and trees. Comfrey has healing properties and is used for feed in animal husbandry, horseradish makes a wonderful seasoning.

Cucumber grass (Borago officinalis) bee attractant - attract bees, and thus has beneficial effect for strawberries. The bright blue borage flowers are edible with a pleasant cucumber aroma. Its seeds are a source of GLA fatty acids. Borage self-sows, planting it once, you can get seedlings in the coming years.

Strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa) as a groundcover can fill in the remaining sunny spaces. Strawberries can be replaced by princesses (Rubus arcticus), 10-15 cm tall. For shaded areas, wild ginger (Asarum canadense) is used.

How to grow an oak tree from an acorn

Growing acorns at home is quite a fun and entertaining activity. First you need to collect high-quality and healthy acorns. The size of the acorn is not important, even the smallest acorns germinate perfectly. But I would advise you to collect acorns under healthy and large oaks. In my opinion, a strong oak has more chances for excellent offspring than a dead one in the shade. Carefully inspect the acorn for mold and damage. If you plant an acorn covered with mold, then it can then spread to an already sprouted tree. The presence of a cap on the acorn is absolutely unimportant.

Some advise to collect last year's acorns, because these acorns survived the winter, and therefore they are stronger than their counterparts. But on my own behalf I want to add that in the city it is almost impossible to find last year's acorns in parks - they are all eaten by crows.

How to sprout an acorn.

There are several ways to germinate an acorn. The easiest is to just throw it into a saucer of water and leave it on the windowsill.

If you are interested in the process of acorn germination, you can put the acorn in a cloth (gauze or sock) and pour water over it. The cloth must always remain damp.

If you want to avoid the hassle, then immediately plant the acorn in the ground. Any land will do, but preferably one that is sold for planting flowers.

Oaks do not grow well in clay and sand. In fact, they don't grow at all. Oak loves the moist, loose, nutritious soil of a deciduous forest.

How fast does an acorn grow?

And in wet cotton wool and right in the ground, acorns germinate equally quickly. It takes 2-3 weeks to see a powerful sprout. Don't forget to water the acorns! They absorb water very quickly! Water your sprouts every day!

In what to grow Oak.

Oaks differ from other trees in a powerful root system, do not expect to grow a powerful tree in a small pot. If you plan to grow a fairly large tree at home, stock up on large and deep tubs.

If your little oak suddenly wilted and withered in the middle of winter - do not rush to throw it away! Maybe he just figured out your plan and realized that it's winter outside! Wait until spring and it is quite possible that your pet will come to life again!

When the tree becomes cramped in the tub - transplant it into the ground, preparing a hole filled with black soil for planting it! published