Acorn to Oak Tree Contest Rules Discussion

[Wulfskaar]

anyone know where i can get acorns near long beach CA? i never paid much attention to trees before this hobby

You'll find oak trees all over southern CA. I don't know exactly where in Long Beach but it shouldn't be hard.

I just went to google maps, found a random park in Long Beach (Veterans Park), and went to street view. I immediately saw some coast live oak trees.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.809...yWWFyk4BokYjhrBQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

 

[Wulfskaar]

The last few years, my big oaks have put out massive amounts of acorns, probably hundreds of thousands. This year, there are hardly any so far! I'm hoping all oaks aren't doing the same this year.

 

[rockm]

The last few years, my big oaks have put out massive amounts of acorns, probably hundreds of thousands. This year, there are hardly any so far! I'm hoping all oaks aren't doing the same this year.

Oaks & Acorns: The Mystery of the Mast

Did you know that the Oak trees of North America produce more nuts than any other tree region worldwide, cultivated or wild? The fruit of an Oak tree is an acorn. A single giant Oak tree can produce nearly ten thousand acorns in a reproductive season. However, Oak trees do not bear fruit every...

thebotanicaljourney.com

 

[Wulfskaar]

Oaks & Acorns: The Mystery of the Mast

Did you know that the Oak trees of North America produce more nuts than any other tree region worldwide, cultivated or wild? The fruit of an Oak tree is an acorn. A single giant Oak tree can produce nearly ten thousand acorns in a reproductive season. However, Oak trees do not bear fruit every...

thebotanicaljourney.com

Do you know if all oaks of the same species have mast years that are synchronized? Are they synchronized across different species (assuming this is due to environmental variables)?

I haven't gone out yet to get acorns, so I haven't really noticed if it's just my trees or if it's going on all around me.

 

[rockm]

Do you know if all oaks of the same species have mast years that are synchronized? Are they synchronized across different species (assuming this is due to environmental variables)?

I haven't gone out yet to get acorns, so I haven't really noticed if it's just my trees or if it's going on all around me.

There is some evidence that says yes. But, I have a feeling it's not really "synchronized" intentionally. Trees produce fruit when they have the best resources to do it with along with natural cycles.

 

[Wulfskaar]

There is some evidence that says yes. But, I have a feeling it's not really "synchronized" intentionally. Trees produce fruit when they have the best resources to do it with along with natural cycles.

You are a wealth of information and I really appreciate all your advice and knowledge over the last 3 years of my journey.

 

[shohin_branches]

Looking to enter this with cork oak acorns but the entire ebay only have one listing. 17 bucks for 10 including shipping. Too pricy!

There are a lot out of stock but I like this site

Sheffield's Seed Company

For over 30 years we've supplied the BEST seed available in the World for our customers. We guarantee that all the seed we sell has been collected from the named mother plant. In most cases this means it will produce seedlings that are true to name.

sheffields.com

My neighborhood has a weird amount of English Oaks. I'll take my dog for a walk and fill my pockets.

 

[Gabler]

There are a lot out of stock but I like this site

Sheffield's Seed Company

For over 30 years we've supplied the BEST seed available in the World for our customers. We guarantee that all the seed we sell has been collected from the named mother plant. In most cases this means it will produce seedlings that are true to name.

sheffields.com

My neighborhood has a weird amount of English Oaks. I'll take my dog for a walk and fill my pockets.

It's tough to source the seeds, so most of the time, most of the trees on Sheffields are out of stock, but there's almost always another similar plant in stock.

One advantage to oaks is that it's easy to find the seed for free. Most town parks seem to have at least one old oak tree, and that oak tree should drop a handful of acorns. Acorns have a pretty high germination rate when sown properly, so even a handful of acorns should be enough.

 

[rockm]

I only have to wait until spring to get oak seedlings. Squirrels inevitably bury acorns in the soil of my bonsai pots in the fall that go undetected. I usually find one or three sprouting come springtime. They're a hassle, since those spindly seedlings are attached to the nut buried three inches below the soil among the tree roots. Sometimes I can pop them out. Other times I have to cut the seedling off.

 

[namnhi]

Will stop by a cemetery across the street from my work to see if there is any acorn on the ground for willow leaf oak.

 

[LuZiKui]

Do you know if all oaks of the same species have mast years that are synchronized? Are they synchronized across different species (assuming this is due to environmental variables)?

I haven't gone out yet to get acorns, so I haven't really noticed if it's just my trees or if it's going on all around me.

I collected my acorns in a regional park with a lot of wilderness area. It seemed like about 1 in 5 trees had acorns. And, although I wasn't paying attention super closely, I remember seeing trees with acorns right next to trees without acorns. Given all of the rain we got last year I'll be curious to see if more trees have acorns this year since it's been pretty ideal growing conditions.

 

[rockm]

I collected my acorns in a regional park with a lot of wilderness area. It seemed like about 1 in 5 trees had acorns. And, although I wasn't paying attention super closely, I remember seeing trees with acorns right next to trees without acorns. Given all of the rain we got last year I'll be curious to see if more trees have acorns this year since it's been pretty ideal growing conditions.

We're having a "mast" year here in Va. I can't walk outside without feeling like I'm walking on ball bearings from all the acorns. White oaks and pine oaks seem to be the primary culprits.

 

[Gabler]

We're having a "mast" year here in Va. I can't walk outside without feeling like I'm walking on ball bearings from all the acorns. White oaks and pine oaks seem to be the primary culprits.

Same here—just a bit north of you. That's part of the reason I thought of doing this contest.

 

[rockm]

Same here—just a bit north of you. That's part of the reason I thought of doing this contest.

I did a Three Stooges pratfall this morning walking the dog. Acorns under the white oak on the hill might as well have been marbles underfoot. Dog pulled hard downhill on the leash--my legs started pinwheeling like Wile E. Coyote, then fell on my ass.

 

[Gabler]

I did a Three Stooges pratfall this morning walking the dog. Acorns under the white oak on the hill might as well have been marbles underfoot. Dog pulled hard downhill on the leash--my legs started pinwheeling like Wile E. Coyote, then fell on my ass.

I laugh because it sounds like you weren't injured.

I forget the name of the comedian, otherwise I'd give him credit, but he did a funny bit where he complained about getting older. He says he used to resent it when he fell over and people laughed at him. Now he resents it even more that when he falls, people look genuinely concerned.

 

[rockm]

I laugh because it sounds like you weren't injured.

I forget the name of the comedian, otherwise I'd give him credit, but he did a funny bit where he complained about getting older. He says he used to resent it when he fell over and people laughed at him. Now he resents it even more that when he falls, people look genuinely concerned.

I'm glad no one captured my Loony Toons moment on their phones. I WAS pretty funny and was laughing when my head hit the ground.

 

[19Mateo83]

It is a mast year for hickories here, oaks were last year….i still managed to find a good handful of white oak acorns on my walk at a local nature preserve. I would like to try English oaks for the contest but white oaks just feel right to me.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I think I'll take a walk and try to get some swamp white oak acorns, Quercus bicolor, I think they will be better than bur oak, (smaller leaves) and tolerant of wider soils conditions than white oak, Quercus alba. Though white oak will do, if I can't find Q. bicolor.

I like bur oak because its bark is the most coarse & fissured of all the northern oaks, and it is the most winter hardy. However, its leaves are too damn big. I had a faint hope the leaves will reduce, but I have only seen the odd leaf reduce. To this day majority of leaves are always too damn big. I'm 11 years in on a bur oak seedling and the leaves are still averaging 4 to 5 inches. So bur oak has some good traits, but leaves are a problem.

All the oaks have big leaves, but the pin oak-red oak group has smaller leaves than the rest of the northern oaks. Those of you in zones 7 and warmer are lucky because you can grow the 2 groups of "live oaks" the western and the southeastern live oaks, both having smaller leaves.

Quercus virginiana - south eastern live oak, is more or less in the white oak family. The evergreen "live oaks" of California and Arizona are more or less a sub-group of the red oak family.

As to living long enough to finish the contest. I'm 68 now and have every intention of living another 30 or 40 years, anyone who says otherwise can kiss my butt. Of course reality may kick in, but I'll deal with that when it happens. Right now I am still optimistic enough that I am still planting seeds.

 

[Gabler]

Acorn to Oak Tree Contest Entries

Post your entries in this thread (i.e. pictures of your acorns to signify that you're officially joining the contest). Start with any number of acorns. Spend five years developing them as pre-bonsai. After five years, narrow it down to three trees. After ten years, in December of 2033, Select...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Dropped 12 of these Quercus suber acorns in some water last night, only three of them sunk. I'll have to wait and see Sunday night. The smallest of them sunk the bigger ones are acorn buoys now.



After rereading the rules, do these seeds still qualify?

I got these acorns delivered this spring so I think that may disqualify me from the contest. What say you @Gabler ? Do I need some fresh ones?