Acorn to Oak Tree Contest Rules Discussion

[Warlock]

I make all my grow boxes from the same type of fence post. Had a bunch extra laying around, it’s perfect for it.

Love Drive to Survive but have had my fits and starts watching race day live. Seems Red Bull is just the new Mercedes these last couple years, eh?

Max is tough. That red bull car once in the lead everyone else is trying to finish 2nd

 

[Kievnstavick]

@Maiden69 ,

If you really wanted to have that seller face some consequences, you could always report them to the USDA. I am not sure which division there takes such complaints, but I don't think they would like to hear about someone shipping infected seeds to other places.

 

[Maiden69]

@Maiden69 ,

If you really wanted to have that seller face some consequences, you could always report them to the USDA. I am not sure which division there takes such complaints, but I don't think they would like to hear about someone shipping infected seeds to other places.

That did cross my mind. I would think that someone that has a store on ebay selling seeds with 100k+ sales would at least label them according to FDACS regs like every other seed plant seller I have bought before. Not a cheap ziplock back and a hand written label.

 

[Cajunrider]

Do it! I'll be watching as long as I am able.

Same here. I'll be watching as long as I am still drawing retirement checks.
I will participate in BC from seeds but not oaks. I can get a BC to a playable size in as little as 1 year but not oak. I grew a bunch of acorns in the last few years and still I just have sticks.

 

[Fonz]

Ok, have a bunch of them already growing for a few years but I'll put some new acorns in the ground for the contest this year.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@Leo in N E Illinois I have some Live Oak and Overcup Oak acorns. Can I plant those up now and just leave them outside all fall/winter or would it be better to do cold stratification with them? From what I read, black and white oaks don’t require cold stratification to germinate, but if it’ll increase germination, or just all together better practice, I’ll go that route.

You can stratify by simply keeping the pots outside all winter. BUT, if you put pots with nuts, outdoors, expect squirrels and rodents to dig and eat the seed. Use wire mesh to exclude rodents. The trees will sprout through the mesh. Then in autumn, when they drop their leaves, the mesh can be lifted off the pots, trays or boxes and the seedlings will slide on through. I use 1/4 inch galvanized mesh, which is equivalent to 6 mm mesh. I lined a wire doge crate with the mesh, I can put several trays of pots in the cage. This works good during growing season.

For winter, the pots need the heat from the ground in my climate, so I tend to use Anderson Flats, which are 16 x 16 x 5 inches and cover them tightly with wire mesh. These then set on the ground.

As far as I know, all oak species have "better" meaning more uniform germination from a batch of seed if they are stratified. Pretty much no matter the species, a few will sprout without stratification, most will sprout a fixed number of weeks after stratification and a small number won't sprout until the second summer. In general, the vast majority of trees from temperate climates, zones 7, 6, 5 and 4 or colder all need stratification for uniform sprouting.

Warmer climates, zone 8 and above, there are other things going on as there is no serious winter. Trees from these warmer areas have different strategies.

So to repeat, yes stratify your oak seed if the seed came from an area with "real" winters. Zone 7 and colder.

 

[Warlock]

So.. i'm thinking i my have over done it.. i may have easily over 1000 acorns planted in my boxes (Austin, Texas). i don't know how many will actually germinate.. but even at 30%.. i will have alot of seedlings to repot next winter..
not sure what i will do with that many!!! i can't imagine what i will do with that % is larger!!

 

[Gabler]

So.. i'm thinking i my have over done it.. i may have easily over 1000 acorns planted in my boxes (Austin, Texas). i don't know how many will actually germinate.. but even at 30%.. i will have alot of seedlings to repot next winter..
not sure what i will do with that many!!! i can't imagine what i will do with that % is larger!!

Select the ones with the best traits for bonsai and cull the rest. You could simply discard them, plant them outside, give them away to club members, etc.

 

[LuZiKui]

So.. i'm thinking i my have over done it.. i may have easily over 1000 acorns planted in my boxes (Austin, Texas). i don't know how many will actually germinate.. but even at 30%.. i will have alot of seedlings to repot next winter..
not sure what i will do with that many!!! i can't imagine what i will do with that % is larger!!

Last year my germination rate was like 80-90%, maybe slightly higher. I’ve got a feeling you’ll have plenty to choose from

 

[LuZiKui]

Yes. The cork oaks are in the parking lots in the circled areas. It costs money to park there, but you don't have to pay to enter the lot - just to stay in the lot. I pull up, gather a dozen or two, and scoot along.
The lot isn't all oaks - they have lots of ficus and one or two other species (maybe some podocarpus, I don't remember exactly) - but there are several cork oaks, and they are all dropping acorns right now. If you wait a couple more weeks, there will be more with holes, or half eaten by squirrels, and every so often they hoover the parking lot, so I'd recommend going soon. Waiting until mid-November will mean needing to yank down the last few stubborn acorns left in the canopy if you want viable seeds.

Thanks for the hot tip! First tree I found in the parking lot was full of them, probably grabbed about 50 which should do. Thanks again!

 

[Kievnstavick]

So.. i'm thinking i my have over done it.. i may have easily over 1000 acorns planted in my boxes (Austin, Texas). i don't know how many will actually germinate.. but even at 30%.. i will have alot of seedlings to repot next winter..
not sure what i will do with that many!!! i can't imagine what i will do with that % is larger!!

I was curious if all of those grow boxes you assembled was for the oaks xD

Having that many to choose from isn't that big of an issue. The larger issue will be trying to figure out what to do with the ones you don't want xD.

Either way, you will have plenty to do trials on and create some interesting shapes on.

 

[Warlock]

I was curious if all of those grow boxes you assembled was for the oaks xD

Having that many to choose from isn't that big of an issue. The larger issue will be trying to figure out what to do with the ones you don't want xD.

Either way, you will have plenty to do trials on and create some interesting shapes on.

It will be interesting to see what and how many come up in the spring for sure

 

[czaczaja]

Only found out about this contest today. I have about 40 acorns sitting in the soil for the past 2 months. Is it ok to join or do I need to provide a proof of said acorns

 

[Gabler]

Only found out about this contest today. I have about 40 acorns sitting in the soil for the past 2 months. Is it ok to join or do I need to provide a proof of said acorns

It's not too late. Just be sure to post pictures when they sprout this spring.

 

[czaczaja]

It's not too late. Just be sure to post pictures when they sprout this spring.

Sweet. I'll post pics to the official entry thread and create a separate thread when I get home.

 

[Topfbaum]

With the Japanese black pine contest coming to a close, it seems like a good time to start another tree-from-seed contest, and what seed-to-tree transformation is more iconic than the humble acorn growing into a mighty oak? I'd want to keep the contest open to any species in the genus Quercus, since there's an oak species for just about every climate.

What do you think? Is anyone interested?

I would like to join. Still possible? My acorns collected 4 weeks ago are already started rooting. Please add me to this challenge.

 

[czaczaja]

I would like to join. Still possible? My acorns collected 4 weeks ago are already started rooting. Please add me to this challenge.

Every single one

 

[Gabler]

I would like to join. Still possible? My acorns collected 4 weeks ago are already started rooting. Please add me to this challenge.

There's no cutoff date. Anyone can still join. It's very informal. Just create a thread in the contest sub-forum titled "Topfbaum's Acorn to Oak Tree Thread."

 

[Gabler]

Every single one

That's a good thing. Be sure to keep them from drying out, and of course don't drown them, either. Moist but not damp.

 

[Topfbaum]

There's no cutoff date. Anyone can still join. It's very informal. Just create a thread in the contest sub-forum titled "Topfbaum's Acorn to Oak Tree Thread."

Thanks, I will do that. And I potted these acorns up today.