Valley Oak, Q. Lobata from acorns

[Potawatomi13]

The largest of them, I planted the acorn in my back yard in SF and let it grow for 5 years, chopping once and then again when I dug it out. I had tried to induce roots by girdling the trunk with a wire, but the tree grew over it leaving a circluar scar. In the future I plan to replant the tree in the ground to further thicken the trunk, when I do that I'll girdle it again (with a more effective method) so that I start to get a good root spread. The first photo is from January 2010.

I think you could develop a much more interesting trunk and tree if you cut it off just above the 3 small lowest branches. These could be wired to give some much more interesting trunk lines than it has now.

 

[Pattik]

So glad you posted these. I live in the mountains above Fresno, CA and our acreage has numerous big Valley Oaks and acorns, if the squirrels don't get 'em first. You've inspired me to have a go at this.

 

[Bryan Correa]

Strong work - inspiring and humbling - I just bought a 2-3yo cutting (check out evergreen garden works Brent walston - has a ton of species all grown intended for raw bonsai stock) but clearly this will be a decades-long project. If you have any more updates be sure to post - really enjoyed your last set of photos. I live in Houston so hopefully they will tolerate hot humid summers and bipolar winters into the 30's.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Update on this tree?

 

[Wilson]

I always love to see Eric's projects, great stuff!

 

[John P.]

@Eric Schrader would love to see any updates ... doesn’t look like you’ve been around since March.

 

[Mafu88]

Any update? I grew up around valley oaks as well so I am curious how they have matured and developed.

 

[Eric Schrader]

Hi All,

I have five oaks from this batch still in my care. A couple others I sold a few years ago.

Here is a video discussion of one of them:

I just dug out three of them after another 8 years of ground growing in raised beds in my front yard. As you can imagine, they're pretty large now, 6-8" diameter trunks. I'll be keeping them at my growing grounds which is warmer than San Francisco in summer.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

I didnt know you where in the forum!! Great fan of your videos Eric!! So nice to see your channel growing so much the last months