White oaks

[Gencountyzeek]

Took the dog for a walk this morning and along a field is 3 large white oaks. I stopped and picked up 17 acorns. Came home cut the tops off 4 milk jugs, filled with dirt and planted the acorns. My question is how long does it take a white oak to get to the stage of dropping acorns?  15 years? 10 years?  30years? I plan on opening up about a 3/4 acre plot in the middle of my woods over the winter and next spring. I want to plant apples and oaks around the perimeter and in the general area. 

Edited October 17, 2016 by Gencountyzeek

[Curmudgeon]

I planted bur oaks - in the white oak family - that had acorns within about 10 years. However, they needed to be protected from the deer to get big enough in the first place. If you have a lot of deer, they may never get big enough. A lot of the larger oaks grew when deer numbers were lower.

[dbHunterNY]

a lot of properties don't have much for regenerative grow.  especially with tender young white oak plants being preferred woody browse in the colder months.  if you have lots of acorns you can do the float test.  if they sink plant them.  if they float, then don't.

you can direct nut seed oaks too.  cultivate an area with sun light so it's bare earth then just toss them out from the big bags they come in.  then drag the area to cover.

[Gencountyzeek]

Thanks for the info. I did some research and sounds like white oaks produce in the 20 to 30 year range. So hopefully my kids appreciate it. I did find that sawtooth oak produce in under 10 years. I may be buying some 3' ers this spring.

[LET EM GROW]

Ill have to go and check but, i planted a ton of oak trees for my grandfather that he bought when he was building a senior citizen complex about 20 years ago. they were about 8' tall when i planted them and they started producing acorns within a few years.. they now are probably 20' tall trees or more. 

[ATbuckhunter]

They take at least 10-15 years. I'd rather plant soft mass tree's or wait for genetically modified American chestnuts to come out


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[Fantail]

I thought of dropping some sawtooth, but not convinced they would do well in zone 4/4b. On the other hand a few red oaks might make a worthy sacrifice.

[Gencountyzeek]

I plan on opening up a section of hardwoods into a 1/2-3/4 acre food plot. I'm going to line it with sawtooth oaks, dunsten chestnuts, and probably some apples.

[IRL]

I plan on opening up a section of hardwoods into a 1/2-3/4 acre food plot. I'm going to line it with sawtooth oaks, dunsten chestnuts, and probably some apples.

Make sure you deer protect. Chestnut oak are a good choice also. High wildlife value.


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[Gencountyzeek]

I plan on having growing tube around all of them.

[LET EM GROW]

I planted White Oak this spring from Nativ Nurseries, along with the growing tubes. They survived the drought and were about 3ft tall when planted. I lined half of one of my plots with these and pear trees, i think i will be plant more of the plot and make it more of an orchard with Whit eOak and Soft mass in another half, rather than leave it a wide open food plot.  

[growalot]

Watch the tubes...without an outer fence once they reach the tube top ......deer will snap them off...been there done that.