acorns

[ChuckC]

I would like to acquire a couple dozen acorns from Sawtooth oaks, both the regular and gobbler variety.

Anybody know where I can get them, or, would anybody be willing to grab some up off the ground (when they are dropping) and send them my way ?  I would be glad to refund any expense incurred (postage etc).

I would love to add some other oak species to my lil property.  I heard these are pretty quick growing.  According to the USDA climate map,  they could make it around here.
ChuckC  

[BowHuntingFool]

Hey Chuck, check out Morse Nursery in Michigan, they sell Oaks of all sizes, they'll ship em' too, good prices. I've bought a few dozen from them a few years ago! Good people!

[Paul Mattson]

I would be glad to help you out, except I have no idea what they look like.  To me an Oak tree is an Oak Tree.  Are the ones you looking for native to WI.

Here is what Mckay's in Waterloo has.

 http://www.mckaynursery.com/catalogsearch.asp

Q. bicolor SWAMP WHITE OAK

Q. macrocarpa BUR OAK

Q. palustris PIN OAK

Q. rubra NORTHERN RED OAK

Quercus x warei ’Long’ REGAL PRINCE OAK

[Big Ed]

I can get you some when they start dropping. Usually closer to October. Contact me closer to that time and I will send some your way. Ed

[ChuckC]

Thanks guys.  Been purchasing Swamp White oaks as bare root stock,  along with some Pin oaks.  Not having great luck cause I am not up there on the property routinely yet (to water the little beasts) so I want to try a "grow in place scheme".

Ed, I will yell later and try to give a reminder.    Thanks bunches...
ChuckC

[Richie Nell]

Another thing to do....Cut away most of the competition of oak species that you already have and fertilize twice a year.  You will probably have deer walk past other trees to get to the "HGH" trees.

[ChuckC]

Richie.  I have heard of that but haven't tried it.   Does it really work ?   WHEN do the applications need to be made,  and with WHAT type fertilizer.  How much ?


Cool, thanks

[Richie Nell]

Hey now..easy Chuck...I give you an inch and you take a mile!

Naa....depends on your soil to be specific about the fertilizer.  I would just use a complete fertilizer like 13-13-13 in February. If possible use Di-ammonium phosphate (18-46-0). It promotes blooms. Apply about 100 lbs. in a circle around the drip line.  Like most other plants, if you have the right rainfall you should see small acorns around July.  If you do, apply about 100 lbs. of ammonium nitrate in the same manner.  The ammonia will promote growth and will make the acorns more attractive to deer.

I have seen where deer eat corn stalks literally to the ground after appling urea ammonia.

[chesapeakeblend]

Really wouldn't recommend that.  The reason they are "grow in place" as you describe is because Sawtooth Oaks are an invasive species.  Tell us about your property and maybe we can make some other tree suggestions?  I would hate to see you displace what you want to grow in your area.

  http://www.invasive.org/eastern/midatlantic/quac.html

[ChuckC]

Can't imagine ANYTHING displacing the stuff up here.  I am thinking that these are gonna be on the fringe of their growing range, and so wont be quite as hardy as what is currently there.

Certainly not as wild as down south.

The property is in the U.P. Michigan, about a mile away from Lake Michigan. The area we lovingly call the bananna belt.  It is a different climate than just ten miles or so away.

Very sandy soil and quite low.    Lots of pines, birches, poplar and black ash currently. Lower story is quite thick in the areas that are a bit open, but typical of pines, they have shaded out everything below them is many areas.

I am, and have been cutting areas to open up understory and will create one or more food plots (planted) next year.  Open areas are also growing green naturally as well.

I am not there (yet) full time so watering small bare root or other plants is not a good option.
I started several swamp white oaks in large pots and grew them at home until the leaves turned brown in fall, then transplanted them up there and that worked.  Gonna keep doing that for a bit, till I actually move up there.  

Lots of red oaks are in the relatively near area, but none on this property, which appears to have been logged some years ago.  

ChuckC

[ChuckC]

Ritchie    seriously !   100 pounds per tree ?  That sounds like a huge amount.  I was worried about throwing a few handfulls around my favorite trees.  and   a mile isn't so much,  is it ? (less you are dragging out that thirty pointer).
ChuckC

[Stone Knife]

If your in a real cold area the sawtooth oak won't bear nuts very often if at all. I helped my friend pant about 50 trees some 15 years ago, the trees are doing well but not a lot of nuts over the years.

[Richie Nell]

Chuck..it depends on the size of the crown of the tree.  If the width of the crown is 40 feet then you have a crown drip line of approx. 125 ft.  It would take approx. 100 lbs. of fertilizer to spread a 125 ft. circle.  Now...you can ad lib from that and use less fertilizer and spread it thinner, etc.  
Probably the most efficient scenario would be to find a tree NOW that already has plenty of acorns and fertilize it with 34-0-0 (ammonium nitrate) approx. 8 weeks before they typically begin to drop.  That should make a significant difference.  Research says it will.
I have noticed here in Alabama that the Post Oaks and Live oaks are loaded (probably most white oak species but haven't checked all yet).  Also the water oaks and most red oak species I have seen look pretty loaded.  I think it will be a good crop this year in the South.  But not like 1997 or 2007.  I have no idea whats cookin in Wisconsin.

The years where you have a bumper crop is more of a reason to spruce up a few of your special trees.  If not, the deer will be able to eat acorns without getting out of bed.  You have to have more of a say so where they go to eat and sleep more than they do.  
Just another way to increase your odds of harvesting nocturnal animals.

[ChuckC]

I don't use 125 pounds of fertilizer on my whole lawn !  Hmmmm  maybe I should be less afraid of burning it up and go to town on it too.

Some of the trees are gonna have large crops here as well.  One problem with where I hunt is that probably 75% of the trees are oaks.  When they are dropping in a good year, I don't think all the deer in the state can eat them all.  

We typically find s bunch of acorns left over in the spring (turkey season) when that happens.

ChuckC

[TSHOOTER]

Originally posted by chesapeakeblend:
Really wouldn't recommend that.     http://www.invasive.org/eastern/midatlantic/quac.html  

I agree.  Also, sawtooth oak acorns have a high tannin content which makes them less nutritious to deer and other animals.  The acorns are also large which makes them harder for gamebirds and waterfowl to eat.