Acorn production

[DynamicDennis]

How big do oak trees ( white/ live)need to be before they produce acorns? And what can I do to increase/ encourage them to produce? I have mostly pines with small volunteer oaks scattered throughout, just dont see many acorns. Thank you

 

[BassHunter25]

I’ve got some scrub oaks around ten feet tall producing quite a bit of acorns. They won’t produce as many as a big tree but a few small trees in an area can produce a good bit.

 

[DynamicDennis]

I looked about 3 wks ago and did not notice many, going to look again next weekend. Should they be fertilized at any time of the year?

 

[Nicodemus]

Swamp chestnut oaks will start to produce at around 20 years old or so.

 

[joepuppy]

A sawtooth oak will produce after 5-6 years. But they are probably the least favorite of deer from my observation. Most white and chestnut type oaks are at least 20 years before reliable mast is seen. Not much you can do to make a tree produce. The weather affects that.

 

[ucfireman]

A sawtooth oak will produce after 5-6 years. But they are probably the least favorite of deer from my observation. Most white and chestnut type oaks are at least 20 years before reliable mast is seen. Not much you can do to make a tree produce. The weather affects that.

Funny you say that about the sawtooths, Aren't they billed as a great tree for deer and they "absolutely love them". I dont have any and never will but I know a lot of people tout them as a great tree.

 

[joepuppy]

Deer will eat them, but it's the last acorn to disappear from the ground. Everyone bought into them because they produce so fast. The GFC now breeds a "gobbler sawtooth" that has a smaller acorn and seems to be a better choice.

 

[ucfireman]

Im lucky my place is loaded with swamp chestnuts, whites and reds, all large to very large trees. The swamps are huge acorns and the deer love them, its amazing how far you are able to hear the "crunch" when they are eating them.

 

[Dean]

I haven't found any evidence that fertilizer produces better acorn crops. However, you can help the health of oaks by removing competing plants/trees around the roots drip line, tree base, as well as opening the canopy by removing competing trees that fight for sunlight near the oaks. I read somewhere that white oaks (perhaps others too) actually produce heavier acorn crops in low rain, drought conditions. Basically the tree "knows" that it's in stress and needs to produce many acorns to insure species survival with new seedling growth. For what its worth, I haven't seen a heavy acorn crop this year on trees checked -- maybe its the wet spring/rainy summer in my area, IDK.

 

[DynamicDennis]

Thank you all for the responses, have to do some select trimming and see

 

[ucfireman]

I feel that the acorn production is based on rains in the early spring during germination. This year was wet and cool so limited acorns, last year dry and warm so heavy acorns. Im no tree expert though, just my observations.

 

[uturn]

I have noticed much the same as mentioned above over the years...no tree guy either but, thanks for confirming my findings as well fella's!

Good stuff to know in my opinion!!

 

[Tombuster]

Ive got some mature white oaks, they didn’t produce last year and I haven’t seen any this year.

 

[Deernut3]

In a pine plantation you would probably benefit from cutting some pines down to get those oaks some sunlight.