Updated 27 Oct 2013

Planting a new Oak Wood in Dorset

Return to Home Page


New generation of acorns

Exactly 10 years ago, this tree was an acorn itself growing on the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest. Now in Sep 2010, the tree has produced a very heavy crop of acorns. About 2.5m (8 ft) high, there are around 900-1,000 acorns growing on it, grandchildren of the famous tree. This tree had 'a few' acorns in 2008, 'lots' in 2009, and survived a heavy ground frost on 11/12 May 2010 that killed most of its fresh new leaves (which emerged before 28 Apr) and catkins. See some facts about acorn production.
In 2010, about 3,000 acorns were picked from 258 10-year old trees in the plantation, and scattered to start a 300 metre hedge along the South deer fence.

AC2502. Parent tree, looking North (14 Sep).
AC2493. Cluster A (13 Sep).
AC2566 Progress in ripening. Green acorns cling firmly to their cup. Brown fall out by themselves. When picking, experience tells what to expect and which to leave to ripen further. The top row shows an oak marble gall, a Knopper gall, and two Artichoke galls, see Galls. Clusters of up to 5 acorns on long stalks (leaves are on short stems), acorns about 25mm long, scaly cups about 18 mm across. Quercus robur should be planted as soon as they mature.

Acorns

A check for acorns on the young trees.
1=a couple, 2=several, 3=a lot.


Sep 08     Sep 09                         Sep 10
A8=(1)     C3=(2) G7=(2) L6=(3) S5=(2)    C3 C6 H6 H7 I1 I3 K7 L1 L6 NF NO
G7=(1)     D2=(2) I1=(1) R3=(1) T3=(1)    Q1 S5 Z2 (all "lots")
L1=(1)     E1=(1) I3=(1) R5=(2) W5=(2)    93 (all "a few")
P4=(3)     F8=(1) L1=(3) S2=(1)           107 trees with acorns, 42%

Crop for 2010

Acorns picked 2-11 Oct 2010

 900  L1
1170  (13x90) C3 C6 H6 H7 I1 I3 K7 L6 NF NO Q1 S5 Z2
 930  (93x10) (see "a few" on map)
   0  (151x0) (trees with no acorns at all)
----
3000  approximately

Collecting and sowing acorns.

1. About 1 Sept, walk all oaks and list those having LOTS and a FEW acorns.
2. About 1 Oct, start collecting acorns from trees. Those with a little brown or even yellow should come off the cup with a slight twist. Those all brown probably have insects inside.
3. Collect acorns in a small stout bag around neck.
4. Weigh acorns with a spring scale.
5. Sow acorns the same day in selected place, probably along the South deer fence. Freshly picked acorns penetrate grass if thrown smartly. Keep a count of number sown

Acorn census 2010


[few acorns], [[lots of acorns]], 30 Aug 2010. Upper case=OAK, w=willow, ash=ash,
co=conker, sp=spindle, bi=birch, asp=aspen, Pm=poplar male, Pf=poplar female.
 *=deer-chewed, x potted spares in leaf, xxx=new hedge, ^=leaf soon, ?=un-moved
   w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w   
 GATE ----------------|
  ash                 |                                                      ash
  ash   A1       A2   |   A3       A4       A5       A6       A7       A8    ash
  ash                 |                                                       Pf
  ash   B1       B2   |   B3       B4      [B5]      B6       B7       B8    ash
   NB                 |                                                      ash
       [C1]     [C2]  | [[C3]]     C4      [C5]    [[C6]]     C7       C8    ash
   NC                 |                                                      ash
       [D1]      D2   |   D3       D4      [D5]     [D6]     [D7]      D8    ash
  [ND]                |                                                      ash
       [E1]      E2   |   E3       E4       E5      [E6]      E7      [E8]     
  [NE]                |                                                      Pm
        F1      [F2]  |   F3      [F4]      F5       F6      [F7]     [F8]     
 [[NF]]               |                                                        
       [G1]      G2   |  [G3]      G4      [G5]      G6      [G7]      G8    Pf
  [NG]                |                                                        
       [H1]      H2   |   H3      [H4]      H5     [[H6]]   [[H7]]     H8      
   NH                 |                                                      Pm
      [[I1]]    [I2]  | [[I3]]     I4      [I5]     [I6]     [I7]      I8      
   NI                 |                                                      Pf
        J1      [J2]  |  [J3]      J4      [J5]     [J6]      J7       J8      
  [NJ]                |                                                      Pm
       [K1]     [K2]  |   K3      [K4]      K5      [K6]    [[K7]]     K8      
   NK                 |                                                      Pf
      [[L1]]     L2   |  [L3]     [L4]     [L5]    [[L6]]     L7       L8      
   NL                 |                                                      Pm
        M1      [M2]  |   M3      [M4]     [M5]     [M6]     [M7]      M8      
   NM                 |            sp                                        Pm
        N1      [N2]  |  [N3]   bi w.       N5       N6      [N7]      N8    se
   NN                 |      sp w POND w sp                                  at
       [O1]     [O2]  |   .       WELL   bi O5      [O6]     [O7]      O8    Pm
 [[NO*]]              |                                                        
        P1      [P2]  | SCRAPE    [P4]     [P5]     [P6]     [P7]     [P8]   Pf
   NP                 |       |---------|                                      
      [[Q1*]]   [Q2]  |   Q3  |   [Q4]  |  [Q5]      Q6       Q7       Q8      
   NQ                 |       | NURSERY |                                    Pm
        R1      [R2]  |  [R3] |   [R4]  |  [R5]      R6       R7       R8      
   NR                 |       |         |                                    Pf
        S1      [S2]  |   S3  |    S4   | [[S5]]     S6       S7      [S8]     
   NS                 |       |---------|                                    Pm
       [T1*]     T2   |  [T3]     [T4]     [T5]      T6      [T7]      T8      
   NT                 |---------|                                            Pf
       [U1*]    [U2]      U3    |  U4       U5      [U6]     [U7]      U8      
   NU                           |                                              
        V1*      V2       V3    |  V4       V5      [V6]     [V7]      V8    Pm
   NV                           |                                              
        W1      [W2]     [W3]   |  W4       W5       W6       W7      [W8]     
   NW                           |                                            Pf
       [X1]      X2       X3    |  X4      [X5]      X6       X7       X8      
   NX                           |                                            Pm
        Y1       Y2       Y3    |  Y4      [Y5]     [Y6]      Y7       Y8      
   NY                           |                                            Pf
       [Z1*]   [[Z2]]     Z3    |  Z4       Z5       Z6       Z7       Z8      
   NZ                           |                                            Pm
        Za1*    [Za2]     Za3   | [Za4]     Za5      Za6     [Za7]     Za8     
  [NZa]                         |                                             x
       [Zb1*]    Zb2      Zb3   |  Zb4      Zb5      Zb6      Zb7      Zb8    x
x  NZb                          |                                             x
x ash* [Zc1]    [Zc2]    [Zc3]  |  Zc4      Zc5      Zc6      Zc7      Zc8    x
x                               |                                             x
x ash   ash* WA       co     co |  co    co      asp      WF                  x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxGATExxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Catkin census 2011


[few catkins], [[lots of catkins]], 03 May 2011. Upper case=OAK, w=willow, ash=ash,
co=conker, sp=spindle, bi=birch, asp=aspen, Pm=poplar male, Pf=poplar female.
 *=deer-chewed, x potted spares in leaf, xxx=new hedge, ^=leaf soon, ?=un-moved
   w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w  w   
 GATE ----------------|
  ash                 |                                                      ash
  ash   A1      [A2]  |   A3       A4       A5       A6       A7      [A8]   ash
  ash                 |                                                       Pf
  ash   B1       B2   |   B3       B4      [B5]      B6       B7       B8    ash
   NB                 |                                                      ash
        C1      [C2]  |   C3       C4      [C5]     [C6]      C7       C8    ash
   NC                 |                                                      ash
        D1       D2   | [[D3]]     .        D5     [[D6]]     D7      [D8]   ash
   ND                 |                                                      ash
      [[E1]]     E2   |   E3       E4       E5     [[E6]]     E7       E8      
   NE                 |                                                      Pm
        F1       F2   |  [F3]      F4       F5     [[F6]]     F7      [F8]     
   NF                 |                                                        
      [[G1]]   [[G2]] | [[G3]]     G4      [G5]      G6     [[G7]]    [G8]   Pf
   NG                 |                                                        
       [H1]      H2   | [[H3]]    [H4]      H5      [H6]      H7       H8      
   NH                 |                                                      Pm
       [I1]    [[I2]] | [[I3]]    [I4]     [I5]    [[I6]]   [[I7]]     I8      
   NI                 |                                                      Pf
       [J1]    [[J2]] | [[J3]]     J4      [J5]     [J6]      J7       J8      
  [NJ]                |                                                      Pm
       [K1]    [[K2]] |   K3      [K4]      K5     [[K6]]    [K7]     [K8]     
 [[NK]]               |                                                      Pf
      [[L1]]   [[L2]] |   L3      [L4]      L5      [L6]      L7       L8      
   .                  |                                                      Pm
       [M1]      M2   |   M3      [M4]     [M5]     [M6]      M7       M8      
   NM                 |            sp                                        Pm
        N1      [N2]  |   N3    bi w.      [N5]      N6       N7       N8    se
   NN                 |      sp w POND w sp                                  at
        O1     [[O2]] |   .       WELL   bi O5      [O6]     [O7]      O8    Pm
  [NO*]               |                                                        
       [P1]      P2   | SCRAPE   [[P4]]    [P5]     [P6]     [P7]     [P8]   Pf
   NP                 |       |---------|                                      
      [[Q1*]]   [Q2]  | [[Q3]]|  [[Q4]] |   Q5      [Q6]      Q7      [Q8]     
   NQ                 |       | NURSERY |                                    Pm
      [[R1]]    [R2]  |  [R3] |    R4   |  [R5]      R6       R7       R8      
   NR                 |       |         |                                    Pf
        S1     [[S2]] |  [S3] |   [S4]  | [[S5]]   [[S6]]     S7       S8      
   NS                 |       |---------|                                    Pm
      [[T1*]]   [T2]  |  [T3]      T4      [T5]      T6       T7      [T8]     
   NT                 |---------|                                            Pf
      [[U1*]]    U2       U3    |[[U4]]     U5     [[U6]]    [U7]     [U8]     
   NU                           |                                              
       [V1*]     V2      [V3]   |  V4       V5      [V6]     [V7]      V8    Pm
   NV                           |                                              
        W1      [W2]     [W3]   |  W4      [W5]      W6      [W7]    [[W8]]    
   NW                           |                                            Pf
       [X1]      X2       X3    |[[X4]]    [X5]      X6       X7      [X8]     
   NX                           |                                            Pm
        Y1       Y2       Y3    |  Y4       Y5       Y6       Y7      [Y8]     
   NY                           |                                            Pf
       [Z1*]    [Z2]      Z3    |  Z4      [Z5]      Z6      [Z7]     [Z8]     
   NZ                           |                                            Pm
        Za1*     Za2    [[Za3]] |[[Za4]]   [Za5]     Za6     [Za7]     Za8     
  [NZa]                         |                                             x
       [Zb1*]    Zb2      Zb3   |  Zb4       .      [Zb6]     Zb7      Zb8    x
x  NZb                          |                                             x
x ash*  Zc1    [[Zc2]]  [[Zc3]] |  Zc4     [Zc5]     Zc6      Zc7      Zc8    x
x                               |                                             x
x ash   ash* WA       co     co |  co    co      asp      WF                  x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxGATExxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

From www.wikihow.com

1. Collect green acorns in early fall. Choose ones that are free of worms, holes, and fungus. Ideally, the acorns should be brown or nearly black.

2. Put the green acorns in a bucket of water for a couple minutes. Discard any acorns that float.

3. Take out the remaining acorns. Place them in a large zipper bag with damp sawdust; you should be able to fit up to 250 acorns in these bags. Put them in the refrigerator for a month or longer, as needed to germinate the new oak.

4. Keep an eye on their growth. The root end will begin to crack through around early December (late fall, early winter). Once the root has cracked through, the acorn is ready to be planted.

5. Plant each acorn in 2 inch (5cm) diameter pot deep enough so the tap root can grow. Place the acorn about 2-4 inches (5cm - 10cm) below the surface with the root facing down. Water regularly.
If preferred, just bury the root, and gently tuck the acorn to one side on top of suitable rich, soft soil. This will only work if the tap root is already well established, long, and has detached adequately from the acorn.

6. After the oak has grown about four inches (10cm), which should takes less than six months, it can be planted into the ground. In the meantime, continue to care for it in its potted environment.
Ideally, the containers should have holes in the bottom that allow for drainage.
Alternatively, the acorns can be planted directly into the ground by clearing a 2x2 foot (61cm x 61cm) area and placing two acorns into that space, with one or two inches (2.5cm - 5cm) of soil on top.

7. To transplant the oak seedlings into the ground from a pot, clear a three-foot (91 cm) circle of all vegetation. The circle should have full access to sunlight and good soil. Lay a mulch of bark chip about one foot around the tree, but make sure it does not touch the stems. In the middle, dig a hole about a foot or two deep (61cm-91cm) and a foot (30cm) wide. Place the oak seedling into the hole, sloping the soil away from the seedling so that the water does not sit at the trunk of the tree. Oaks do not like water sitting on their trunks. Next, pack down the earth and water the seedling. Watch it grow over the years!

Crop for 2013

          Tree position & date acorns picked.
          Floaters and sinkers separated.
          Immersed in damp sawdust same day.
Placed in fridge same day  OR  Placed on patio table in propogator.
Removed and  examined 10dec.
--------------North fence------------------------------------------------
NO                                 12oct           23oct
------------Main plantation----------------------------------------------
C3                                 12oct
E1                         11oct                   23oct
E7         09oct
E8                                 12oct
F8         09oct
H6         09oct                   12oct           23oct
J2  07oct
I2                                 12oct
I3                                 12oct
I5         09oct
K6  07oct
K7         09oct
L1                         11oct   12oct   16oct   23oct   26oct    27oct
L6                         11oct
M6  07oct
O2                         11oct   12oct
O7  07oct
P1                                 12oct
P4                                 12oct
Q1                                 12oct
Q2                         11oct
Q4                         11oct
Q5  07oct          10oct
R4                         11oct
R5  07oct          10oct
S5                 10oct
S8         09oct
T5                 10oct
T7                                                 23oct
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pick  551    515     395     242     964     223     376     120       47
Float -83    -86      -4     -20    -144     -31     -34      -4       -5
      ---    ---     ---     ---     ---     ---     ---     ---      ---
Sink  468  + 429  +  391  +  222  +  820  +  192  +  342  +  116  +    42

Total 468    897    1288    1510    2330    2522    2864    2980  +  3022

Compiled, formatted, hyperlinked, encoded,
and copyright © 2010, John Palmer, All Rights Reserved.