Select the largest acorns, and avoid those with obvious cracks, holes, or damage from rodents or worms, and those that feel unusually light or hollow.Ĭollect acorns as close to the proposed planting site as possible, preferably within 25 miles, and within 500 feet of the planting site’s elevation. Light brown color usually indicates that the acorns have been on the ground longer and are more likely to have become dehydrated. Choose the acorns that are green or dark brown. Seeds may also be gathered from the ground. The freshest seeds are collected this way. Acorns may be picked directly from the tree when they are ripe. Usually when acorns start dropping to the ground, most of the acorns remaining on the tree are ripe. Acorns are ready when the caps are removed easily without damage to the acorns. Yearly weather patterns and geography affect when acorns are ripe for harvest. While other planting strategies may be effective in some circumstances, results will be less predictable, and more follow-up and maintenance may be required. When used with the appropriate tree shelters, a high rate of healthy vigorous saplings with strong natural root systems will result. The seed-handling method described below has been shown in numerous settings to produce germination rates >90 percent. These problems are eliminated with careful selection and storage of acorns and the use of newly available low-cost tree shelters to protect the seed and growing seedling in the ground. The taproot grows from the end (apical meristem), and once it is exposed to air or damaged, as is inevitable in traditional containers, it never regenerates (although multiple replacement roots usually form at the point of injury.) A seedling without a taproot will have less chance of survival without supplemental irrigation since it will never develop the root system nature intends for it to successfully adapt to the planting site.ĭirect seeding of acorns is often discouraged because growers expect poor germination rates and a high loss of planted acorns to rodents. The taproot is able to penetrate deeply to the water source while also providing a firm anchor to the seedling and food storage to help ensure survival. Most important, the taproot grows at its natural rate without any premature termination or damage.

The root system develops naturally without the twisting, girdling, or spiraling that often occurs in traditional containerized seedlings. Although the most common method of planting oaks is from containerized seedlings, direct seeding of acorns into the landscape produces clearly superior trees.

Acorn tree seed