SetxHunter
Member
Doesn’t make a lot is sense. Had a hard freeze in February this year and no late freezes after that. Fingers cross that trees were able to pollinate and set an acorn crop this year
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Unproductive Sawtooth Oaks
- Thread starter Bottomland
- Start date
Doesn’t make a lot is sense. Had a hard freeze in February this year and no late freezes after that. Fingers cross that trees were able to pollinate and set an acorn crop this year
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We have some that don't produce much. They're at the top of the hill, maybe 150' higher than some others that produce much better. They're from different sources, and I bet they're not the same variety. The lower ones may be gobbler sawtooth. They both likely get the same frost events. I've read some places that some oaks just don't produce reliably. If you know which ones they are, you should cut them down. They're all growing in wide open areas, with no competition.
RGrizzzz ... agreed; some mast producing trees only produce on a very irregular basis. Consequently, I never plant an acorn/tree that I don't know the trees parentage. Although genetics is only one part of a tree's production capability, I believe it is prudent to give your trees every advantage. Here is a description of what makes a great mast producing tree ( I have posted it before; however, some may not have seen it).
Criteria for great habitat oak trees ...
#1 Trees that fruit frequently (3,4 or 5 years during a 5-year window)
#2 Trees that produce heavy amounts of mast when they fruit (lots of nuts)
#3 Trees that produce big acorns (10 large acorns = much more mast than 10
small acorns)
#4 Trees that drop acorns after 9-20 / or better yet, Oct.-20 (drop times) in e.g., the midwest
#5 Trees that show robust growth rates or seem to fruit at an early age (hardest criteria to detect beforehand).
to be continued ....
Criteria for great habitat oak trees ...
#1 Trees that fruit frequently (3,4 or 5 years during a 5-year window)
#2 Trees that produce heavy amounts of mast when they fruit (lots of nuts)
#3 Trees that produce big acorns (10 large acorns = much more mast than 10
small acorns)
#4 Trees that drop acorns after 9-20 / or better yet, Oct.-20 (drop times) in e.g., the midwest
#5 Trees that show robust growth rates or seem to fruit at an early age (hardest criteria to detect beforehand).
to be continued ....
Taking the first 3 criteria alone, it seems desirable to plant habitat oak trees that produce 1) large numbers, of 2) big acorns on 3) a regular basis. Several nurseries will make a claim for one or more of these characteristics (many push the fast growth idea) regarding a particular type of oak hybrid AND, they usually charge a premium for this claimed advantage. When we purchase acorns/seedlings from govt. agencies like state nurseries it is pretty much pot luck since most of their stock is grown from acorns sold to them by folks who gather them to earn cash; point is, you probably won't have any idea about the fruiting history of a tree.Once one learns to identify a plain White Oak, a Swamp White Oak, a Chinkapin White Oak, a Bur Oak and/or an English White Oak ... one can watch for specimen trees of each type that have been planted in their community or in other places where they might visit. Over time, by recording information about individual trees, you will learn fruiting tendencies, acorn size and numbers and other important information (e.g., drop times). If you are like some who have suggested to me that they don't have 4-5 years to search for superior trees, I'd say buy whatever trees you prefer from private/public sellers and develop, over time, your own sources for acorns from superior trees that you have observed. You can always add to or replace existing trees. For example, I gather acorns from an English Oak tree that has produced copious numbers of large acorns during each of the past 4 years (see photo above - guessing tree is about 12-14 yrs old - planted 12 yrs ago), and a swamp white oak that has done the same for 4 of the last 6 years.
Last edited:
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
When a tree grows tall and skinny like that its way too crowded to be a heavy fruit bearing tree. Great for lumber, not so good for mast. Give those trees some elbow room.
A few of my large Sawtooth Oaks. Still not producing as far as I can tell. However, they have grown to be pretty trees
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weekender21
Well-Known Member
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