How to grow Dwarf Chinkapin Oaks (DCOs) from seed

[Blitz]

Parker 35 asked on another thread:
This will be my first attempt at growing from seed and I'm looking forward to it. My plan is to direct seed at least half of them.
I am planning in caging them but i do have a question about that. How many years do you protect these dco's from deer browsing?
Chad,
I'd say you have to protect them from deer browsing for at least 3-4 years if not even longer depending on your deer pressure.
I'm sure some other guys who grow plants to improve deer habitat on their property can chime in on this issue. Sorry, but I'm not the deer expert.


NH Mountains replied in another thread:
If you direct seed you're going to have to protect them with tubes or mice and squirrels will find a high percentage of them. You should be fine tubed unless you have bear that haven't hibernated. If they find the nuts in one tube they are smart enough to look in other tubes for them. They will destroy them.
I ground quite a few stumps on my property this year. I think the bear thought another bear ripped them up looking for ants/grubs. They hit more stumps on my property this year than the previous years combined. They learn as they go so if you don't direct seed and plant seedlings keep them at home long enough to grow roots that you can remove the nut. Otherwise they will destroy more than one looking for nuts.
That's what happened with my original plantings. They followed my scent trail and dug them up one by one. Eating the nut and leaving the seedling on top the ground with roots exposed. All but a few perished.

NH Mountains replied on another thread:
To be honest I have not direct seeded any nuts because of the big black furry friends on my property. I dont want them looking in my tubes for nuts.
If I were to plant I'd do them now if they're dropping in your area. That's what Mother Nature does.
I've read lots of posts though where people have direct seeded in the fall without tubes and had lost nearly every nut to critters come the next spring.
I have not lost any nut plants to critters (oaks and chestnuts) since I started growing them at home. Let them develop enough roots to cut the nut off and then move outside or plant in the field with protection. Rootmakers are definitely worth it for me.

 

[Blitz]

SD51555 (Minnesota, zone 3) asked on another thread:
Has anyone ever tried putting their DCOs in a six foot tree tube? Can it be done?

NH Mountains (zone 4b) replied:
I'd say its possible but, it would probably take 5 years for them to grow out of the tubes. I've got one that was planted as a seedling in 2009 that is at the top of a 4' tube. This one is not spindly but, I had a chestnut that was in a tube that was very spindly and couldn't support itself when it got to the top. It had less light though.
I'd go with a 18-24" tube with a 4-5' mesh tube on top.

KLee7013 (South Carolina replied):
Planted some DCO seedlings back in FEB.
One of them is out of a 5' tube now.
Most are 2 to 3' tall though but one is over 5' tall.

 

[Blitz]

Jerred44 asked on Sept 29, 2013:
How late can u direct seed them in west central Illinois?
You can direct plant them in the field now, provided you have sufficient soil moisture.
However, I wouldn't plant them any later than middle of October.

 

[Blitz]

We were asked this question in 2014:
Has anyone successfully overwintered Dco's in containers?I have quite a few it 1 gallon pots and was wanting to grow them that way for another year. (Habitat manager lives in Michigan)
Our reply:
I would dig a shallow trench and put all the pots pot-tight in a block (not row) and heel them in with either mulch or straw but only after they have gone dormant. Take care of this shortly after they go dormant. Don't wait too long. If you have a dry fall or winter, make sure to give them supplemental water but don't overwater. If you use straw, the concern is that mice could go in there, nest and eventually girdle your plants. So you'd have to make sure, that you keep an eye on it. The benefit of straw is, that it doesn't retain moisture as long as mulch does. If you still have the acorn attached to the seedling, you'll have to remove it carefully.

Mattpatt said:
DCOs are one of the last things to leaf out around here. Mine are just starting to break bud. I overwintered all mine in 1 gallon root pouches mulched in hay next to the North side of my privacy fence so as to block the cold North wind. Looks like most have made it. They will be transferred to 3 gallon root pouches and grown another year in my back yard.
Matt

 

[Blitz]

We received this question in 2014:
What is your thought for planting in grow bags? I looked them up, and they have quarts 3x3x7, half gallon 4x4x9. They are cheaper than pots and more manageable for me. I was thinking of planting in the woods in the fall of year 2 or before emergence of year 3.
Our answer:
The grow bags will work for your application. The only thing is that direct planting into the grow bags will not give you the fibrous root system that you would have from starting the seeds in an open bottom container. The plants might also grow a little slower (although as you know DCO's don't grow a lot the first year or two).
If you are going to grow in a quart or half gallon bag, these are a little small so I would go not more than two years in those small bags. One other down size is that if you direct plant the seed in a grow bag; the plant will grow more of a carrot root.
The carrot root does not hold onto soil as well as a fibrous root system so when you remove the bag and work on moving the exposed root ball to the planting spot you could lose a large amount of soil from around the root system causing shock. If you are careful and you ensure that the soil is slightly moist you should have minimal issues with this.

 

[Blitz]

We asked one of our "regulars" how many plants he's already grown over the past few years, and we thought we share his success story with you. Tony is from Grand Ledge, MI.

"I have grown hundreds, they do great. I have been starting the seeds about January under lights in root trapper trays for about 4 months. Then I transplant them in 1 gallon root trappers. I baby them in there all summer and winter them over in a hoop house. Come spring I put them in the ground. They grow faster and produce sooner vs. direct seeding.

One other thing that has helped with growth is taking two 2' tree tube and combine them to make 1 8" diameter tube. Put that around it and I'll grow it like that for a year, then fence around. Repeat every year. I actually got a few hundred acorns this year and a few that I've grown from your seed have made acorns this year as well.
Here is a few that I started late because I didn't have any free tray space. These will go in 1 gallon pots and I'll let go dormant, then tuck them in the hoop house. I'll grow these all next summer and over winter them one more time.



One thing I will add about soil if you plan on over wintering in a hoop house is, don't overwater the seedlings going into winter. Barely damp is best."

 

[TreeDaddy]

Troy,

started 4 trays of 18s in damp media and placed in cool utility room

plan to place in fridge 2-3 weeks after radicle emerges

So far so good?

bill

 

[Blitz]

Troy,

started 4 trays of 18s in damp media and placed in cool utility room

plan to place in fridge 2-3 weeks after radicle emerges

So far so good?

bill

Bill,

How cool is your utility room? You can get by if it's 65 F, but 70-75 F would be much better. Other than that, your plan sounds good.
Troy

 

[TreeDaddy]

air conditioned@ ~74F

 

[wbpdeer]

TreeDaddy,

U will be in the chips! I am going to give my 28 days of mid 70s in a grow box and then put them in the fridge in the rootmaker 18s.

Worked good last year - I will try to get 34 - 35 degrees F in the fridge.

 

[Blitz]

air conditioned@ ~74F

Bill,
You are good to go. You can check on the radicle emergence periodically (as described on the thread).

Troy

 

[Blitz]

Some people have good luck with tree tubes, we like to use our DIY "plant shacks" made out of tomato cages and white shade cloth (60%). The DCO in the first pic is about 2.5 years old. It grows in a very dry spot with poor soil but might carry acorns for the first time next year.
The second pic shows a protected pecan seedling in our orchard.

 

[wbpdeer]

DCO- Update

I direct seeded 12 location with two acorns per location last Thursday. I set them 14 feet apart - 6 on one side and 6 on the other side.

Today, I put 72 DCO in four rootmaker 18s express. They are in the grow box. I think 25 to 28 days thereabouts.

Plans are to build a walk in cooler in that period in my basement. I have some more DCO and might add two more trays. That would give me 108 and hopefully we would get around 95 seedlings for the efforts.

I made a point to stick the DCO deeper this year. Last year I planted too high and many dried out on me.

To me - the size of the DCO means the turkeys will hit them also. Hope so.

 

[Jason Broom]

Please tell me more about a hoop house and how to utilize one for over-wintering DCO nuts during their first and second year.

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[wbpdeer]

Jason

I built a greenhouse and there is a thread on here. It is made of hoops and is 16 wide and 26 long.

You need to decide how large/small a hoop house you want. You need a level location that will not produce standing water. You can have a dirt floor or gravel floor. You can put a cover down on the dirt.

I used electrical pvc that is gray - it handles UV light better.

I will give you the cheap version. Get 1 1/4 inch electrical PVC and get two lengths. Do not glue them - just put duct tape on them now. You take two pieces of rebar. Drive one piece in the ground and with the two joints together, stick one end of the PVC on the rebar and slide it down.

Now is when you determine the appropriate width. Bend the PVC over and determine what width you might have. I would recommend a height of 7 feet in the center of this arch. You can determine your center height - it can get hot inside and a little head room is to your advantage.

If twenty feet of PVC don't give you an appropriate width, you can add or take away length. This ain't rocket science. You will likely cut the PVC to dial in the width you want.

I recommend you place your hoops 4 feet apart. I recommend you have a center post on each end. I recommend you run a 2 by 4 from each of these center post to support the hoops at their highest point.

Down each side I recommend you put a 2 by 6 treated to stake down and to attach the hoops to.

You need a cover and your choices are white or clear. Clear is a danger to your plants IMHO. I am buying clear but I have a 55% black shade cloth on my greenhouse which limits the harshness of the sunlight for young plants. I will put my clear cover over the shade cloth.

You can put a hip board down each side like I built with my greenhouse. This would allow you to raise the skirt on the sides in warmer weather. This improves air circulation - plants need fresh air and it manages temperatures better.

You attach the ends to a 2 by 6 on the ground or you can hay bales or 4 by 4s to hold the plastic down. The cheapest method is to use heavy plastic claps and roll the cover together at the post and clamp it.

If I had a center 2 by 4 and two 2 by 4 on each side as a hip boards, then I would run a good rope from end to end to hold the cover down in strong wind.

How many plants? The answer to that dictates how large a greenhouse / hoop house you want.

Mine is a nice greenhouse with water and electricity. I could have gone the cheap route but I wanted it to serve and to last.

The hoop house I have described here can be taken down or left up year round.

Now I am doing the plants in the hoop house for the first time. I expect my DCO in trays to get into the greenhouse in March. Maybe around the 20th. We shall see on that.

When I put my hoops up - they were glued. When you test and measure, they are not glued.

I hope I didn't confuse you too much. You need to read my greenhouse thread - it has plenty of photos to show the process. Get on YouTube and view how others built their greenhouses / hoop houses.

Give me your questions - I will do the best I can. Just number them so I can follow them correctly and not overlook one or two.

 

[Jason Broom]

I was thinking about making a very small hoop house for the nuts and RM18 trays to spend the winter in?

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[wbpdeer]

Broom,

Myself, I would be very hesitant to put rootmaker 18s inside a small hoop house for the entire winter unless I had some emergency heat. The rootmaker 18 cell is small and is by design promoting as much air to the roots as possible. If that air is cold enough we can kill those roots.

On the flip side, if the hoop house gets extremely hot say in the high 80s - low 90s we can fry those same roots.

I think more experience users on here might be able to shed some light on this plan.

Will I put rootmaker 18s in my greenhouse, yes in the spring and summer when I can check them every single day. I have a fan and temperature controlled vent to exhaust heat.

I just want you to think it thru before you jump and lose your DCO or other plants. Blitz who sells the DCO might be able to give you advice.

If you use a cover on a hoop house without any supplemental heat - at night the ambient temperature and the temp inside the hoop house will become the same. If the sun gets bright and the ambient temps are 70, in the day that hoop house can be 20 to 30 degrees higher. Size of house, type of cover, ventilation, floor of hoop house all contribute to variation in temps.

 

[Jason Broom]

OK, so that's not what I want, at all. Looks like I'm going to be digging a pit and buying some mulch.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Why not refrigerate them in express trays?

bill

 

[Jason Broom]

Why not refrigerate them in express trays?

bill

I don't have the room, unfortunately. I've got two extra freezers, but those are for venison!