How to grow Dwarf Chinkapin Oaks (DCOs) from seed

[Jason Broom]

This morning, with the help of my lovely wife, I performed the following steps. Please correct me if I went astray.

1) I dug a hole long enough and wide enough for 4 RM18 trays and placed them in it. (72 nuts with radicles already growing)
2) Covered the trays with landscaping fabric.
3) Raked 4 to 5 inches of leaves over the top.
4) (Plan to) cover the leaves with 1/4" welded wire hardware cloth.

Water once in a while, if nature does not provide (they were moist when buried). Dig them up around the end of February and place them in the bay window for some morning sun.

Thoughts? Comments? Rude suggestions?

 

[wbpdeer]

Get the hardware cloth on them ASAP without delay. The nose of critters is not to be underestimated!!!!

I am concerned about the 4 to 5 inches of leaves. I suggest you contact Blitz or read his materials. I don't believe he recommends that amount 4 or 5 inches.

Is the location you dug in full sun - it will freeze and thwart the cycles repeats itself.

I have always read to select an area in the shade - so once frozen it tends to stay frozen.

I am just trying to help. I hope you grow a bunch of 'em.

 

[Jason Broom]

This is a spot that stays shaded almost all day, so the temp should be stable.

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[Jason Broom]

I removed the leaves and landscape fabric, confirmed there was no top growth (despite the warm temps), then watered the cells and covered it all back up, including the 1/4 inch hardware cloth, this time. The temps have since cooled and, yes, the spot is one that should get cold and stay that way.

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[wbpdeer]

I removed the leaves and landscape fabric, confirmed there was no top growth (despite the warm temps), then watered the cells and covered it all back up, including the 1/4 inch hardware cloth, this time. The temps have since cooled and, yes, the spot is one that should get cold and stay that way.

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Jason,

Sounds like you are in great shape. The hardware cloth is important. I think you will have some great photos to share come spring time.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[wbpdeer]

Blitz,

I need some guidance. I stuck the DCO in soil on October 26th. They had been in the fridge from the day they arrived prior to that. I got busy with bow season, greenhouse and lately building a walk in cooler. I put the DCO in rootmaker 18s and had lights on them for over two weeks before I turned the lights off.

I have maybe 1/3 of them with top growth. It is what it is. When the walk in cooler is done I will move them to that locations. My target temp is 34 or 35 degrees. Will the top growth be OK at those temps or will we experience die off and setback.

Sure want to salvage what I can. The temps in the grow box where they are currently located is mid to high 60s.

Thanks for any advice you can share.

 

[Blitz]

Blitz,

I need some guidance. I stuck the DCO in soil on October 26th. They had been in the fridge from the day they arrived prior to that. I got busy with bow season, greenhouse and lately building a walk in cooler. I put the DCO in rootmaker 18s and had lights on them for over two weeks before I turned the lights off.

I have maybe 1/3 of them with top growth. It is what it is. When the walk in cooler is done I will move them to that locations. My target temp is 34 or 35 degrees. Will the top growth be OK at those temps or will we experience die off and setback.

Sure want to salvage what I can. The temps in the grow box where they are currently located is mid to high 60s.

Thanks for any advice you can share.

 

[Blitz]

Wayne,

The target temp of 34-35 degrees in your walk-in cooler is perfect. Don't go any lower and make sure that you watch the moisture. At these temps your top growth won't experience any die-back since it's above freezing.
The temps in your grow box are a little high and encourage top growth once above 60 degrees. The sooner you can move them to your walk-in cooler, the better. Or, can you adjust the thermometer in your grow box to a lower temp in the meantime?

 

[wbpdeer]

Wayne,

The target temp of 34-35 degrees in your walk-in cooler is perfect. Don't go any lower and make sure that you watch the moisture. At these temps your top growth won't experience any die-back since it's above freezing.
The temps in your grow box are a little high and encourage top growth once above 60 degrees. The sooner you can move them to your walk-in cooler, the better. Or, can you adjust the thermometer in your grow box to a lower temp in the meantime?

Blitz,

The walk-in cooler will be a dark environment. Will the top growth that has already occurred wilt or die back without light?

Thanks for your guidance.

 

[Blitz]

Wayne,

There's a possibility that the darkness will result in die back. If you want to be on the safe side, use a cheap fluorescent shop light with one bright white and one cool white light bulb using a vacation timer. Give it about 8-10 hours of light a day. Hope that helps. I forgot: Make sure that the light is about 6 inches above the plants. Run this cycle until you are ready to take them out of the cooler in the spring. Acclimatize the plants gradually to natural sun light.

 

[Blitz]

Use a 4 ft. shop light, just to clarify. That's the cheapest lighting fixture to set up.

 

[wbpdeer]

Blitz,

If I don't provide light in the cooler and the top growth dies, the DCO will rebound in time. Do you believe this first statement is how it will play out?

I am thinking the roots will continue to grow. Last year I grew five trays in a dedicated fridge with zero light. I did monitor the moisture.

I had rather avoid a shop light in the cooler if possible. I expect to wind up with about 6 trays of DCO before it is over.

 

[Williams111]

Hello,
I have read through this thread and haven't ran into any mention of heating mats. I got some DCO acorns this last fall. Stratified them then started them in RM18's with good well draining growing media. I have also started some regular Chinkapin acorns. They have almost all germinated and put on 4-8" of growth. I am watering with rain water and I have a heating pad under the trays. I also have a fan that runs for 2 hours a day. I have had a few of each variety all of the sudden have there leaves curl up and become crunchy and dye. Is there a chance the heating pad is drying them out or overheating them? When removing some of the dead seedlings to replace I saw that one of them had started to put up a new shoot from the roots. I've also got hazelnuts, chestnuts and sawtooth acorns growing in the same conditions. Thanks for any advice you can offer on this and for the original thread with all of the information that was provided!

 

[wbpdeer]

Bump - moving this up to give it some exposure.

wbpdeer

 

[wbpdeer]

Info on DCO Tree Numbers

1. How many forum users have DCO on their land?

2. How many trees are bearing nuts?

3. What state are your DCO trees in?

I will go first - I have DCO trees. Three in my yard-all bearing nuts. Northern Middle Tennessee.

Gonna plant 4 to 6 more in the yard in late September / early October.

wbpdeer

 

[yoderjac]

Info on DCO Tree Numbers

1. How many forum users have DCO on their land?

2. How many trees are bearing nuts?

3. What state are your DCO trees in?

I will go first - I have DCO trees. Three in my yard-all bearing nuts. Northern Middle Tennessee.

Gonna plant 4 to 6 more in the yard in late September / early October.

wbpdeer

I have a few that I grew from nuts in rootmakers. They had nuts after one year after field planting. I'm in central VA.

 

[TreeDaddy]

I love this tree

Finally have my own progeny from 4 to 5 trees on my place

I have 20 in 1 gal RBII now

They are more of a challenge ( to me) than chestnuts due to this " vernalization" thing

bill

 

[wbpdeer]

I love this tree

Finally have my own progeny from 4 to 5 trees on my place

I have 20 in 1 gal RBII now

They are more of a challenge ( to me) than chestnuts due to this " vernalization" thing

bill

TreeDaddy,

I believe DCO are more challenging than chestnut. At least they have been for me. But I have 3 good ones in my yard and I expect to plant 5 more with them. I have 11 good DCO I am watching grow in containers right now.

wbpdeer

 

[yoderjac]

TreeDaddy,

I believe DCO are more challenging than chestnut. At least they have been for me. But I have 3 good ones in my yard and I expect to plant 5 more with them. I have 11 good DCO I am watching grow in containers right now.

wbpdeer

I completely agree. I had less success with DCO than with chestnuts, but the ones that took are interesting wildlife trees.

 

[mattpatt]

I have a few. Here’s one that’s 15-16’ tall.

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