Starting dcos, sawtooth, hybrid white oak indoors

[Keith Nehrke]

I put my acorns into sphagnum and refrigerated them upon arrival/collection. I don't really have room to let the radicle emerge and plant individually without them freezing. Any thoughts on when I should aim to plant them in RM18 under the lights? I'm in WNY and it will be early May before they'll go outside. Do I need to allow them to have a period of cold after the radicle emerges for the shoot to grow? I did chestnut and red oak last year with great success; I'd like to maintain my batting average

 

[wbpdeer]

How to grow Dwarf Chinkapin Oaks (DCOs) from seed

The link above is a thread on this forum. "Blitz" is the original poster. He sells DCO out of Nebraska. He will be glad to help - he has helped a bunch of us with growing DCO. I think you need to check with him about your habitat zone and what to expect.

That thread will help you with the DCO. At least that takes care of 1/3 of your question.

Wayne

 

[Mahindra3016]

I planted around 60 gobbler sawtooth oak acorns in a raised garden bed, then put down hardware cloth to protect them from rodents. If i even get a few trees out of it i will be happy.

 

[dogdoc]

Your hybrid white do not need a cold stratification period. When I did sawtooths a couple of years ago I did a cold stratification for 60 days. As soon as pulled then out and put them 18s they germinated pretty quick. Some had developed a small radicle in the fridge. Once a radicle develops they do not need any more cold stratification for top growth. You can keep them in the cold to slow them down though until you are ready to put them in 18s. Once I am ready to pull them out of the fridge I wrap the acorns in a moist paper towel and then put them on a gallon ziploc. Put that on a south window and check them weekly. Once a radicle emerges then I transplant them to my 18s. I have no experience with DCO.

 

[Turkey Creek]

I put my acorns into sphagnum and refrigerated them upon arrival/collection. I don't really have room to let the radicle emerge and plant individually without them freezing. Any thoughts on when I should aim to plant them in RM18 under the lights? I'm in WNY and it will be early May before they'll go outside. Do I need to allow them to have a period of cold after the radicle emerges for the shoot to grow? I did chestnut and red oak last year with great success; I'd like to maintain my batting average

I have found it takes about 21 days for a DCO acorn with a radicle to send up top growth once planted indoors. You do not need to expose DCOs to another cold treatment once they have established a radicle.