Thinning Sawtooth Oaks

[cutman]

My dad planted these sawtooths in 2000, and to me it looks like they should be thinned. Ideally I would cut every other tree down, but in this case that would leave some crappy trees and remove good ones. Should I just cut the weak looking trees and let nature do the rest?

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[buckdeer1]

How far apart?I may be wrong but I would leave them.I have many planted about like that and unless you can spade and move after a couple years then mine stay.I lost several to canker a couple years ago so that let me have them come back from stump sprout

 

[KDdid]

Since they're not shading each other much, I'd leave them alone. If you're concerned about competition for fertility, you could always fertilize them.


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[Nebraskaz71]

I dunno if i'd do anything?

 

[DrDirtNap]

They look good to me. How far apart are they?


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[cutman]

I think 20 feet. Maybe I will just trim the lower branches so I can bush hog around the trees easier. Thanks.

 

[THE LLC]

I'd prune some lower limbs and leave them alone other than that.

 

[wbpdeer]

Cutman,

If they are all bearing I would not cull any. I would certainly prune any limits that caused me issues when I ran the bush hog.

They were well planted and are not shading each other out. Prune the limbs needed and fertilize them appropriately.

They look good to me - most wish they were so lucky.

 

[cutman]

Just did round one of lower limb pruning. I was pretty conservative but I think they turned out pretty good. Now I have to go clean up my mess.

 

[lakngolf]

These are year 2006 Sawtooth oaks that I have been pruning lately. They have produced well but needed a haircut. I just dropped the lower limbs and piled them in ditch with FEL on tractor. I thought today that they were pretty close but doing well.
Looks like I should get one more limb on that front one

 

[wbpdeer]

Lak

They look good. I hope in 10 years mine look close to that good.

Wayne

 

[Nebraskaz71]

Good lord, mine going on year three is still only 3ft tall and as big as a pencil

 

[Fish]

Its a toss up. I am more prone to thinning these days. With room to grow on two sides, youre not going to hurt for production.
I do see one with a very low fork. Many of mine will split along a fissure like that. So you might have to cull some eventually anyway.

 

[lakngolf]

Good lord, mine going on year three is still only 3ft tall and as big as a pencil

These have done well at the head of a drainage area

 

[lakngolf]

I returned to the scene of the crime and took off that limb that was missed on first run:

 

[Charlieyca]

How well do these bear at age 15?

 

[cutman]

Very well. Mine (planted in 2000) have been bearing for years now. The deer practically fight each other over them.