How to Plant Oak Trees

The oak trees are mostly found in the northern hemisphere of the earth i.e. in the cold or the temperate regions. The genus of the oak 'Quercus', has around 400 species which are either deciduous or evergreen in nature. The oak tree bears fruits in the form of nuts which are known as acorns. These are enclosed in hard structures called cupules, and are cup-shaped.

The planting process of the oak involves the collection of the oak fruits, storing them, planting them in pots and finally transplanting the saplings. The fruits of oaks generally ripen between late August and September, though the ripening time varies from three to fours weeks.

Collection of Acorns

In the United States, collection of the nuts is done in late September through November. Since it is difficult to locate acorns under the thick layers of litter in the forests, it is better to find an oak that is adjacent to lawns or parking lots. Picking the acorns becomes easier in such localities.

Storing the Acorns

There is danger of the fruits losing their vigor or germination capacity if dried out or heated up. Thus, care needs to be taken for their storage. The different types of oaks such as white oaks, chestnut, but and swamp oaks don't require storage. It is possible to plant them immediately; however, other species like the red oaks need a complete season to be able to germinate. The nuts remain dormant during this period.

Since it is necessary to prevent the fruits from drying up, they should be stored in polythene bags mixed with damp sawdust or peat. These bags are ideal for storage because oxygen and carbon dioxide permeate these bags while moisture is restricted. The bags are to be placed in refrigerators and a temperature of around 40^oF has to be maintained. The acorns of the red oak need to be refrigerated approximately for about 42 days or 1000 hrs.

Planting Oak Tree Acorns

The procedure of planting is carried out step by step i.e. potting the acorns followed by transplanting the saplings. Since the white oak acorns don't undergo dormancy, they are planted immediately after collection. The red oaks are usually planted in April. The procedure of potting and transplanting however, for both the species remains the same.

Potting
Pots with a one-gallon capacity should be used for planting the acorns. They should provide proper drainage for any excess water. The soil in the container should be kept moist and well aerated. Sowing should be done at a depth, that is half the width of a single acorn nut.

Transplanting
The oak tree planting should be done when the first leaves appear. There is a possibility of the roots outgrowing the container and entering the soil present below. Thus, transplanting needs to be done as early as possible. The hole prepared for transplanting the seedling should be twice as big as the container, in terms of dimensions. While transplanting the seedling, care should be taken to maintain the root crown at the surface. The soil around the seedling should be properly tamped after enough watering.

The oak tree is considered a symbol of strength and endurance. It has been chosen as the national tree of as many as 12 countries, including the United States and England. The tree has been given importance in different mythologies such as the Celtic, Norse and the Classical. The oak tree is thus, considered an important part of earth.