As I left my dentist's office a few hours ago I noticed the ground was covered with acorns. Picked up two and figured I would stuff them in the ground when I got home, keep them watered, and see what happens. My recent escapades with Eastern Redbud Seeds has been less than positive but hope springs eternal. Anything else I can do to encourage nature to take its course?
Bobby
My first thought is to plant the seeds in a controlled environment in small seeding pots inside then transplant to natures earth and let take over. Think of it as a cooperative effort to propagate nature’s beauty and wonder. Brad
Some things don't like being transplanted. Some spend the winter growing a root before heading above ground in spring. I'd check on the details.
This isn't the voice of experience: Would filing/sawing a small slit/nick/?? [to let moisture in] be a good? ... or a bad thing?
[I'm thinking about clover being scarified pre-seeding. https://www.bing.com/search?FORM=ARPSEC&PC=ARPL&PTAG=30256&q=scarify%20seeds ]
Acorns are my nemesis!!! I use the blower to put em in piles and then shovel em up. This year I had 27 wheelbarrows of acorns in my yard and the deer a camp won’t eat em. I feed the deer at home all winter, which I enjoy watching, but yes………..I hate freakin acorns!!! BTW, never had a new oak tree in my yard in 13 years.
Slammer!!!
After planting the acorns in the ground, go out every night at midnight and hold a clear quartz crystal over the planted spot. Move the crystal in a clockwise circle over the acorns 50 times while looking up at a single star of your choice. Do this for 30 straight days. They should begin to grow nicely before too long.
Joe
quote:
Originally posted by cottontopAfter planting the acorns in the ground, go out every night at midnight and hold a clear quartz crystal over the planted spot. Move the crystal in a clockwise circle over the acorns 50 times while looking up at a single star of your choice. Do this for 30 straight days. They should begin to grow nicely before too long.
Joe
Ok, I feel like you are making this up. Everyone knows its rose quartz and go counterclockwise.
Best of luck with the baby oaks, Bobby.
I found this … yeah, “I’m a Believer” à la The Monkees. (note the advice re music)
Thanks for the serious advice and help and the humorous as well. Yes, I am planning on putting them in a smaller container so I can manage them more efficiently and effectively, I hope. The Red Bud seed had to be scarified, (placed in water for 48 hours), and stratified, (placed in refrigerator for 6 - 8 weeks). Took six seed out and planted them and only one germinated. Lot of work for little reward.
Here's hoping.
Bobby
I would raise a few small pigs on those acorns to eat later. sell a couple of hogs, and hopefully it will offset costs of the young pigs and care. I love pork products from pigs that eat or finish on acorns. They produce iberico hams, really expensive, from them in Spain. Brad
Lot of work for little reward. ???
I try to take the opposite approach. We had/have some dates from the mid-East. I took a couple of seeds and poked them into one of my wife's pots of flowers.
IF something sprouts I'll let her in on it and turn the project over to her. 
Regardless, good luck with the one.
[And if you run out of acorns, I hear slammer has some to spare.]
Edited by - Owen on 11/20/2025 07:05:28
quote:
Originally posted by rinembI would raise a few small pigs on those acorns to eat later. sell a couple of hogs, and hopefully it will offset costs of the young pigs and care. I love pork products from pigs that eat or finish on acorns. They produce iberico hams, really expensive, from them in Spain. Brad
I have to be careful with my pigs, cuz they'll eat absolutely anything that falls in the pen.
I processed 13 rabbits yesterday and the pigs tore through the guts like Rosie O'Donnel at the buffet.
Important safety tip: If you have to go in the pen, bring a stick and don't stand still for too long!
AL is adjacent to MS. This should help.
extension.msstate.edu/publicat...seedlings
Iowa, for another perspective.
extension.iastate.edu/news/yar...ng-acorns
And yes, there are at least two main types of oak, and they germinate in different ways on different schedules.
quote:
Originally posted by BobbyEMy recent escapades with Eastern Redbud Seeds has been less than positive but hope springs eternal. Anything else I can do to encourage nature to take its course?
Bobby
A few years ago, I got a couple of Eastern Redbud trees, planted by my landscaper, Mother Nature. What happens sometimes when you let it be. I got a catalpa that way, now about 60 feet high.
quote:
Originally posted by rinembMy first thought is to plant the seeds in a controlled environment in small seeding pots inside then transplant to natures earth and let take over. Think of it as a cooperative effort to propagate nature’s beauty and wonder. Brad
I tried that with a buckeye once and the taproot hit the bottom of the pot so fast I was stunned (and it died). Planted some in the ground however about 5" deep in rich soil by the creek and I have some nice trees.
Edited by - Mad Hornet on 11/20/2025 10:57:21
I built the house I live in 21 years ago. My father in law who owned a tree service tried to convince me to cut down a small scragly fir that he called a "Charlie Brown tree" because it was so spindly and ugly.
The place had just been logged prior to our purchase and the "Charlie Brown tree" was one of the mandated "leave trees" the loggers left behind to comply with regulations governing logging in WA.
There weren't many trees left on the place and I wanted it for shade, so the tree stayed right where they left it until today. This morning I paid $1000 to have the tree cut down, the branches chipped and hauled off, and the log cut into firewood rounds. The price included grinding the 36" stump to 6" below finished grade. My father in law's grandson now runs the tree service. Anybody else would probably have charged double.
The tree had 2 tops with a split between them and it was obvious that it was going to break eventually. The last windstorm sent a big branch sailing within a couple feet of one of our bird pens. I suspect the next storm would have resulted in more damage. The tree was only about 30 ft. from my house. It was time.
It took 21 years but the old geezer finally gets to say, "I told you so!" I'm just glad he's still around to harass me.
I'm sitting in here typing this and procrastinating when I should be out rolling firewood rounds into the tractor bucket and hauling them to the woodshed where I will have to split and stack the entire tree.
As I'm sure you all know, procrastination is the vital first step in any process that is certain to cause copious amounts of sweat and back pain.
Oh look... It's lunchtime already! Maybe I'll get to the tree this afternoon.
quote:
Originally posted by slammerAcorns are my nemesis!!! I use the blower to put em in piles and then shovel em up. This year I had 27 wheelbarrows of acorns in my yard and the deer a camp won’t eat em. I feed the deer at home all winter, which I enjoy watching, but yes………..I hate freakin acorns!!! BTW, never had a new oak tree in my yard in 13 years.
Slammer!!!
I'm with you Slammer ...... hate them. My yard is so thick with them that my grass doesn't have room to grow. after a few weeks on the ground they start putting down a root into the soil and by spring I have tiny Oak trees all over my yard and everywhere else. After enough mowings they will eventually give up, but they make my yard look awful.
quote:
Originally posted by cottontopAfter planting the acorns in the ground, go out every night at midnight and hold a clear quartz crystal over the planted spot. Move the crystal in a clockwise circle over the acorns 50 times while looking up at a single star of your choice. Do this for 30 straight days. They should begin to grow nicely before too long.
Joe
You can grow banjos this way too.
After reading all the problems oaks and acorns cause, and having second thoughts, I am fully expecting both acorns to germinate into beautiful young trees in record time.
Bobby
