How to Plant Acorns in a Pot
Acorns are the nuts of the oak tree and inside each acorn is an oak tree seed. Because acorns are so heavy, they aren't picked up on the wind and dispersed like many other seeds. Collecting the nuts and planting them in containers is an easy way to grow oak tree seedlings. The key to success is putting the acorns through a mock winter season prior to planting them in containers. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Pick acorns directly from oak trees. Acorns found on the ground will have dried out.
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Soak the acorns overnight in water. Soaking will rehydrate the seeds.
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Remove and discard any acorns that float after they have soaked. The ones that sink are generally the healthiest, pest-free, and the most viable acorns for planting
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Lay out the acorns in a single layer and allow them to dry for 30 minutes. This will reduce the chance that mold will grow on them.
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Place the dry acorns in a freezer bag and keep them in a refrigerator for a minimum of 60 days. This enables the acorns to go through an imitation winter season and will help them successfully germinate.
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Select pots that have drainage holes and ones that are deep enough to accommodate the taproots that will grow from the acorns. Pots that are 5 to 6 inches deep work well.
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Fill the pots with potting soil, leaving a space of two inches from the top.
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Place an acorn in each pot on its side.
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Cover the acorns with one inch of potting soil.
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Water the soil in the pots until a bit of water come out of the drainage holes.
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Provide 14 to 16 hours of sunlight or artificial light daily.
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Continue to water every three to four days until the acorn has sprouted.
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Transfer the seedlings to a sunny location when all danger of frost has passed.
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Tips & Warnings
When planting your seedlings in the ground, dig holes that are a foot wide and as deep as the pots they are being transferred from.
References
- Photo Credit MayaSimFam, GNU Free Documentation License, Wiki Commons
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Comments
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could you plant two together to make them intertwine? I have seen double oaks before and wonder if that is how it is done.
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This really worked and I now have 10 nice foot tall oak trees to transplant now that the likely hood of frost is done.
