Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Monday - January 16, 2012
From: Tylertown, MS
Region: Southeast
Topic: Seeds and Seeding, Trees
Title: Fertilizing oaks to produce acorns
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Will fertilizing oak trees help with acorn production?ANSWER:
You can read the answer to your question in an almost identical previous question, but I will paste in the relevant part of that answer here:
"There is a great deal of controversy about whether fertilizing oak trees influences their ability to produce more acorns. Indeed, there are some sources (e.g., Whitetail Stewards Inc.) that say not to waste your time and money fertilizing oaks since there are so many factors that can affect the amount of oak mast produced in any year—rainfall, genetics, general humidity, timing of late frosts, pest infestations, etc. Additionally, the production of large crops of acorns tends to be cyclic. Producing a heavy crop of acorns one year usually results in several years with a lower production. For red oaks this can be a 5-7 year cycle and for white oaks it may be a 3-5 year cycle. For a thorough discussion of the unpredictability of acorn crops see Improving acorn production - Part I: Factors affecting acorn production of oaks from Whitetail Stewards, Inc.
Most professionals seem to agree on at least one strategy for improving the amount of oak mast—that is to insure that the oaks that appear to be the best producers are not crowded. Trees around these high yield trees may need to be thinned so that they are not competing for sunlight and water. Outdoor Life has an informative article, Mast Production--In a Nutshell, that gives a short lesson in oak biology and how to manage them. The U.S. Forest Service North Central Forest Experiment Station has recommendations on How to Manage Oak Forests for Acorn Production.
If you still think you would like to fertilize your oaks, it certainly is not likely to harm them. What kind of fertilizer should you use? You can see in the answer to a previous question about fertilizing oaks, that recommendations from professional landscapers varies. Some say use a 'standard' fertilizer, while others recommend a 8-2-4 compost-based or a 5-10-5 mixture. (The numbers refer to percentages of nitrogen, phosporus, and potassium.)"
More Seeds and Seeding Questions
Growing non-native grapefruit from seeds from Austin
April 30, 2013 - Can you grow ruby red grapefruit trees from seeds?
view the full question and answer
How to sow Eves Necklace seeds.
October 03, 2007 - I have recently acquired some Eve's Necklace seed pods. In order to plant them, do I need to open the pod to get to the seed, or do I just plant the pod? Should I soak or scarify the pod/seed?
view the full question and answer
Cold stratification of Rudbeckcia maxima from Birdeye AR
August 08, 2013 - How long do I cold stratify Rudbeckia maxima seeds that I wild harvested? Can I put them in the freezer instead of fridge?
Do I need to make sure they are completely dry before cold strat?
view the full question and answer
Grasses for a prairie in southeast Texas
September 30, 2013 - We have a small place (about 100 acres) in Colorado County, Texas, on the Colorado River north of the town of Weimar. We are gradually clearing (bulldozing) the woods of cedars. One particular spot ...
view the full question and answer
Low, Easy Care Perennials for Lake Ontario Shore Planting
October 04, 2015 - I'm on Lake Ontario in New York. I have a lake bank slope, that’s about 1/8 mile long and about 40 feet high, and is on about a 40 degree angle. It is very hard to keep clear. The bank has just been ...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |
