acorns

[jared herbert]

Just wondering how big or maybe old a red oak or burr oak has to be in order to produce acorns. I have planted a few over the years that are from 2 feet to 12 feet and have never seen an acorn. Does any one have experience on this? THanks Jared

[Andrew Fleck]

Your looking at a minimum of 20 years old before it starts producing. Sometimes they can take much longer than that.

[Brian Elfert]

You want acorns? I had so many acorns this fall I had to shovel them off my driveway. Some folks I know picked up a dozen trash cans full of them.

[Bill Huber]

I have a Red Oak in my front yard, it was planted when I moved in as a small tree and it is now 8 years old and put out tons of the things.

I read what Andrew said about the 20 years but I wish my tree knew that.

[Andrew Fleck]

I have a Red Oak in my front yard, it was planted when I moved in as a small tree and it is now 8 years old and put out tons of the things.

I read what Andrew said about the 20 years but I wish my tree knew that.

That's interesting Bill. Maybe climate plays a significant role in acorn production. Everything I have read about them says 20 years. My Dad and I planted some Oaks about 15 years ago that still haven't produced any acorns. That was in Pennsylvania though.

[Bill Huber]

That's interesting Bill. Maybe climate plays a significant role in acorn production. Everything I have read about them says 20 years. My Dad and I planted some Oaks about 15 years ago that still haven't produced any acorns. That was in Pennsylvania though.

I don't get it, the one next door is just like it only a little smaller and it has none, in fact it is a 2 years older then mine. The tree is not that big, it is about 8" in diameter, it is a nice looking tree but the acorns are a real pain.

The only thing I can think that may have made a difference is I had Scotts yard servers for about 2 years and maybe it was something they put down.

[Fred Perreault]

This doesn't answer the age question, but there is info here from the U. Illinois Extension Service

http://web.extension.illinois.edu/askextension/thisQuestion.cfm?ThreadID=20139&catID=195&AskSiteID=87

[Bill Huber]

This doesn't answer the age question, but there is info here from the U. Illinois Extension Service

http://web.extension.illinois.edu/askextension/thisQuestion.cfm?ThreadID=20139&catID=195&AskSiteID=87

That did answer a lot, my tree was about 5 years old when it started.

3) If your oak is in the red oak family, then you can typically expect heavier acorn crops every 3-5 years.

Thanks....

[Jim Rimmer]

This doesn't answer the age question, but there is info here from the U. Illinois Extension Service

http://web.extension.illinois.edu/askextension/thisQuestion.cfm?ThreadID=20139&catID=195&AskSiteID=87

That reall clears it up. May be genetic, may be age, may be weather, may be insects, may be prior land use. It's a crap shoot, sounds like. :D

[ray hampton]

maybe that species need more than one tree to pollinate each other

[Ron Kurzius]

I have two red oaks and the squirrels take care of 90% of that problem.

Get some squirrels.

[Lee Schierer]

Your looking at a minimum of 20 years old before it starts producing. Sometimes they can take much longer than that.

The red oak in my side yard grew from an acorn from our 35 year old tree and is less than 20 years old and it has had acorns for several years. We get a bumper crop of them from our two trees every 3-4 years.

[Bill Cunningham]

I would love to have someone local say "hey you want some buckets of acorns?" A replenished pile under your deer hunting tree stand will provide good venison for your freezer.. Particularly in areas that don't have a lot of oaks were they get their fill naturally..

[ray hampton]

I would love to have someone local say "hey you want some buckets of acorns?" A replenished pile under your deer hunting tree stand will provide good venison for your freezer.. Particularly in areas that don't have a lot of oaks were they get their fill naturally..

are the locals allow to harvest acorns and other fruit that fall to the ground in city/state parks

[Bill Cunningham]

We don't have a lot of oaks locally Ray.. I wish we did.. I just spent a week in N.E Ontario ATV'ing, and there were lots of Oaks, I just never thought to collect them.. You could hear them dropping on the resort cottage roof night and day.. Something to remember for next year..ha..