# Burr oak storage



## loamy (Sep 26, 2011)

Does anyone know the safest way to stratify Bur Oak acorns? I'm getting so much conflicting info from my books etc. One says- Cold moist stratification for the winter. Another says warm moist until radicle emerges, then a period of cold. 
The third says not to let dry out, then warm for 15 days, then cold stratify for 90-120 days. (but this guy doesn't mention to stratify with moisture or not.

I already did the float test and all are sound. This tree looks to be around 150 years old, so.........i really don't want to lose these acorns.


any input would help

thanks


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## burroak (Sep 27, 2011)

Best way is to just stick them in the ground in the fall and protect them from the squirrels with chickenwire or something like that.

Or, you can put them in a container with a mixture of moist soil and leaves and stick them in the refridgerator until next spring. Check on them periodically over the winter to make sure there's some moisture in the soil/leaf mixture. You're trying not to let them dry out. Once the weather gets warm in the spring, put them in the ground. It will take atleast a couple months before you see any growth. I have done the "refridgerator method" before with several types of oaks, and the burr oak was the slowest to germinate. The ones that I planted directly in the ground in the fall grew faster than all the other types of oak I planted.

I never had any luck with this method you mentioned: "Another says warm moist until radicle emerges, then a period of cold." I was able to get the white oaks to start a root, but the burr oaks never did. Of course I may have done it wrong.

Hope this helps!


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## thescienceguy (Sep 28, 2011)

loamy said:


> Does anyone know the safest way to stratify Bur Oak acorns? I'm getting so much conflicting info from my books etc. One says- Cold moist stratification for the winter. Another says warm moist until radicle emerges, then a period of cold.
> The third says not to let dry out, then warm for 15 days, then cold stratify for 90-120 days. (but this guy doesn't mention to stratify with moisture or not.
> 
> I already did the float test and all are sound. This tree looks to be around 150 years old, so.........i really don't want to lose these acorns.
> ...




Not trying to be argumentive, but what are you trying to do? Your title is Bur Oak Storage, and your post is about stratification. 

Bur oak do not need any stratification. In the few research articles I was able to find on the net, germination rate decreased with any kind of stratification. The only method that increased germination rates was soaking the acorns in water for a period of time before planting. And it seems as there was only one trial of the variable.

Jim


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## bug busters (Oct 11, 2011)

The most important thing with burr oak is keeping the seed moist but not soaked.


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