Everything Acorns

[guygodwin]

Hello everyone, I registered for this website because I have several questions related to acorns and acorn dropping.

My main focus our White Oaks.

1.) What are the key factors to determine the mast prop for a given year?

2.) What triggers acorns to drop? Temperature, first frost, Moon phase?

3,) Do acorns drop before most leaves colors change?

4.) Is it true, that trees produce acorns during stressful years?

5.) What can I do to help my White Oaks produce more acorns?

 

[ATH]

1) Spring weather is the biggie. If there is no frost to knock back the flowers, you have a good chance to have more acorns. Wind and precip at pollination time also play a big role. However, if the tree enters into a drought period, they may drop acorns early to support other vital functions. Trees in the Red oak group, you have to look back to the previous spring as they take 2 years for the acorns to mature. Beyond all of that, some trees just produce better than others, and most trees have a cycle...sometimes 3 years, sometimes 7 years.

2) I assume acorn drop is triggered by the tree's dormancy. Dormancy is triggered by photo period - or how long the day is (well....technically longer nights do it, not shorter days - but since shorter days=longer nights, that is a little more nerdy than we need to be here!)

3) Yes...acorns generally drop before leaf fall - but that can certainly be variable.

4) Yes...trees can produce acorns during stressful years. Generally, probably less, but they can still produce. Remember that the red oak group take 2 years...so if 2012 was a good spring/summer, the trees are already on their way to a good crop and a stressful 2013 might not have as much impact on those.

5) To get more acorns, help the trees get bigger crowns....in other words, thin out surrounding trees. Fertilization hasn't been shown on a consistent basis to work.

 

[sgreanbeans]

Just curious, why do you want more?

 

[climberjones]

Just curious, why do you want more?

I will bet he is a deer hunter!

 

[ATH]

I will bet he is a deer hunter!

Especially with specific mention of white oak - that was my assumption too.

 

[Limbrat]

"4.) Is it true, that trees produce acorns during stressful years?"

It seems that most nut producing trees seem to bare when stressed. I know folks who used to beat pecan trees with chains and swore they outproduced the
ones that were left alone. Sounds a lot like raising kids!!!!