Gardens
How to Grow Oak Trees from Acorns
Late fall is the perfect time of year to collect acorns to grown into mighty oak trees. Learn how to grow oak trees from acorns with these easy instructions.
By Shelley Wigglesworth|Oct 03 2022|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine KeenanHow to Grow Oak Trees from Acorns
After inspecting the collected acorns, place them in a mixture of 1/2 peat and 1/2 loose barley in a clear zip-lock plastic food storage bag. Do not crowd the acorns. They should be loose in the mixture and the bag should not be more than half-full. Seal the bag and store it in the refrigerator throughout the winter. Periodically check the moisture level — it should be damp, but not wet. At some point during the winter, the acorns should split open and white sprouts should begin to appear and grow.
Photo Credit : Pixabay
When to Plant Acorns
In early spring (late March to early April), fill individual plant pots with clean potting soil. Place the sprouted acorns horizontally in the soil about 1 1/2 inches deep and water. Place the pots in a south-facing window or under an artificial light source and keep the soil moist. During the next few weeks, the acorns will sprout into a sapling, with a few tiny, yet visible oak leaves. As the trees grow, transplant them into larger containers. Do not allow the trees to become root bound, or dried out. You may keep your trees in plant pots indefinitely, or until they have reached a desired size to plant outside. Before planting them in the ground, introduce the trees slowly to the outdoors by placing them in cooler areas such as on a porch or in an unheated sunroom, shed or garage for a few days at a time. Transplant them outside in the early fall before danger of frost. This post was first published in 2012 and has been updated.
How many acorns should I put per bag? If I’m using standard sandwich bags?
Acorns should be loose in the the bag in the mixture of ½ peat and ½ loose barley and the bag should not be more than ½ full. I would estimate no more than 10 acorns per bag. Have fun!
Could an unheated garage or a freezer be used? Or stick with just the refrigerator?
You’ll get the best result with the refrigerator. The freezer will kill them dead. The unheated garage would be second best, but the temperature will be variable, some may freeze, warm snaps may make them rot or sprout prematurely. Believe me the refrigerator is best.
They sow themselves by the bundle!
It’s easier to let nature select and stratify the acorns for you. Look around your yard in March or April and dig up any oak trees that have sprouted. Get them early before the tap root has gone too deep. Transplant them into a tree tube or orchard box to give plenty of vertical space to grow before growing out to their final size
I have started many Black Walnut and some Butternut trees from seed. The ratio is poor, about 20 trees out of 400. I put them in potting soil trays after removing the outer casings, winter them over in a cool cellar, bring them out in the spring in the shade, water them and hope for the best. They start to pop out after about 2-3 months (be patient some have started after 10 months. I transplant into pails with the same type of soil. When they get bigger transplant to my garden to continue growth. I’ve given about 10 away from MA to upper VT / ME. Have about 15 more to give away when they get bigger. BUT watch out the BW give off a toxin which plants nearby will not grow. I’ll get them out of my garden in time for vegs. I’ll be trying the same with Apple, Pear, Peaches.
I have a Blue Oak (Quercus douglasii) That I have in our front yard – several years ago, I started an acorn – one gallon – moved that to a 5 gallon and now in a 15 gallon – want to put it in a 24″ box – what is the best soil mix to use?
I have collected 17 acorns which I want to plant in pots to sprout and grow over the winter then transplant to the ground in the spring. What steps should I follow
Oak trees have a MASSIVE root system that you are containing. Therefore the tree will not be its strongest and healthiest. I see you ask this question 6 years ago so it may already have died.
Which end do I plant? Also, should I tke them out or leave them in their little hairy blanket?
My oak seedlings grow great to a height of about eight inches. Leaves turn pale and fall off. If “damping off” occurs at ground level,” what is THIS?
If the leaves turn yellow except for green veins, it’s probably chlorosis due to lack of iron or too high pH. I’m running into the beginning stages of the same issue and started them on a houseplant fertilizer with chelated iron and add a few tablespoons of vinegar to the water. Hopefully that will solve the problem.
I have 20 acres and want to plant oaks along my southern border. Why not simply plant the ones I picked up in town along the property line, and let them sprout naturally? I’ll plant 20 and hope for 5 trees!
I did this with my second grade class. The problem is mold also grew with the sprouted acorns. Can I still plant them?
Some of my students found some that were already sprouting roots. I planted it in early October, and several weeks later it is about 16cm with four relatively large leaves and one smaller one. Do you think it will still be okay even though it didn’t get that dormant time in the refrigerator? I’m hoping to plant it outside our school towards the end of the school year.
Not all species of oak require the months of cold stratification. It’s either pin oaks or White Oaks. I’ve been having trouble finding viable acorns. So awesome that you have and that you’re doing this with your students
why do these acorns have points at the bottom?
That’s where the root & shoot emerge. Plant them with the pointy end facing sideways.
how do I plant the acorns without having to put it in a pot?
My granddaughter collected 4 acorns and I float tested them and then put them in a baggy in the fridge over winter. This spring they had already started rooting so put them in soil in decomposable pots. They are doing great