How to plant an oak tree from a seedling. Growing oak from an acorn in the garden. Watering oak and fertilizing

Oak red

soil mixture

Slightly acidic, neutral soil (pH 5.5 - 7.5) is preferred. The mixture is prepared from sand, peat and turf in a ratio of 2:1:2. Be sure to need drainage from fine gravel, 10-20 cm thick.

top dressing

In the spring they fertilize with nitrogen and organic fertilizers (for example, ammonium nitrate - 15-20g, cow dung - 1kg, urea - 10g, per bucket of water), in early autumn - complex (for example, nitroammophos, at the rate of 15-20g per bucket of water ).

Watering

Water the plant abundantly when planting and the next few days after. He is not afraid of drought, however, if the summer turned out to be dry, watering is necessary, especially for young animals. Water consumption - 1 bucket per square meter of crown projection.

loosening

Minimal tillage - weeding and loosening to a depth of 20-25cm.

Mulching

Every year in the autumn with a layer of peat compost, shavings 8-12 cm.

pruning

Dry branches and excess young shoots are periodically removed.

Pests

Diseases

Fungal diseases - Powdery mildew, spotting, cancerous diseases, Necrosis. Ornamental varieties are often affected by frost, especially young ones. Such places are disinfected and treated with garden pitch.

Preparing for winter

Leaf cleaning, mulching. The trunks of young animals in the first years of life are wrapped with 1-2 layers of burlap. Mature plants tolerate winter well and do not need protection.

The choice of trees for planting on the site takes into account the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe territory, the preferences of the owner. For many generations of the same family, oak will be a symbol of longevity, strength, and power, especially since many types of this tree can grow in different climatic zones. In addition to the beauty of the trunk, carved leaves, the oak has a powerful branching crown, under which all representatives of a large family can gather at a wide table. It is good to relax under the canopy of a tree, to admire its colorful colors in autumn.

More than six hundred species have a powerful oak tree. They differ in the structure of the crown, leathery leaves, their colors. Many of them are used in the design of city parks and squares, backyard territories. In addition to the mighty beauty, the tree has a lot of useful properties. Oak bark is used to treat inflammation of the mucous membrane of various human organs. Even after standing near the oak for some time, you can calm down, put your nervous system in order.

The resistance of the tree to adverse climatic conditions is known. After all, he is not afraid of gusty winds, bitter frosts, severe drought. Among the best varieties of oak for planting in the garden, you can choose the following:

  • White oak has a sprawling crown, forming a lush tent. Decorative look in the colors of wide leaves. When blooming, the leaves on the branches are painted bright red, in summer they are light green, and almost white on the back side. In the autumn months, the tree pleases with dark red foliage. Not suitable for areas with severe frosts.
  • A slender tree - marsh oak - reaches a height of twenty-five meters. Its pyramidal crown with young hanging shoots will decorate even a small area. The plant grows rapidly in moist nutrient soils. Light green leaves, similar to wide blades, turn purple in autumn.
  • Holm oak has a high resistance to frost. Decorative leaves of this species are narrow, curly, yellow-variegated, ovate. To match the shape of the leaves and crown. Tree varieties are suitable for creating hedges, alleys. They look great in group and single plantings.
  • The homeland of red oak is the north of the American continent, so it easily tolerates cold. The decorativeness of the tree lies in the spherical crown, reddish leaves, thin, with pointed lobes.
  • Common oak is the most common in European forests. This powerful handsome man can reach fifty meters in length. Its dark green leaves, together with branches, form a wide crown. The durability of the species is striking, the age of some specimens reaches a thousand years. Among the varieties of pedunculate oak, there are plants with a vertical, pyramidal crown with low growth.

For a large area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe site, you can choose giants with a crown in the form of a tent. For small areas, small slender oaks are suitable. But all of them will ennoble the recreation area, alleys leading to the house.

All varieties of oak, despite some external differences, can grow under certain conditions. Many of them do not tolerate shaded areas, but prefer sunny ones. Only holm oak can grow in the shade of other trees. It is important to know that the root system, oak crown can reach enormous sizes, destroying even nearby buildings, sidewalk or concrete paths. The strength of the roots can damage the foundation of a house. Therefore, when planning a tree planting, this must be taken into account.

The best place for the "giant" will be the far corner of the garden, where you can arrange a recreation area for the whole family.

For oak, moist soils with a normal level are suitable. Acidic soil is dangerous for them, because of this, a deciduous tree cannot coexist with coniferous specimens. And the earth hidden by fallen needles will not be able to provide sufficient moisture and nutrients to a deciduous tree.

Almost all types of oak easily tolerate low temperatures, but white and swamp oak seedlings often die from spring frosts. All this must be taken into account when buying a young tree.
Fertile soils, more sunlight, space - these are the main conditions that are suitable for a giant oak.

If you want to have a magnificent copy of a deciduous tree on your site, then you can grow it from an acorn. Collect them in the fall and keep in a cool place. You can plant them in pots with nutrient soil, and by spring tender sprouts will already appear, which can be transplanted to a permanent place.

Oak is characterized by long growth, so you need to be patient with your green friend and properly care for him.

But in the spring you can stumble upon seeds that begin to hatch slightly. The pit prepared in advance is filled with soil mixture from one part of sand, garden soil, two parts of humus. The acorn is buried in the ground by 5-7 centimeters. The landing site should be watered regularly. Under good conditions, sprouts will appear quickly. All that remains is to take good care of them.
Many gardeners prefer to purchase seedlings from nurseries. This method is the most affordable and efficient. The young tree already has a strong root system, it remains to pick up a place for it on the site and plant it.

A young oak tree dug out in the forest will easily take root in the garden if you add soil taken at the place of its growth to the planting hole. The pit is prepared in advance by filling it with loose soil, neutral in acidity. Attention to the seedling will reduce the time for the sprout to adapt to new conditions, and to gain a foothold in a new place.

For planting a young oak tree, autumn is suitable during the Indian summer period. Before the onset of winter, the tree will get stronger, will be able to survive the unfavorable time. In the spring, you can plant after the establishment of warm weather, without severe night frosts.

Landing Features:

  • A drainage layer ten centimeters thick is laid at the bottom of the landing pit. This will help not to stagnate moisture, increase the permeability, friability of the soil. And the addition of wood-hardwood mass will allow air to circulate freely. It is useful to add ammonia fertilizer to the pit.
  • The seedling, together with a clod of earth on the roots, is placed in the recess of the pit. When falling asleep, they compact the soil around the trunk with a mortar or with a hand clenched into a fist. This must be done carefully, without damaging the delicate roots of the oak.
  • In the first days after planting, the seedling will need to be watered. You can mulch the soil around the tree by pouring a layer of wood chips or peat ten centimeters.
  • After planting a tree in autumn, it is covered for the winter, wrapping the trunk with burlap in one or two layers.

The first years of the seedling's life will go to strengthen the root system. Only after a year and a half or two years the oak tree will grow.

Oak care is not particularly difficult:

  1. The regularity of watering is determined by the dryness of summer or spring. If the period of drought is long, then a bucket of water is poured into a square meter of crown projection. Watering is especially important for young plants during extreme heat.
  2. Feed the tree twice. At the beginning of spring, a kilogram, ten grams of urea, twenty grams of ammonium nitrate are diluted in ten liters of water and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe root circle is watered. In September, no more than twenty grams of nitrophoska are added.
  3. Near the tree, weeds are constantly removed and the soil is loosened to a depth of twenty-five centimeters.
  4. Crown pruning is carried out in autumn or early spring, during the dormant period, removing shrunken branches. At the same time, the air temperature should not be below minus five degrees, otherwise the tree will freeze. The procedure is necessary to clean the trunk from top shoots. The crown of the tree is also formed using pruning. In autumn, 2-3 axial branches are cut out to the trunk in the center of the crown, shortening the side branches. On thick branches, sections are treated with garden pitch or natural paint. In spring, the oak will please with a spherical crown, and the height of the tree will decrease. If you need to stop the growth of a giant in height, then cut off the apical bud, pinching the central shoot. In red oak, it is necessary to remove thin shoots with a diameter of six centimeters.

Oak care is simple, does not require any material or time costs.

The mighty tree is famous for its good health. But sometimes on the trunks of young oak trees, areas lined with frost are found. The affected areas treated with an antiseptic will heal quickly. It will speed up the process of smearing them with garden pitch.

What can a tree "suffer" from:

More information can be found in the video:

  1. What to grow a tree from
  2. Acorn preparation
  3. Germination
  4. Soil for oak
  5. Oak transplant
  6. How to determine the readiness of seedlings to change places
  7. Finding the right place
  8. How to plant
  9. oak care

Mature oak is a tall stately tree with dense foliage and a solid trunk. No wonder it has been a symbol of power, strength and knowledge since ancient times, as folk tales and works of the classic A.S. Pushkin.

In the modern world, oaks are planted in park and roadside areas, in a summer cottage, and even at home in a pot, decorative bonsai is grown in a special way.

Growing an oak tree in conditions close to home, and then transplanting it to a summer cottage or house adjoining territory, will allow you to acquire your own tree of strength and wisdom, which will please the eye of more than one generation of observers.

What to grow a tree from

You can get a healthy and strong plant from any planting material - an acorn or a cutting. In the first case, it will take more time; from the finished shoot, a tall oak will grow 2-4 years earlier. The cutting needs to be prepared, to sprout its roots. However, there is no guarantee that such a seedling will take root. It is easier to grow an oak from an acorn, therefore this method is preferred. The growth rate in the first 2-3 years is much higher than the following years, so the process of monitoring development will be an exciting activity for small family members and amateur growers.

Acorn preparation

You can grow an oak from an acorn quickly if you properly prepare the planting material.

Fruit picking is done in autumn, when the tree sheds its leaves and the acorns are fully ripe. In search of material they go to the deciduous forest. In Russia, pedunculate oak is more common than others, its other names are ordinary, summer or English. The plant is characterized by frequent branches, medium-sized leaves with rounded edges, brown-gray thick bark. The height of an adult is up to 40 meters.

There are 2 types of ordinary oak: winter and summer. In summer, the leaves bloom in late spring in May-June, by autumn they hardly change color and fall off until October. In winter, these processes occur 2-4 weeks later, the leaves become dark brown by October and can remain on the branches until the next flowering.

Fallen oak fruits are suitable for germination. It is necessary to listen to the acorn - shake it and determine if the nucleus is alive in it (it should not rattle). From the place of collection, you need to take a little fallen native foliage and topsoil. They are necessary for the preservation of the material until the moment of disembarkation.

At home, they once again check the suitability of the material: cold water is poured into a basin and fees are lowered there. The specimens that quickly float to the surface are empty, nothing will grow out of them. A re-check is carried out after 5 minutes: those that have not surfaced are good raw materials for planting.

The most natural and favorable planting of a tree in the spring, for wintering, the fruits are sent to hibernation in conditions close to natural:

  • Take a jar with a lid, in which there should be holes for ventilation;
  • Place the collected soil mixed with foliage in it;
  • An acorn is placed in a "fur coat";
  • Close the jar with a lid and put it in a cellar or refrigerator, where the temperature is not lower than + 2-30C.

Such "preservation" imitates wintering under snow crust and the seed is preserved in its original form.

Germination

Before planting the overwintered fruit in the ground, it is necessary to germinate the roots. To do this, closed "nuts" are placed in a humid environment, for example, in a bag with wet sphagnum, and left in the refrigerator for 90-120 days. How long it will take to break through the roots depends on the type of tree.

When confident roots appear, the future seedling must be protected from mechanical damage.

If it was not possible to stock up on raw materials in the fall, you can find an already germinated acorn immediately after the snow melts, when the sprout has not yet entered the soil. Need to quickly pack it in a humid environment. It is impossible to keep a seedling in the open air for a long time - the roots require constant moisture and care.

Soil for oak

Oak is unpretentious to the soils of the middle lane, but loves fertile soil rich in nutrients. So that the budding sprout does not die out, it is planted in moist soil taken from the place of growth of the mother oak. If this is not available, you can take the soil in the country or a fertile garden plot, add peat moss or vermiculite to it to retain water.

The pot should have drainage holes to remove excess moisture.. The sprouted material is planted to a depth of 3-5 cm. For the first time, before the seedlings grow, you can use small plastic cups, which are conveniently placed in the apartment on the windowsill. Landings are covered with a damp cotton wool or rag, they create the effect of a greenhouse with glass or a film with ventilation holes. The first year and up to 10 years, the growth rate of seedlings can reach 25-35 cm, then the process slows down.

As the plants grow, they need to be transplanted into larger pots with soil replacement.

Oak transplant

When the seedlings have grown stronger, it is time to transplant them into the ground in an open area.

How to determine the readiness of seedlings to change location:

  • The plant has reached a height of 15 cm or more, it is higher than the pot by more than 100%;
  • The root system is formed, the central rod is clearly identified, it has a healthy white color;
  • The plant has already put out leaves.

Finding the right place

Oak can be transplanted without damage only at an early age. When a tree sits in one place for a long time, its root system grows and deepens, the plant thoroughly takes its place. This fact must be taken into account before transplantation. There should be enough free space on the site, new houses and structures should not be placed near the oak - the root system can further violate the integrity of the foundation.

Oak does not tolerate a dark place - it is impossible to plant it in the shade or under other mature trees, it will take root for a long time, the growth rate drops significantly, you will not have to wait for a mighty stately representative of the Beech family.

Where to plant an oak in the country:

  1. The place must be open;
  2. Light-loving oak should be identified in the west - south of the site;
  3. In the future, a grown tree with a rich crown will itself become a source of a dark place, therefore it is not worth placing a seedling in places where it is inappropriate;
  4. Near the place there should not be any communications and paths that can be damaged by roots.

How to plant

Algorithm of actions for a successful transplant:

  1. The site is cleared of tall grass. How much space is needed for a seedling depends on the desired result - a powerful tree requires a free diameter of 15 - 20 m.
  2. A site with a diameter of 1.5 meters is dug up, achieving uniformity of the soil and its loosening for enrichment with oxygen.
  3. Dig a hole a few centimeters deeper than the length of the roots, moisten it.
  4. The seedling is taken out of the pot along with the soil and moved to the prepared hole, sprinkled with earth, compacted.
  5. Plentifully water the planting. Do not be afraid to flood the roots - excess moisture will go deep into the soil.
  6. At a distance of 30 cm from the trunk, mulch is poured in a circle - it will protect the soil from drying out and the spread of unnecessary weeds.

The same action plan should be followed if you want to make a home oak. In this case, the container must have a volume of at least 100 liters. Of course, no matter how much you take care of, the potted plant will not become so big and powerful, but it will delight the eye with greenery for a longer time.

oak care

Like any plant, a young oak requires care and attention. At first, in the open space, "new settlers" may feel uncomfortable - a new place, soil, lighting. It is important to constantly monitor their condition.

Young shoots are attractive to birds and rodents. So that uninvited guests do not spoil the plant, they arrange protection - a small frequent fence around the planting. To avoid attack by insects, the foliage is treated with pesticides.

Any kind of young oak requires high light and constant moisture. To avoid competition on the site, the space around must be cleared of extraneous plants and fast-growing trees.

At first, the oak requires constant watering.

You need to take care of the plant until it gets stronger, on average up to 4-5 years.. Upon reaching this time, a young tree up to 1.5 meters high will already flaunt in the country.

How to grow an oak is now clear, there is nothing complicated about it, just be patient for a few years.

Already after 30-40 years, a single oak begins to bear fruit - once every 6-8 years, acorns ripen on the branches, from which new seedlings can appear.

Oak has long been considered a symbol of stability, power and longevity. Some people take pride in the huge perennial oak trees that were planted by their fathers and grandfathers. Maybe you also want to plant a powerful tree that will grow for more than one century. Perhaps, in many, many years, your children and grandchildren will also proudly say that this oak tree was planted by my father (grandfather).

Growing an oak from an acorn is a long process, taking more than one year. However, growing oak trains patience, endurance, teaches timeliness and regularity. Everyone can grow an oak, but for this you need to know a few subtleties. Involve children in the process - this will not only interest them, but also teach them to treat nature more carefully and reverently. So, how to grow an oak from an acorn at home.

Choosing acorns

Everyone knows that oak fruits are acorns. For sowing, you need to choose the best, strongest and healthiest samples. When collecting acorns, it is very important to understand that a certain percentage of the fruits will be spoiled, some acorns simply will not sprout, some of them will die at the stage of planting cuttings. To grow at least a few mature oaks, you need to collect at least 300 acorns.

Acorns are harvested in early spring, when their cap will easily separate from the fruit itself. By the way, the cap of acorns can be removed when harvesting, they do not carry any value in themselves, it is just an attachment to the branches and protection of the fruit.

When you bring acorns home, they need to be sorted out. Wormy, moldy, empty, rotten and other spoiled fruits must be thrown away - nothing will sprout from them. The remaining acorns must be soaked in a container with water. When soaking, acorns unsuitable for growing will float, which means that they are empty inside. They also need to be removed. The fruits remaining at the bottom must be blotted with a towel and left to dry. To do this, lay them out on paper or fabric, and then place them in a ventilated place. Drying acorns in open sunlight is not recommended.

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Germination

When the acorns suitable for cultivation are ready and dried, they need to be stratified. Stratification is an artificial imitation of conditions close to natural. That is, you need to provide humidity and temperature appropriate for this time of year. Since the harvest of acorns occurs at the beginning of autumn, autumn conditions need to be stratified.

Stratification can be done in two ways. Divide the acorns into two parts. Most of it needs to be placed in plastic wrap and sawdust, moss or vermiculite added to the bag. These substances retain moisture. Close the bag and place it in a cold place. It can be a basement or just a refrigerator. Leave the acorns on the bottom shelf, where the temperature is usually around 8 degrees. Periodically, you need to open the package so that the seeds have access to oxygen. Keep an eye on the humidity and add water to the bag from time to time. But do not overfill - if there is more moisture than it should, the acorns will rot.

The rest of the acorns need to be seated in small cups. Fill the containers with peat and place 2-3 acorns in each cup. Place the planted acorns next to the bag. All fruits must grow under the same conditions, simulating natural humidity and temperature.

After one and a half to two months, the seeds will begin to take root. Some of the acorns will never grow or rot, but more than half of the planted acorns are usually pleased with small roots.

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Seedling

The next step is to plant sprouted acorns in cups. Carefully remove all contents from the package. Be careful - the roots of the future oak at this stage are very vulnerable and break easily. Carefully sort the sprouted fruits from the rotten and non-sprouted acorns. Plant acorns with roots in small plastic cups with a volume of 200 ml. It is not necessary to plant deeply, it is enough that the root is completely immersed in the ground. For planting, you can choose the soil from the area where the parent oak grew. But you can plant seedlings in ordinary garden soil with the addition of peat. Do not forget to make holes on the walls of the cup before planting. This is done to remove excess water from irrigation. If this is not done, young roots rot and die.

Those acorns that were not in the bag, but were seated in glasses, must also be sorted out. Acorns that have given root must be planted one in each glass.

At first, seedlings need to be watered often enough. After planting, for some time it may seem to you that nothing is happening and the acorn will not sprout. But it's not. The fact is that at first the oak gains strength in the roots and only after that it sprouts. If you notice that the roots become crowded in small cups, they can be transplanted into larger containers. Planting oaks in open ground ahead of time is not worth it - unprotected young roots are a delicacy for rodents, and small leaves attract herbivores.

When can seedlings be planted in the soil

In order to determine whether a seedling is ready for independent growth, certain conditions must be met. Pay attention to its leaves - if a seedling has more than five strong, healthy leaves, then it can be planted in open ground. Usually, ready-made shoots are planted in the soil two to three weeks after planting. In this case, you need to pay attention to its roots - if they are large and white, then the plant is ready for independent growth.

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Place for planting oak

When you plant a tree in a permanent place of its growth, you need to understand that here it will grow not for one day, but for years, decades and even centuries. Therefore, the choice of a landing site must be taken very scrupulously.

Oak should be planted in an open area of ​​at least two square meters. Oak grows in almost any soil, however, when it is very young, it needs soil rich in vitamins, minerals and fertilizers. Oak loves open sunny areas; it will not be able to grow in the shade.

When planting an oak tree, it must be taken into account that in the future the root system of the tree will be powerful and strong, so you should not plant a tree near plumbing and other technical underground systems, near the foundation of a house, next to paths and other buildings.

Oak grows large and spreading, over time it will begin to give good shade. Plant it on a certain side of the house so that later the oak casts a shadow on the dwelling.

Before planting oak, the ground must be dug up and loosened. No other crops should grow near the seedling. For planting, a recess is made so that the roots of the future tree are immersed in the ground. After that, the soil should be slightly compacted and watered abundantly.

How to care for oak

The first time after planting an oak, it must be watered abundantly. At a distance of 20-30 cm from the sprout, the soil is sprinkled with sawdust or crushed bark. This protects the soil from drying out and also prevents weeds from growing near the seedling.

Over time, oak requires less maintenance. It grows quite slowly, however, if accepted, it will delight you throughout your life. The tree will give the first fruits in the form of acorns only after 10-20 years, depending on the type of oak. During the first few years, the oak needs periodic enrichment of the soil - it needs to be fed with mineral fertilizers. Over the years, the tree will get stronger, the roots will go deep into the ground and the oak will only need regular watering.

Young seedlings, among other things, need mechanical protection from animals. If there are rabbits, rodents or deer on the site, the seedling must be protected with a small lattice. You can protect the plant from the May beetle and aphids with the help of pesticides. They can be bought at any store for summer residents, they destroy pests, but are absolutely harmless to plants and people.

As you know, every man must build a house, raise a son and plant a tree. The last item on this list is the easiest and most fun. If every person on earth planted one tree at least once in their life, life on the planet would be better, and breathing easier. Plant trees, and your descendants will appreciate your efforts!

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Video: how an oak tree grew from an acorn

Oak is a tree that fits well into the landscape design of the garden. Many gardeners want to grow a tree in the yard, but you need to be familiar with the basic rules for caring for a plant. The article will help you learn about the proper cultivation of this majestic tree.

Selection and preparation of material for planting

In order to successfully grow an oak, you must responsibly approach the choice of planting material. For cultivation, gardeners must look at the condition of the acorns, from which, over time, a massive tree will grow. When choosing a quality tree, you should consider:

  • damage to planting material;
  • acorn color.

After collecting the necessary material, you should definitely perform a special check. To do this, dip the acorns in water and leave for a couple of minutes. Those that come up are considered to be of poor quality.

Acorns that are suitable for planting are laid out on a towel and left to dry. After complete drying, place them in a bag, and then close tightly. To prevent damage to planting material, gardeners add wood shavings or vermiculite. Fruits can be stored in the refrigerator for two months (until the leaves germinate).

Experienced gardeners choose those acorns that can easily separate from the hat.

It serves for protection and during the separation it is impossible to harm the material. The best period for choosing acorns is the early autumn period. By this time they will be fully ripe. Sprouting acorns at home

Any cultivation of plants requires special attention. When landing at home, you should follow a few rules:

  1. Careful handling. Acorns that have germinated should be handled with care, as their roots are very brittle. Within 40 days, some seeds may already germinate.
  2. Use small pots. For planting, plastic cups or containers with a diameter of about 5 cm are suitable. They are filled with soil and planted down with a spine (to a shallow depth).
  3. Make special holes in the containers for water to flow out. Water the acorns in such a way that the water comes out through the holes in the glass.
  4. Abundant watering of seedlings during the first weeks.

Seedlings need a lot of light, so you need to provide them with the right lighting. To do this, it is desirable to place the pots on the windowsill, where there will be maximum nutrition from sunlight.

During the first stages, the root system of the tree is formed, so at first it is impossible to observe noticeable changes. When the roots of the tree become massive, you should find a larger container and transplant.

Picking seedlings

Picking is the process of transplanting seedlings from a small container to a large one. When transplanted, the roots develop more rapidly, thereby strengthening the tree. It is recommended to make a pick when 2-3 leaves appear. It should take about two weeks before the moment when it is worth making a pick. Gardeners determine the timeliness of the procedure by the presence of certain signs:

  • the presence of a healthy root system;
  • plant height is at least 15 cm;
  • the presence of oak leaves;
  • the main root is well developed;
  • the seedling has reached the size of a pot.

The landing process

Before you start planting an oak tree in place, you need to determine a good place for it. A favorable place for planting is considered to be the area in which there will be enough space for the development of a tree and light. When landing, you need to focus on the following criteria:

  1. Maximum illumination. Oak requires nourishment from sunlight. When receiving heat, it accelerates in development and growth. Therefore, choosing places where there is a lot of shade is not the best choice for gardeners.
  2. Planting a tree is away from water pipes, roads and other things. This will help avoid damage during various works.
  3. Keep away from other vegetation. If you plant next to other plants, then the oak will not receive the right amount of nutrients that it needs for development. There is a risk that the oak will not be able to grow to its full potential, as other plants will take away natural resources.

After choosing a place, you need to start preparing the landing zone. To do this, it is important to dig the soil, breaking it into large lumps. In this case, the depth should not exceed 25 cm. The ground should be wet before planting, so soil irrigation is used. Then start digging the hole. Its depth depends on the length of the main root of the seedling. Usually a depth of 90 cm is sufficient. The width of the pit does not exceed 30–35 cm.

You need to replant the oak root down, while you need to make sure that it fits. Next, you should fill the seedling with earth and lightly tamp. After transplanting the oak - do not forget to water.

There are three basic rules when transplanting into place:

  1. When compacting the earth, make a slope in the direction from the seedlings. This procedure will allow water not to linger near the oak trunk and prevent damage.
  2. Spread the bark within a radius of 30 cm from the planted tree. This helps to moisten the soil around the seedling and protect it from weeds.
  3. You can plant a couple of acorns. You can do this in order to increase the likelihood of a successful landing. Sprouts are placed inside the pit, covered with earth about 3 cm thick.

Proper oak care

Planted trees need special attention. Proper care consists of the following components:

  1. Protection. Young oaks are subject to increased attention of various animals. To secure the plant, it is recommended to place a trellis around the tree. The material for protection can be a plastic fence or special nets.
  2. Watering. In the first three days after planting, it is worth watering the seedlings abundantly. For irrigation use a bucket of water to 1 square. m. surface.
  3. Pruning. Once or twice a year, prune diseased branches. Increased attention is shown in the fall - fallen leaves are removed, zones are mulched. These tips will help you prepare for the winter season.
  4. Shelter. During winter colds - cover the trunk with a high-density cloth. This procedure will help protect the oak from the cold. At
  5. Weed removal. It is not recommended to use chemical methods of weed control, as it can harm the development of oak. Chemicals are the last resort.
  6. Soil mulching. Mulch enriches the soil and roots with organic matter and maintains soil moisture.

Necrosis of branches or the appearance of powdery mildew are threats to a young tree. Powdery mildew is a type of fungal disease that can carry spores when watered. To combat fungal infections, a solution of colloidal sulfur or foundationazole is used. Branch necrosis is treated by spraying with iron sulphate.

Some types of insects pose a threat:

  • moth moth;
  • oak barbel;
  • oak leaflet.

Against moths, treatment with decis (25 g / 1 liter of liquid), kinmix (50 g / 1 liter of water) is used. Such solutions are also suitable for the treatment of barbel and leafworm.

Oak is a representative of massive and heat-loving trees. Gardeners should be very careful while growing them and then the probability of a healthy tree will be maximum.

Oak is a majestic tree, it is mentioned in many fairy tales and legends. It is considered one of the longest-lived trees in our country. Its age can reach more than 400 years, and in some cases it can live up to 2 thousand years. Up to 150 years, the oak is considered still young, since it is up to this age that it continues to grow. Its fruits, acorns, are the seeds of this beautiful tree and are known to all, and its strong wood is valued throughout the world. Many people want to see this great tree in their plots and cities, and often wonder how to grow an oak from an acorn.

When is the best time to plant

For planting oak, we need seeds (acorns) of good quality. It is advisable to collect them in autumn or spring. It is worth noting that the chances of germinating an oak from an acorn in the spring are much greater than those that you can plant in the fall. After all, the probability that autumn oak acorns will germinate is only 10%. Therefore, it is advisable to plant them in the spring, but since finding suitable acorns for planting in the spring is very problematic (due to rodents and bacteria that spoil the seeds), it would be better to save quality acorns until spring that you can harvest in the fall.

How to save seeds (acorns) before planting

It is advisable to wash the fruits that you collect with soap and water, this will kill bacteria, fungi and mold, which can then significantly harm the future small tree. A cellar or basement is perfect for storing seeds (acorns), since moisture and not much ventilation is what we need. The temperature should be a little over 0C. It should be stored at this temperature for about 90 days (before spring planting) in order for scarification and stratification (exposure to cold) to take place and the fruit to germinate. You can also use the refrigerator for storage.

Growing oak from acorns at home

Of course, you are much more likely to get a healthy tree if you grow an oak from an acorn at home. However, seeds (acorns) in any case must be stratified. And so everything is in order:

  1. First you need to collect quality seeds for planting. This is best done in the fall, as then the chances that you will find good acorns for planting are much greater.
  2. You need to conduct a small test, “are they suitable for planting”, just like with nuts, a test with water is perfect here: Type water into a container, then you need to pour the acorns that you have collected for planting into it, those acorns that have surfaced are not suitable for planting . It is also worth considering that deformed and soft acorns are also not suitable for planting, as they can be rotten inside.
  3. Stratification (exposure to cold). Dry fruits must be placed in a container in which a little moisture will be well preserved. To do this, you can add nutrient mixtures (for example, moss or shavings) to the container - this will help retain moisture. Then the container with acorns should be stored in a cool place (refrigerator, cellar, basement ...), the temperature should be around 0C for up to 90 days.
  4. You need to monitor the seeds, because, depending on the fruit, after 40 days, some of them will begin to germinate.
  5. It is necessary to plant acorns (which have sprouted), an ordinary pot is perfect for this (another container is also possible). Each acorn is desirable to plant in a separate container. You need to plant with the root down (the removable hat of the acorn is its root) somewhere 2 centimeters deep. Remember that holes should be punched in the containers where you plant the acorn at the bottom (as in any pot for house plants) to drain excess moisture.
  6. It is necessary to regularly water and care for planted plants. Oak loves moisture, so you need to water until water flows out of the lower holes. When leaving, it is worth considering that the oak is also a sun-loving plant, so it is advisable to place containers with seedlings in the appropriate place.
  7. Soon you will receive seedlings that you can already plant. However, you can continue to grow oak at home to the state of a full-fledged seedling. How to proceed is up to you.

How an oak tree grew from an acorn: Video

Gardeners, passionate about their work, do not ignore the forest giant. Creating shady lawns on personal plots, they choose for this mighty green centenarian, which for many years will provide shade and coolness under its branches. Grandchildren and great-grandchildren will rest in the shade of the oak and remember those who gave them this magnificent plant by planting a seedling a long time ago. You can also grow this handsome man for your descendants, see photos and videos showing how to properly transplant a seedling from a nursery or oak grove. We will tell you how to care for and protect him in the first years of life.

The best varieties of oak

In the northern latitudes, in a temperate and tropical climate, about 600 varieties of this plant grow. In order to plant gardens, parks and city alleys, low-growing varieties of common (pedunculated) oak are used. These are Asplenifolia, Fastigiata, as well as Fastigiata Koster and Concordia. The main characteristic features of these varieties are:

  • height - from 15 to 30 meters;
  • crown - sprawling;
  • leaves - notched, dense, rich dark green hue.

The second most popular is red oak, or northern. It is called so due to the characteristic color of the leaves. In spring, when blooming, they have a reddish tint, in summer they are completely green, and in autumn they become red, crimson, even brown. The Aureus variety enjoys superiority.

oak leaves

Choosing seedlings

High-quality planting material can be purchased at seedling nurseries. These enterprises ensure that their young plants are disease-free and grown according to agrotechnical requirements.

  1. You should buy seedlings of 1-2 years of age, these are viable plants that can tolerate transportation and transplanting well.
  2. Transportation is carried out in special containers, or the root system is wrapped with a root clod of earth with wet burlap.
  3. A seedling is planted within 24 hours on a prepared site.

Attention! When storing a young plant for more than 24 hours, moisten the burlap by spraying it with water, do not keep it in a container with liquid, the roots may suffer, rotting.

Planting and caring for oak seedlings

Before buying seedlings, familiarize yourself with the varietal characteristics of the plant, then it will be easier for you to determine the place for planting a tree. Its varietal affiliation characterizes what the plant will become in a few years: the size of its roots, crown diameter, height. Based on these indicators, plan where it should grow, what place to give it on your site. Basic requirements for all types:

  • distance to other trees - from 3 to 6 meters (depending on the variety);
  • distance to buildings - at least 3.5 meters.

oak sapling

Having determined the landing site, we proceed directly to its implementation. In the spring, 20-25 days before planting, we prepare planting pits as follows;

  1. We dig up a platform of earth measuring 1x1 m, a depth of 0.8 m.
  2. The top layer of humus (30 cm) is carefully removed, set aside.
  3. We remove the lower part of the earth from the pit, fold it back, we will not need it.
  4. We fill the bottom with drainage material by 20 centimeters, you can use pebbles, pebbles or chipped bricks.
  5. Separately, we prepare the substrate by mixing the deposited soil of the upper layer with 2 buckets of humus (manure, compost), ash (1 kg), and mineral fertilizers: superphosphate (1.5 kg), lime (1.5 kg), chloride and sulfate potassium (65 g each).
  6. One part of the resulting earthen mixture is poured into the planting hole, the other is sprinkled on the planted plant and tamped, leaving no air pockets.
  7. Plentifully, but gradually, so that the water is completely absorbed, water the seedling with 10 liters of water.
  8. After watering, we mulch the soil with peat or tree bark.

Attention! When planting, the root neck of the plant should be slightly above the ground, but not more than 3 centimeters.

young oak tree care

The first 2-3 years, while the seedling takes root in a new place, it will need care and feeding, and in the future it will gain strength and rush up on its own.

Seedling care technology:

  • daily watering (bucket of water) during the first week after planting;
  • regular weeding and loosening;
  • feeding the plant 2-3 times a year;
  • prevention of fungal diseases (spraying with fungicides).

The first couple of years of life, the young plant will need top dressing and watering.

In the third year of life, at the end of winter, the first pruning of the tree is done. In the future, it is carried out every 2 years. There are various shapes and methods of trimming, which one to choose depends only on your imagination.

Winter protection

A small tree that has not yet grown stronger must be protected from the winter cold and the raids of hares - lovers of young succulent twigs. To protect your plant from such misfortunes, do the following:

  1. Fill the near-stem area with a 10-centimeter shelter made of dry leaves, straw, and humus.
  2. Gently bend the branches of the tree down, closer to the trunk.
  3. Cover with two layers of burlap or other non-woven material.

In the spring, with the onset of warm days, remove all insulation, the branches themselves will reach for the sun, absorbing its warmth and energy, and you will be glad that you have preserved this fragile plant, which will eventually turn into a green mighty giant and will remind your descendants of you.

Growing oak: video

Surprising with their power, these handsome trees (evergreen or deciduous) with carved leathery leaves and a luxurious tent-shaped crown are extremely decorative.

Despite the fact that oaks are quite photophilous, and many of their species are very demanding on the saturation of the soil with nutrients, they are long-lived plants. Oaks are known, the age of which has exceeded three centuries. Mature trees need only minimal care, grow quickly, give abundant shade and delight the eye with the splendor of the crown.

Currently, at least 600 species of oaks are known. Some of them are distinguished by an exotic shape and a peculiar color of the leaves.

Deciding to plant this wonderful tree at all costs in your backyard, you can purchase 1-2-year-old seedlings in a special nursery or try to grow a tree from an acorn yourself.

Oak from an acorn

Having decided to grow a tree from an acorn, first of all, you should decide on the planting material. Only live, well-preserved seeds are suitable for planting. Experts consider the most suitable acorns for planting to be those that fell last from the tree. It is for this reason that their collection should begin no earlier than the end of September - the beginning of October, choosing the largest and most undamaged ones. Collection is best done in dry weather.

It is important to remember that acorns are very demanding on storage conditions. Dried or darkened seeds become absolutely unsuitable for sowing. Therefore, the seeds are planted in the ground either in the fall, after soaking in kerosene (this should protect the young seedlings from rodents), or in early spring.

The second option is more desirable. However, some effort will be required to maintain seed germination. The ideal temperature for their storage is 0 - +2 °C. In addition, the seeds require sufficiently high humidity and moderate ventilation. A basement or lower compartment of the refrigerator is suitable for storing acorns. Previously, they can be folded in containers with sand or moss.

If the winter was not very severe, there is a chance in early spring, as soon as the snow melts, to find a sufficient number of germinating acorns in the nearest oak forest. It is easy to distinguish live acorns: they have the correct shape, a shiny peel. In a container of water, living acorns sink, while dead acorns immediately rise to the surface.

Planting can begin as soon as the soil warms up. To obtain a "harvest" of oak seedlings, the seeds are planted evenly in parallel grooves made from each other at a distance of about 20 - 25 cm. Sowing is carried out at the rate of 20 - 40 seeds per 1 m groove. When planting, each acorn is pressed tightly into the bottom of the furrow. The depth of the autumn laying of seeds is at least 4 - 6 cm, in the spring - 2 - 3 cm.

Acorns germinate extremely slowly. Sometimes it takes at least one to one and a half months until the first sprouts appear. Young plants 1 - 2 years old, intended for subsequent transplantation to a permanent place, require intermediate transplants.

This will allow the plant to form a more branched and at the same time more compact root system. Such oak trees will subsequently be easier to dig out of the ground without damaging their main root.

Planting oak seedlings

A much less time-consuming way of planting oaks is planting 1-2-year-old seedlings purchased from a nursery. However, in this case, proper transportation and storage of the plant is of great importance.

The root of a 1 - 2-year-old baby oak should be wrapped in a cloth before being transported over a considerable distance. Otherwise, the roots may become weathered, as well as receive extremely undesirable mechanical damage. It is better to store seedlings in a dark, cool place with roots wrapped in a damp cloth.

It is highly undesirable to place the root during storage in a vessel with water. This can cause root rot. Before planting, seedlings are carefully checked for rotten and broken roots. Damaged parts are removed. With a weak root system, it is necessary to prune the branches of plants before planting, removing up to 1/3 of their length.

Plants are planted in open sunny places in planting pits prepared in advance (2 - 3 weeks before planting) with a depth of about 0.6 - 0.9 m. The recommended diameter of the pits is at least 1 m. When preparing the pit, first carefully remove the fertile top layer , the rest of the soil is added separately.

A drainage layer (10 - 20 cm) is laid in the finished pit, on top of it: 1 kg of wood ash, up to 1.5 kg of double superphosphate, the same amount of fluffy lime, 50 - 70 g of potassium sulfate and potassium chloride and a couple of buckets of rotted manure or compost. Fertilizers are well mixed with half of the removed fertile layer. Then part of the resulting mixture is taken out to be used when planting a plant.

Oak is planted in such a way that the area where the trunk transitions to the root is slightly higher than the edge of the pit (by 2–3 cm). After planting, it is important to compact the ground around the plant tightly.

oak care

During the first 3-4 days after planting, abundant watering is required for the plant in the calculation: 1 bucket of water per 1 sq. m of oak crown surface. In the future, to determine the required volume of water for irrigation, the same formula for the ratio of the diameter and the amount of liquid is used.

In addition, care also consists in the timely removal of weeds, loosening the soil and mulching the near-trunk area with wood shavings and peat to a depth of 7–12 cm.

Approximately once a year (preferably in autumn), pruning of dry branches and top shoots is recommended. In the autumn, it is necessary to carry out a set of works for the next preparation of the plant for winter: mulching the near-stem zones, the destruction of fallen leaves.

In the first few years, it is better to shelter young oak trees from frost for the winter, or at least protect their tender trunk from the cold. To do this, it is enough to wrap the trunks with a dense cloth. But if the frost nevertheless damaged the trunk and branches, the frost holes are smeared with antiseptics and rubbed with garden pitch.

It is very important to monitor the health of the plant and take timely action in case of pest attacks, as well as in cases of branch necrosis or powdery mildew.

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that significantly weakens the plant, disfiguring its leaves and stems. Infection is possible from the first warm days of summer and throughout the season. Most often it occurs by the transfer of spores of the fungus during irrigation.
To combat the fungus, baseazole treatments are used (at the rate of 10 g of foundationazole per 10 liters of water) or a 0.8% solution of colloidal sulfur.

To prevent branch necrosis, fresh saw cuts are sprayed with iron sulphate, and then rubbed with garden pitch.

Of the insect pests, the most dangerous for the oak are the cap moth, the large oak barbel and the oak leafworm. To combat the moth moth in June - July, treatment with kinmix (at the rate of 50 g of the substance per 1 liter of water), decis (25 g of the substance per 1 liter of water) is used. In the fight against oak leafworm, solutions of decis, kinmiks and karbofos are also effective. The same solutions are used to destroy the large oak barbel.

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