Bolter's Acorn to Oak Tree Thread

[Bolter]

While wine tasting - I found some Cork Oak acorns that I am guessing a kid picked up earlier in the day.



Grabbed a pile, soaked them for 2 days and threw them a garden bed ~2 weeks ago. Starting to root already.



I also planted 4 Valley Oak acorns that I found on a fallen branch. Tried going back for more - but the squirls in the area are vicious. And, one mystery acorn that I found in a Olive tree pot that I bought at auction.

 

[czaczaja]

Looking forward to seeing the progress. I love the Cork bark

 

[Bolter]

Looking forward to seeing the progress. I love the Cork bark

Thanks! Hopefully I'll see some corking by the end of the contest...

Found some sprouting acorns under a large Valley Oak in the middle of an Olive orchard. Threw these in a garden bed as well.

 

[Bolter]

Valley Oak


Cork Oak


Mystery Oak

 

[Bolter]

Valley oaks have a bit of differentiation in their leaves, with an average height of 8 inches, with the tallest being 24 inches.

Large Leaves


Small Leaves


Deeper lobed leaves




The cork oaks mostly just vary in height, with the average being around 12 inches and the tallest 18 inches.

 

[Bolter]

Beginning of the year update.

Tallest Valley oak is 58 inches tall with ~ 1/2 inch base. Checked under the soil line - and happy to see a few surface roots.



Tallest Cork Oak is 45 inches with ~3/8 inch base. Also a few surface roots under the soil line.
Was not sure if I am going to have to soil layer these to pull them out when they thicken some. Might try on a few.


Pulled a Cork Oak by accident when grabbing a weed and it didn't seem to have much of a tap root. Threw it in a basket for now.

 

[Bolter]

I wired one of the Valley Oaks in early August. I was planning to use the thicker trunk as a sacrifice, and wanted to move it to the side so the smaller branch saw more light.


Not sure when I took the wire off - but it was biting in a bit. Can still see the wire marks, and it has straightened out a bit.


Edit:

Also, the mystery oak is ~7 inches.

 

[Catagonia]

Your mystery oak looks like at least a cousin of my Coast Live Oak (Quercus wislizeni)

 

[Bolter]

Thanks - I thought it might be that or an Interior Live Oak.

 

[Bolter]

I did not realize how fast oaks can grow...

I am going to have problems separating these out and getting them to survive. However, here's the progress after 2 years.

Cork Oaks



Tallest is ~8ft.


Some initial barking.


And an image of what happens if you forget to remove a wire.

 

[Bolter]

The cork oaks were in a bit of shade. The valley oaks were not, and showed more growth.

A few are in the 11 to 12 ft range of height.




Valley Oak Trunk


And the trunk of the oak in the Jan 14th post still showing wire scars, but a bit thicker.


A couple more wire fails... Deep cuts.


And stunted growth where a small side shoot took over as the leader.