How can you grow an oak tree from an acorn. Oak green, mighty and beautiful What an oak tree looks like

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 autumn, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Video: how an oak tree grew from an acorn

Everyone knows that an oak can be grown from an acorn and the easiest way is to bury it in the ground and wait until the sprout hatches and the seedling gets stronger. In practice, it turns out that on the open ground a rodent can eat an acorn, insects undermine it, it can rot, become moldy and die. If you are serious about growing oak, you need to plant an acorn at home in a pot, wait until the seedling grows and only then transplant it into open ground.

The stages of growing a tree from an acorn will be as follows:

1. You need to choose a place to land.
2. The seedlings will need to dive.
3. The owner must properly care for the plants.

In September or October, good (not wormy, not moldy) mature acorns should be collected for seeds. The best acorns will be brown and show a greenish sheen. There are different varieties of oak - this is how the acorns of one of them look.

If the acorn quickly separates from the cap, then it is mature and can be taken. The hat protects the fruit when falling from the oak, from the cold. When it is disconnected, it does not harm the seeds.

If you have an idea to grow an oak, then you need to look after the tree, approach it in September, October and collect whole acorns under it. Most often they ripen and fall from the tree annually. Only in red oak do acorns ripen every 2 years.

The seed must be tested and bad acorns thrown away. You need to collect cold water in a jar, bowl or something else, throw fruits there. Those that float will be soft to the touch, lose their shape - bad and most often rotten.

Good seeds are taken out of the water and laid out to dry on a towel or cloth. Dry them in the shade.

Then the acorns are thrown into a plastic bag and tightly closed. So that the seeds do not lose moisture, a little bit of moss or vermiculite is poured into the bag. If the package is large, it will include up to 200 seeds.

About stratification

Acorns are kept in a bag for 2 months. in a refrigerator. On the bottom shelf, in the vegetable section. There the seeds germinate.

Stratification is done in the spring. The owner must ensure that the seeds do not dry out - they are constantly in moisture. You can not fill them, they can rot.

If it's too dry, the acorns won't hatch. The first shoots will be noticeable after 1.5 or 2 months. stay of seeds in the refrigerator. So, acorns have been germinated since October and they should hatch by the beginning of December.

How to grow and care

When the acorns have sprouted roots, the seeds must be carefully taken so as not to break them, because they are fragile. Each of the germinated seeds needs to be planted in its own cup or other container, with a diameter of 5 cm or more. The soil is taken as ordinary and mixed with peat moss.

The germinated acorn is planted not too deep and root down. In a glass or other container, holes are made on the sides. Excess moisture will go through them.

When the acorn has a long and well-developed root, the acorn can also be planted somewhere in the heated ground in the garden. This is risky, as mice, rats or other rodents can chew on the seeds and the seedlings will not grow.

"Important! The seeds planted at home are often watered for 14 days and so that the water flows out along the sides of the glass.

Most often, cups with seeds are placed on well-lit window sills. Ideally, if it will be the south side. First, roots grow, and then stems and leaves appear.

How to dive oak seedlings?

The seeds germinate and when they acquire 2 or 3 leaves, they are dug up and added dropwise in a larger bowl. Most often this is done 14 days after planting.

Some owners immediately plant seedlings in an open area. Others take the seedlings outside for 1-2 weeks, leave them there for a while to harden and then plant them in the ground.

Plants at home are ready for transplanting if:

• seedlings 15 cm each and they have 2 or 3 leaves;
• they have healthy white roots;
• the main root of the plant is perfectly developed;
• the sprout is already larger than a glass - about 15 cm;
• seedlings older than 14 days.

Planting in open ground

The oak grows big. Need to think carefully about where to plant it? Indeed, in adulthood, he can shade the garden, bushes, trees.

When landing, take into account:

• How sunny is the place. Oak loves good lighting when it gets a lot of sun and heat.
• So that the place is located away from the path, some pipelines, with water supply. Especially if the pipes are plastic. When some repair work is carried out and pipes are dug up, if the oak is nearby, its roots can be damaged.
• A tree planted on the southwest side of the house will shade it, but this will not hurt someone.
• If the family lives in the south, then planting an oak tree in the northwest or west, you can wait until it grows and a shadow falls from it.
• You do not need to place the plant where many others grow. They can kill a young oak, shading, taking useful substances from the soil.

Choose a place where the oak tree will be planted. They dig up that place in the form of a circle of 1 or 2 m. You need to dig deep - 30 cm, and break the lumps with a shovel or rake.

Experts advise planting not 1 oak, but 2. If both survive, 1 can be transplanted to another place. The main thing is to water the seedlings well after planting, sprinkle 30 cm around the trunks with mulch from the crushed bark.

Plant roots are covered with 3 or 5 cm soil. Plants can be tied to pegs.

"Important! Mulching helps retain moisture in the ground and weeds will not grow around the seedlings.

Video about growing oak from an acorn:

It will take about 20 years and only then will the oak give the first acorns. There are more early-ripening varieties, each of the varieties, the fruits appear in their own period. Acorns grow on trees every year and they often bear fruit up to 50 years.

Oaks have a peculiarity, they shed their leaves. The owner may be frightened when a young oak sheds its leaves and stands completely naked. Don't worry if it survives, next spring it will definitely turn green.

Now it is clear to a novice gardener that an oak seedling can be grown at home from an acorn. The technology is described above. It is best to grow 2 trees, then it is more likely that at least 1 will take root in the open field, will not die from the cold, pests.

The common oak is a powerful large tree, revered by people since ancient times. Healers used its leaves, bark and fruits for healing, shamans and clairvoyants felt the strong energy of the tree and were charged with it. Modern society also uses parts of the tree in medicine, ornamental horticulture, and as building materials.

Varieties

The biological reference book gives several varieties of these giants of the plant world. Among them are ordinary oak, pedunculate, rocky. All representatives of the genus belong to the Beech family. Have you ever seen a deciduous tree that keeps its leaves all year round? So, among late oaks this is a common phenomenon. Early forms bloom in early April and shed their leaves for the winter. And the late ones wake up closer to May, so young trees can turn green all year round. In nature, separately growing trees are more common, less often oak forests.

Where does the common oak grow?

This species of deciduous trees is quite common in Russia and Europe. In the form of small oak forests, it is found in Asia and northern Africa. It was artificially introduced to North American territory. Unfortunately, oaks no longer grow in Siberian forests. In European broad-leaved forests, oaks coexist with maples and elms, lindens and hornbeams. In mixed forests grow next to firs, pines and spruces. Trees are undemanding to natural conditions, tolerate dense shade. Therefore, young representatives can develop on a slope or in a dense forest. The older the oak gets, the higher it is, the more light it needs.

Oak ordinary. Description

In the botanical gardens there are very ancient specimens, sometimes several thousand years old. For example, the Zaporozhian oak in Ukraine is 700 years old, and the Stelmuzh oak in Lithuania is about 1700 or 2000 years old. Although the average age is about 400 years. Giants develop for a long time:

• maturity is reached at 40 years and later, and only then they begin to bear fruit;
• grow up to 100, some up to 200 years;
• oaks gain width all their lives, the oldest trees reach 13 m in circumference.

Oak leaves have a remarkable wavy appearance, growing on small petioles. They grow from 4 to 12 cm in length, and reach up to 7 cm in width. They are leathery, dense, glossy to the touch. In summer, their color is rich green with small yellowish streaks. Common oak blooms in early May, when young foliage is already green. At this time, the crown is decorated with earrings up to 3 cm long, on which up to 10 flowers. They are of different sexes, usually females are higher than males. After pollination, 1 small acorn is born from each ovary. On young shoots, acorns grow in pairs, sometimes in threes or fours.

Spreading branches are strong and thick, and young shoots are soft and fluffy. Young trees have an irregular appearance due to cranked trunks. Only with age the trunk becomes smoother and thicker. The usual diameter of an adult tree is up to 2 meters. Young and old trees differ in color and type of bark. Up to 25-30 years old, it is smooth and gray. Then it darkens, turns black and becomes covered with deep cracks. What does a common oak tree look like? A photo, description or a simple walk in the oak forest will create the right impression. You can recognize a separately growing oak by its crown, which has the shape of a tent.

How is oak raw material harvested?

Often people unknowingly collect old rough bark from oaks. It is suitable only for decorative purposes: it will make wonderful boards, coasters, etc. If you are interested in the bark of an ordinary oak for medicinal purposes, then you need to remove it from young trees. Oak trees under the age of 10 years are just right for harvesting bark. On an industrial scale, bush forms of trees are grown to collect raw materials. They just periodically cut off the tops from which the bark is removed. Or they cut down the young at the root. After some time, new shoots begin to grow in this place, and the oak bushes.

In early spring, when the trees wake up and the sap begins to move along them, you can start collecting raw materials. The resulting material is laid out for quick drying. The young bark is valued above the old one due to the high content of tannins in the composition. Acorns are also used in folk medicine. In addition to tannins, they contain oils and starch. The leaves are also used due to the coloring pigments in the composition.

How is it used in medicine in different countries?

In folk medicine from different countries, bark, young twigs, leaves and acorns are used. Recipes and uses vary slightly.

1. For example, in Russia, a decoction of the bark is considered a good remedy for bleeding gums, diarrhea with bloody discharge. It is recommended to drink for the treatment of scurvy, liver failure. In everyday life, the collected leaves are placed in jars with pickles, and coffee is ground from fried acorns.
2. Polish healers use the astringent properties of a decoction of the bark. The tool is used to heal cuts, reduce the inflammatory process of the bladder. It is also recommended for women during menstruation to reduce discharge and relieve pain.
3. It is known that Bulgarian healers prepare medicines for dysentery, tonsillitis, and stomach diseases from oak bark. Prepared ointments are used to treat skin diseases.

Carefully! Side effects

• General recommendations are the moderate use of prescription drugs.
• Doctors categorically forbid giving decoctions and powders to children.
• Too frequent rinsing of the mouth with infusion of the bark can lead to poisoning, vomiting. Loss of smell can threaten those who use drugs for too long.
• It is not recommended to try natural medicines for those suffering from constipation and hemorrhoids.

Common folk recipes

1. Infusions are made from acorns. For the treatment of tuberculosis, peeled fruits are fried in the oven, then crushed. Powder from three teaspoons is poured with boiling water in a volume of one and a half glasses and insisted. It is advised to consume 1 tablespoon before dinner. An infusion of 1 teaspoon in the same amount of water will help with enterocolitis. It should be drunk in a glass before meals.
2. Acorn powder will help with diabetes. Only harvested mature fruits are dried and crushed. They are recommended to be consumed within a month, 1 teaspoon 3 times a day. The powder can be washed down with water or tea. After the course, you need to take a break.
3. A decoction of the bark helps with female diseases - erosive processes of the uterus, fungal diseases. It is necessary to pour 20 grams of raw materials with two glasses of water and boil on low heat for half an hour. Use decoction for douching. In case of mushroom poisoning, such a decoction will help remove toxins. Drink it 50 ml 3 times a day.

Common oak is used for the construction of ships and houses, its raw materials are used in medicine and cosmetology, huge crowns daily saturate the air with oxygen. Its benefits are invaluable. The main thing for humanity is to rationally manage such a resource and protect the oak property.

October is acorn harvest time. Collect acorns before the end of the month to sow in the spring.

Acorns are harvested when they have already fallen from the tree. Acorns should be whole, large, heavy. Brown colour. Green acorns are not suitable because they are not ripe. Only ungerminated and clean seeds will survive well.

After planting in the spring, the seedlings need to be looked after all summer, and only when autumn comes again, the grown oaks need to be taken to a permanent place: where the forest is being restored.

1 Finding an acorn

It is necessary to grow those tree species that grow naturally in your area. For the European part of Russia, only one type of oak is characteristic - the pedunculate oak. You need to be able to distinguish it from the “guest” often found in cities from another continent - red oak. Fortunately, these oaks have different acorns: the red oak has round and pubescent, the pedunculate oak has oval and smooth ones.

DO NOT PLANT ACORN IN A POT IN AUTUMN AND GROW IT IN AN APARTMENT IN WINTER.
Such trees grow weakened and take root poorly. Sow acorns in the spring.

The spring acorn should overwinter in suitable conditions: lie all winter under a layer of snow in the forest or be stored in humid and cool conditions (in a refrigerator, cellar, special storage). You can find germinating acorns in the forest or in the park. It is important not to dry the acorn before sowing.

If it is to be carried or transported for a long time, wrap it in a wet cloth and put it in a jar or an ajar (untied) plastic bag.

2 Choosing a container (pot) for growing oak

For this, a ceramic or plastic flower pot, a paper cup for drinks, a cut of a plastic bottle, a juice bag, a “bucket” for popcorn are suitable.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE HEIGHT OF THE CONTAINER IS NOT LESS THAN 20 CM, AND THE VOLUME IS NOT LESS THAN ONE LITTER.

We make drainage holes in the bottom so that excess water comes out, and over time the root can grow through such a bottom without bending or twisting much. We put the container on the pallet.

3 Filling the container with soil

It is better to use a "universal" flower primer
on a peat basis (for example, "Violet").

4 We sow an acorn

Make a hole in the center of the pot. We put the germinating acorn “on its side” (horizontally) at a depth of 2-3 cm. Sprinkle with earth.

5 We water regularly

Water the soil every few days as it dries out in the pot. The earth should be moist in the top layer, but not too wet.

6 We wait

Oak will first give a long root, and 3-4 weeks after sowing, a sprout will appear.

7 We provide good lighting

With low natural light, the seedling will not have time to grow large and strong enough in one season. This happens if the windows face north or are obscured by tall buildings. If there are no other placement options, you can use a special lamp for plants ("warm daylight"), it will provide additional lighting from morning to evening. At night, the tree should be in darkness.

8 We provide mineral supplements

Approximately 1–1.5 months after germination, the oak will need any complex mineral fertilizer for indoor plants. Follow the instructions on the package.

DO NOT APPLY ORGANIC FERTILIZERS.

9 "We harden" the seedling

It is better from the very beginning (from spring) to keep the seedling in conditions close to the street. For this, a balcony, an open window sill is suitable. If this is not possible, then from the beginning of autumn, two to three weeks before planting the tree in a permanent place, start taking the pot with the tree to the balcony or street, increasing the time period of “hardening” every day. At first, avoid strong sunlight.

10 Cutting the main root

Before planting, check to see if the main root has grown through the bottom of your pot. If so, carefully cut off with a knife or scissors the part of the root that has come out of the bottom. If not, cut off the part of the root that has twisted against the bottom.

FOR THE FURTHER LIFE OF OAK, IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE MAIN ROOT DOES NOT BEND OR TWIST - IT WILL REMAIN THIS FOR ALL LIFE.

11 We plant an oak tree in a permanent place

Transplant the seedling to a permanent place, removing it with a clod of earth. To do this, it is enough to dig a hole a little deeper than your pot, loosen the earth at the bottom of the hole, place a seedling in it along with a clod of earth, press the earth tightly, and water it. For large forest plantings, check the planting technology with the organizers of the event. If you plant several oaks in a garden or park, remember that in adulthood the trees should not interfere with each other. To do this, plant oaks at a distance of about 5 meters. When planting trees with foresters, the oaks are planted closer together so that the trees close together more quickly and form a forest environment.

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR OAK FOR THE WINTER WARM IN THE APARTMENT!

In the spring, acorns should be sown as early as possible, when the moisture has not yet left the soil. Sowing dates vary by region. For central Russia, this is the end of April - the beginning of May.

Every year, together with volunteers, we collect acorns in Moscow to restore mixed forests that are resistant to fires and diseases. This is possible thanks to the help of supporters. Support the project "Restore our forest"!