How to Grow Shade Trees From Acorns
- 1). Collect acorns from oak trees in your area in the early fall. If possible, it is best to pick the acorns from the tree limbs. If you must pick acorns from the ground look for ones that are not cracked, bitten or split.
- 2). Remove the caps of the acorns by twisting them with your hands. The cap should pop off easily. If it does not come off without force, discard the acorn. Discard all the caps in the garbage or compost pile.
- 3). Place all of the acorns in a bucket of water. Allow the acorns to soak in the water for 24 hours. Remove all of the acorns that are floating on top of the water. Discard floating acorns in the garbage or place them outside for wildlife to eat. Dry the acorns (that have sunk to the bottom) on a paper towel for half an hour.
- 4). Put the dry acorns in a plastic bag and place the plastic bag into your refrigerator. Leave about 1 inch of the bag "unzipped" to avoid any mold growing. If you see mold growing on the acorns, wash them off and place them back in the bag.
- 5). Dig a hole three times the size of the acorn with a small garden shovel. You may plant an acorn anytime between November and March, but the ground will need to be soft enough for you to dig. Back fill half of the dirt into the hole. Place the acorn into the hole, and fill the rest of the hole up with the remaining soil.
- 6). Pull all vegetation -- within a 2-foot parameter -- around the planting spot. You will need to continue to remove the vegetation for the first couple of years after planting.
- 7). Place a 1-inch-thick layer of mulch over the 2-foot parameter, after the acorn sprouts. The mulch will make weeding easier, and help maintain moisture in the soil around the young seedling.
- 8). Water the seed with several deep irrigations per year. Pour 2 gallons of water into the planting area in the late spring and early summer. This is sufficient watering for the young seedling.
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