![]() Place the acorns in an equal portion of a moist potting mix and store where the seed is subjected to outside temperatures for cold/moist stratification. Storage for longer than one month requires that the acorns maintain suitable moisture levels. Discard any acorns that float or have exit holes in them. Soaking the acorns in water for one to two days will kill any remaining insect larvae. Sound seeds will sink to the bottom while insect infested acorns will float or be semi-buoyant. Many acorns will be infested with acorn weevil larvae. A float test can be used to separate sound viable seed from unsound seed. Seed handling: After collection the acorns can be stored as is for up to one month. Next years acorn crop can be evaluated by looking at this years 1st year acorn buds. The first year after pollination the acorn remains a tiny dormant bud that resembles a minute replica of the full size acorn. Quercus rubra (QR) acorns produce their acorns over a two year period. Insect feeding usually results in failure of the acorn to germinate. Many species of insects feed on acorns both on the tree and on the ground. Acorns that have fallen prematurely or have a cap firmly attached to them are usually not viable. Acorn color ranges from a dark green early in September to a reddish brown color at full maturity. Sound acorns will be shiny with a bright color. After the acorns mature they slowly dry breaking the bond with the cap. The acorns are mature when they naturally separate from the acorn cap. Trees with low branches help facilitate collection directly from the tree and ensure a higher percentage of sound seed. Acorns can be harvested directly from the tree or collected from the ground. Open grown trees will produce fairly consistent acorn crops each year compared to forest grown trees. Acorn production is synchronized between all of the oak trees in entire regions so the lack of acorn production will be widespread. Bumper crops are produced every 5 to 7 years with smaller crops or no crop at all produced during the intervening years. Seed production will vary considerably from year to year. Seed collection: Seed collection should begin in early September to late October in New York State. Species Name: Quercus rubra, Quercus borealisÄistribution: Found from southern Quebec and Ontario, Canada south through the eastern US to Tennessee, extending westerly to Missouri in the south and Minnesota in the north. Purchase Manual: Using Native Plants in Urban Landscapes
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