Seed nut handling and expectations

[Lanier_Lurker]

I need some pointers on how to maximize the probability that nuts I gather to to use as seed stock will germinate later.

I have already gathered quite a few freshly dropped and uneaten hickory (pignut) nuts this year.  I would like to mail some to SD or whoever might want some.  I expect a decent acorn crop a little later this year, and I think some people had expressed some interest in getting some scarlet oak acorns.  So, here are the questions:

1) Should I gather the nuts and store them or just move them to a safe area and leave them laying on the ground (all natural like) until I am ready to either plant them or pack and ship them?

2) If I should store them, what are the best options for short term (1 or 2 months) and long term (6+ months) storage?

3) How should I pack them for shipment?

As for how to handle the nuts at planting time, I will save those questions for another thread.

[Texas Ranger]

If the hickory nuts are like the pecans that are dropping here, they may be pops.  Check a few.  As far as acorns go, when you gather them, float them in a bucket of water, those that float, throw away, those that sink, keep.

Short term, store in a brown paper bag in a refrigerator, I have never stored for as long as 6 months, so it would probably be a crap shoot.

Pack them in a brown paper sack sealed with tape.  Brown paper allows air in and out.  Then in a box with some "peanuts" to keep them from shaking around.  Post office may not like something rattling around in there, either.

Plant we have done has been with a rod, poke a hole in the ground a couple of inches deep, drop in a seed, crush the hole with your heel.  Critters will get some of them.

[SwampDonkey]

I asked the seed centre about long term storage and they said hardwood with nuts don't store well long term. 6 months is about the limit for good germination. They said not to freeze them, store them in a fridge. But, as far as the freezing is concerned I was successful when freezing them in water, but I only did 3 acorns this way. The seed centre can store birch as the process of extraction and storage is the same as for softwood, and the seed is relatively the same size. I collected yellow birch 7 years ago and it's still viable. The seed centre tests the seed every year. I collected some red spruce at the time as well, it's been very much sought after by some forest companies. Some was also collected by Tree Improvement staff from the same trees I took mine. They store it for genetics research.

[Phorester]

Before shipping any seeds, be sure to check with with your Post Office or your State Dept. of Agriculture.  There may be a quarantine on shipping certain seeds out of your area to prevent movement of insects or diseases.  Your local Extension Agent might be of help with this info. or the right contact.

Don and Swamp got the seed storage right.

[bitternut]

Here is a picture of a couple of bitternut hickory seedlings and a seedling from one of my hybrid white oaks.

 

I waited until the nuts were dropping heavy before gathering any. I think the early drops are usually wormy or defective in some other way. I kept mine all winter buried in my mulch pile to stratify. I put them in a large coffee can with screen over the open end and the can upside down. They came through unscathed and then I planted them in the mulch in late spring. A lot of them sprouted and were doing fine until one day I noticed some digging in the pile and within two days they were all gone. Pretty sure chipmunks got them since I saw one run from the pile with his cheeks bulging. I had wrongly assumed that they would not be fair game for the critters once they sprouted but I was wrong.

Managed to salvage a couple along with a couple of hybrid white oaks. Will take more precautions next year for sure.

Here is my hybrid mother white oak with quite a few acorns.

 

[WDH]

Seems a little early for hickory nuts to drop unless they are aborts.  There should be plenty more as this fall to sweeten your larder.

[Lanier_Lurker]

That might be except for the marauding squirrels.

I think they have cleaned every nut off of the pignut overhanging the house and deck.  Now they have found the big pignut at the end of the driveway.  My driveway is now getting sprinkled with the chewed up nuts.

I've gathered a few nuts from up the driveway and done the float test on them.  I've found a few that sink or rise very slowly after being dropped from less than 2 inches above the water surface.  Most of these have a husk that is mostly brown colored with a tad of green remaining, and these husks are not too difficult to remove.  I'm going to put them in outside pots and keep my fingers crossed.  But you are probably right and my chances are slim.

WDH, the seeds that I am most interested in propagating are yellow poplar.  My dad had a pine/hardwood forest logged out a few years ago (in Lee County), and I rode it a couple of weeks ago and was very disappointed at the lack of regrowth I was seeing.  I figure some fast growing yellow poplar would be a good addition.  The seed production on the mature poplars around my house is nothing short of astonishing.  I can gather them by the thousands, and they have already started dropping.

[WDH]

LL, I got out my seed book to look at recommended treatment of yellow poplar seeds.  Seeds collected in the fall do best when stored in plastic bags at temperatures around 35 degrees F for 140 days.  You can also store them in moist sand or peat moss at the same temp, but that is not practical.  I would say collect them as early as possible this fall and store them in a plastic ziploc bag in the refrigerator until spring.  Then sow them about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep (but no deeper) in soil. 

Keep us posted .

[Riles]

WDH, what seed book are you using?

[WDH]

Riles,

SEEDS OF WOODY PLANTS IN THE UNITED STATES-USDA-1974

It is on sale on E-bay for $30

http://cgi.ebay.com/SEEDS-OF-WOODY-PLANTS-IN-THE-UNITED-STATES-USDA-1974_W0QQitemZ280143075434QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

[SwampDonkey]

I used to have an Ontario seed manual here, but must have left it at the marketing board.

Anyone up that way or in neighboring states might be interested in ordering one for themselves.

Order here

Fact sheets

[Riles]

I grabbed the one off eBay, got it for $20. Thanks WDH. Maybe it'll get here before my registered foresters exam on Monday.

[WDH]

Good luck on the exam .

[SwampDonkey]

Herb, I've gotta go beating the bush again soon to look for our hickories you sent last fall. You can't imagine how many plants look about like your seedlings when your looking at a mat of green foliage.