white oaks

[marty]

I got a quesation about white oaks. Got one on my place. Never have seen any acorns on it. I even fertilize it with tree spikes but the last three years no acorns at all. Do they need another to germinate? if so how many years do they drop acorns like every couple years?   thanks  marty

[Ron Scott]

You don't need another oak tree. Flowers of both sexes are produced on the same tree. White oak is whats's called monoecious. White oak flowers in the spring at about the same time leaves appear.
A high loss or severence of flowers is common and usually related to weather conditions during the period of pollunation, ovule development, and fertilization. Wet weather delays pollen shedding. Dry winds and freezing weather are also detremental to flower development and pollen shedding.
Acorn crops are good in years when weather is warm for 10 days during flowing and then cool for 13 to 20 days afterwards. The acorn crop has been poor in years when cool periods preceded warm periods at the time of flowering. Acorns fall to the ground in September or October.
White oak can produce seeds prolifically, but good acorn crops are irregular and occur every 4 to 10 years. Sometimes several years may pass without a crop. Crops vary between individual trees.
You should be due for an acorn crop, but weather is a key factor to regular acorn production.

[marty]

Thanks Ron so maybe this will be the year. The old place where I used to hunt had two white oaks and they were candy to the deer. Maybe this will be the ticket for me.I've been working on my place for fours years now improving whitetail habitat. I had 10 acres pretty well flatten except for some nice youngs oaks and some white pines. It was mostly popple and just since july of this year it has really showed some good promise for cover for the deer. One place I got had some old oaks about one acre or so. Thinking about going with red pines with some white spruce in between the rows for a wind break for the deer. Does this sound like a good mixture? thanks again for all the info and happy holidays to you

[Ron Scott]

Marty,
That sounds ok for a good windbreak. How many acres do you have and where located? You may want to have a Private Landowner's Forest Stewardship Plan completed for the property to meet your ssspecific objectives. Maybe contact the local Conservation District Forester for recommendations.

[marty]

I only have 50 acres but trying to make some deer habitat. I took ten acres of hardwoods with oak maple and popple. The wood cutter told me it was 95% mature. I had a lot of trees that were falling over and some big dead ones that were going to fall sooner or later. What really surpise me was the fast growth of the popple. I had it cut this july and it was already 5 feet in places. What I want to do is really plant a lot of pine/spruce and balsa to make cover since I have no cover on my place. When this is all done this will be a no hunt zone.On one corner I want to fence off a side to keep the deer coming in and out on my place since it joins my property. I'm in northeast Michigan in alcona county . Thanks for your help...marty

[Ron Scott]

A good contact and reference source over your way with good knowledge of the landscapes and vegetation there is Don Krejcarek; Sunrise Forestry Consultants; 223 5th Street; PO Box 16; Harrisville, Mi 48740; (517) 724-6165. Don can give you some very good advice. Tell him I referred you.