Acorns

The regeneration of Oaks from last years acorns is pretty phenomenal. Never seen so many saplings in our local woods. Looks good for nature looking after itself.

Oh dear, there are fewer acorns this year. The eco warriors, this morning on the radio, are predicting the demise of the Oak. Why instead of protesting or waiting for a Lottery grant did they not harvest last years bonanza. Those would now be sapling's. Mine are ready to move to the odd corner and allowed to flourish. Oh forgot the idea was not backed by a so called "celebrity"

I heard that Quercus Robur (English Oak) acorns haven't done so well this year but we have  Quercus Cerris (Turkey Oak) near us, those huge oaks with long straight trunks and they have loads of acorns, so never fear!! What really puzzles me is the single English Oak near our home, I think it's a WW1 oak, is riddled with oak gall so has never produced a decent acorn in all the time we've been here. I listened to a GQT programme about oak gall where they said this would eventually right itself and keep hoping for the best, maybe in another 100 years?!

I see in Wales you have a Welsh Oak, Fisherman, there are so many different ones! Do the broadcasters of bad news know their Oaks?  🌳🌳🌳

We plant Hazel trees. Our next door neighbour originally planted two, then our resident squirrels took over, and the whole street now has a few in each garden. Ours are maturing nicely, planted at the bottom of our garden, we have taken off the low branches, to keep the ground clear underneath, and will then have a sort of high hedge to keep the garden more private. I shall use the withies to make plant supports. 

What a different year. Hardly any acorns. Leaves still on trees but after a cold night are dropping well. Last years saplings now replanted .

We have many English and Cecile Oaks in our area and there seem to be a lot of acorns ,although not as many as last years bumper crop ,we have saplings of both from last year which will be planted in areas ,that hopefully will not get nibbled by our deer populations

A useful oak is the Holm Oak (Quercus Ilex), It’s one of a few specimen evergreens that seem to thrive locally in salty, windy exposed locations on the coast. As the SW gales seem to get more intense each year it’s a great tree for shelter.

We have at least three different oaks here and after looking early in the year did not think we get any acorns but now have plenty and I have potted some up and see what happens.

We had the oak processionary moth and caterpillar about 4 miles from here and so far not got here but the trees do try and put more leaves after the first lot have been eaten but I see no acorns on these trees which is a shame, also we have got oak die back disease even on two of our trees and after a walk today have noticed other oaks with it and no cure if it not one disease then it is another. Have seen holm oaks in some places and they do sell it as a truffle oak plus the usual ones could be big problems in the future as the local truffles can fetch very high prices upto a 1000 euros a kilo in a good year.

Another good year for acorns.Now ripe and falling. Any armchair environmentalists going to,pick some, plant in a nursery bed and plant out as sapplings in say 2 years. Might be needed to replace the ravaged Ash.Just wondering.

Definitely a good year, as we have seen lots in our travels so far, from Cheshire to Gloucestershire and now too in Dorset.