AusBonsai

Oooo ... 75% success rate would be awesome! Have 8 acorns with 4 per 8 inch-ish pots. Fingers and branches crossed, haha.

Why 4 per pot? Won't the roots just get all tangled?

Jarad wrote:Why 4 per pot? Won't the roots just get all tangled?

No if only 1 survives

He should be able to untangle them if not left too long, or leave 2 in a pot to bind together and make a mother / daughter tree ( I did the same with my small liquid ambar)

Ken

I used to pick up both English Oak and Pin Oak(Some doubt now if it is a pin oak) from Turramurra. No problems growing but watch out for Rats, as all my last planting of acorns disappeared in a couple of nights. Cover with mesh.

Why 4 to a pot? Cause I only had two pots and eight acorns, hehe.

How long is too long? Repot in spring if they shoot?

Oooo, good tip about the rats ... think I occasionally get some passing through. Will get some wire!

Thanks!

To save repotting I have sometimes just put the acorns into a plastic bag with some damp potting mix and close the top of the bag. Check every couple of days. No need to open the bag cause you can see through. When you see nice white roots just undo the bag and pot up the ones with roots (can trim the roots at this stage to promote lateral roots if you like or just pot them as they are. Close the bag and check every couple of days until you see more roots. Keep potting up germinating acorns into individual pots till no more are shooting.
Really simple and easy.

Oh nooooo .... too late! I've just locked down the pots, sealing them under a rat proof fence, which I'd also need bolt cutters to access the acorns, haha.

Good tip though, will try that if these don't take.

- Daniel

In case you didn't believe me, here's Fort Acorn ... titanium wire shields enabled!!!



Just popped them in the Sun to dry out a bit after being under cover with all this rain.

- Daniel S

Germination chamber is well suited to providing the optimum environment can decrease germination time, improve uniformity and increase the number of seeds that germinate.

Right lads! You have inspired me, I will go acorn hunting this weekend.

shibui wrote:I find it easier to just pick up the germinating acorns and pot those up but I can hear that you are excited to become a real Dad, not a foster parent.

made me laugh

I'm a real (bonsai) Dad!!!! Went out on the weekend (after a few days of neglecting my pots) and found I have 2 NEW BABY TREES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pics below, so far have at least a 25% success rate (2 so far, maybe more to come???) of acrons to seedling (hopefully can keep them alive).





The second one is to the left, out of focus and only about 15mm tall at the moment!

Is it too early to shape the "trunk", should I wait a year before torturing ... ah I mean styling?

- Daniel S

I would let it grow up thru the mesh, that would give you your first initial movement

Yes, it is too early to try wiring. Very young stems are quite brittle and they will still be flexible for several years so you can bend or prune to get some shape later.
I think I'd remove the wire now. Once it grows through the mesh you will need to defoliate or cut the stem to get it off.

Or just cut the wire Shibui i was just thinking that as it grows it will hit the wire, then try to find a way thru, giving you a natural bend, like a fallen branch hindering the seed don't mind me my missus rolls her eyes at me too