In lower zone 7, does anyone else notice an unusually large acorn crop this year?
It is literally crunchy in the backyard. Possibly because I have gotten up the early fall Maple and Poplar leaves I notice it.
I have picked up over 20 gallons from the ground but that is not even a dent.
Anyone know of some really great way to get them up?
FACE
Don't you have any squirrels?
I almost mentioned that. ;-) There are plenty of grey squirrels and way more chipmunks than i would prefer but they appear to be ignoring them -- or maybe not but the extent of the inundatrion is such that it sure does appear that way.
FACE
No easy way. :-( Maybe hire some trustworthy, hard-working, neighborhood high school students that you could pay by the pound?
I just wonder why you want to pick up the acorns.What are you going to do with them? I have 4 oak trees all over 50 yrs of age which shed loads of acorns but within a few weeks they are taken by squirrels, Jays, pigeons, mice etc, and I doubt if I find more than about 20 a year trying to grow.
acorn crop this
have gotten up
not even a
My lawn sweeper does a pretty good job on mountain ash berries. I bet it would do acorns too. Try renting one.
Just a guess, but the acorn shells are hard and sharp and don't lend to a "barefoot lawn". (?) That's why I do it. Wish there was some use for them. I checked for recipes, but they seem to be more trouble than they're worth culinarily- is that a word?
It is now, Mr. President. :-)
You've a great idea there -- by the pound! :-)
FACE
You wonder why? That is a reasonable question. But let's do a small comparison:
Experience shows that i will have several hundred sprouting by spring and these things will have put down a 4" tap root into clay based soil. They are not easy to pull at that point. I do not have much more oaks in number than you. I have 6 but they are amazing producers -- and 70 to 85 feet tall.
FACE
Well that (url) certainly looks like a good idea to go over flat areas.
I have been raking and then using a kitchen dustpan on the piles in some areas.
The backyard is largely landscaped but in the flat areas-- mostly zoysia -- I have been playing "Christina's World" in the late of the day with a five gallon bucket which I can fill in 60 square feet or so.
I had considered my yard blower, which has the vacuum attachments, but past experience shows that I can eat up it's plastic fan pretty quick if the wrong thing gets sucked up. (Hickory burrs will do it for one thing).
And to another respondee, yes, the barefoot lawn plays into it all, if you've ever dropped to your knees in what should be soft lawn and had one knee go onto an acorn -- well you know why I want them out of there. Actually the hard caps are not as painful as a fat hard acorn.
FACE
I don't know how long an extension cord you'd need (and long ones made for outdoor use are expensive), but a shop vac would make short work of your acorn situation, and a tool like that should be in every homeowner's arsenal anyway. One wet basement episode is enough to make you love these machines, if you get a wet/dry type.
One precaution: Sharp things will sometimes make little holes in the bag you use to line the vacuum canister. If you vacuum dust afterward, the dust will blow out the seams where the canister closes. So, if you vacuum acorns, be sure to replace the bag with a fresh one.
I once used a shop vac to suck up an 8x8 area with Lego bricks 4 inches deep, so I know they'll handle acorns. You don't want to hear the rest of THAT story. :-)
Wouldn't want to pay them to pick up the acorns from the Valley Oak (Quercus lobata) in California. Acorns can be a little over 2 inches long and in a good year (every third year or so) they can produce about 900-1000 lbs of acorns!
Emilie NorCal
Yes, they must be leached to remove the tannic acid to be edible, but they are very nutritious. Calif Valley Oaks can have 6% Protein, 18% fat, and 68% carbohydrates. Also contain magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur. They are an acquired taste-they were pretty good in the cookies I tasted. Acorns were the main staple in the diet of the Calif Indian tribes, making up about 45 % of the diet. Usually ground into flour and made into a mush or soup.
Emilie NorCal
Thanks. I imagine they'd taste something like walnuts maybe and sweetened according to what you're making. I've read that exact same thing about the natives using acorns for mush and breads. "Leaching" would be boiling them up til their soft, right? It does seem a waste to throw all those acorns in the garbage/compost- they're so nice and meaty. By aquired taste, you mean like oysters...?
That's about the ONLY way I could think of to pay them fairly. I tried paying hourly and have never seen (except for our union city crews)..... and if I pay by the job, it doesn't get done well.
For leaves I'll pay by the bag (filled all the way with inspection). Sigh.
Maybe not as quite as good as walnuts.....
I've read that exact same
Leaching is removing the tannic acid by using water. The acorns are shelled, and pounded/chopped/ground into bits or meal, then water is poured over repeatedly until the tannin is removed. Boiling water works faster, but cold can be used. The Indians sometimes would place the acorn bits in a little pocket on pine needles/sand/basket in a moving creek and let that do the work. The bits can be placed in a cloth bag and water run over it. The water will be dark brown, then lighter. You really have to just taste to see when they are ready. The taste is slightly sweet, and rather insipid or bland. Best in cookies or breads.
Different oaks have varying sweetness and palatability. The CA Black Oak, Quercus kelloggii, is said to be quite sweet and needs less leaching. It might be fun to try some of your acorns.
Emilie NorCal
It does seem a waste
Easier way I've found to deal with acorns is to use my leaf vacuum. It takes care of acorns and sweet gum balls, chewing them up in the shredder and depositing the remnants in the bag. Dump the remains right into the compost pile.
If there was a way to set a pig loose for a day, your problem would be solved.
Raked up oak tree leaves are great for gardens and the compost builds up under the trees.
JP
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