Re: Abundant acorns

[David J Bockman]

Acorn production is cyclical, with some years being quite heavy, some moderate, and some scant. Stress can also affect production as well, so if you had a period of drought one or two years ago, the effects could be showing now through the heavy acorn set.

Dave

I'm not sure this is even the right place, but many gardeners subscribe > to information found in The Old Farmers Almanac and the like. I live in > SE South Dakota and have a 75+ year burr oak in my yard. This year I > have so many acorns that ther ground is literally covered with them. > Does anyone know if this may be a sign of an impending hard long winter? > TIA, > RJ >

[Shepherd]

I have three oak trees about the same size, and I guess age.

Last year one tree produced a very large quantity of acorns. The other two trees produced next to nothing. The winter was about average here in north central Texas.

This year, all three trees are loaded down with acorns. I sure hope the quantity of acorns has nothing to do with the severity of the winter. If it does, this winter should be terrible.

Shepherd

[Frank Logullo]

Probably more of a sign of a past season that was good for the tree. Frank

[DigitalVinyl]

Funny you should post about that. A tree on a back neighbors yard was shedding acorns onto the roof of his garage. All day long these pops and scraps would sound off as they bounced and ran down the roof shingles. I have never noticed that before. It didn't occur to me that there might be light and heavy years. I just assumed I wasn't around when this tree dropped them. Interestingly, the flush of falling acrons all seemed to happen within a day or two.

DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email) Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound

1st Year Gardener

[Shepherd]

The acorns fall from my trees for many weeks, not all in one day.

Shepherd

[Tom J]

The extra heavy falling for a short time was most likely caused by birds or squirrels, or both, harvesting nuts.

Tom J

[Rachel]

Also, remember that trees of the Black Oak group (Black Oak, Red Oaks, Pin Oak, Scarlet Oak) take two years to ripen their acorns, so if you have a few of those in an acorn year there will be a lot more action than when several of them have an off-year. The Bur Oak mentioned by RJ, however, is in the White Oak group, which ripens and drops acorns every year, although the production of an individual tree may vary.

Here on the Blue Ridge (Zone 6B) with Black, Red, White and Chestnut Oaks, it's sounded like popcorn is being made all the time, as they land on the roof and the rocks, and bounce off branches, since week before last.