The oaks are finishing their fruit ripening and it is time to collect them, either for consumption or to plant them . Would you like to take advantage and try your luck with some? Planting a tree is a fantastic experience that everyone should have at least once in their life. And what could be better than planting a tree as popular as the Quercus ilex ?
Prepare gloves and substrate, and let’s proceed to start the task. If you don’t know how to do it, don’t worry. You only have to do one thing: keep reading. And if you finally have any questions, contact us and we will respond as soon as possible.
But first… a bit of botany. That strange name that you read before in italics is the scientific name of the oak. All species of the genus Quercus have more or less the same type of fruit; They vary mostly in size and flavor. But without a doubt the one that is better known as the acorn tree is our protagonist today .
This is an evergreen tree native to the Mediterranean region. Although it is a species whose height is important -it can reach 25 meters-, we can also find specimens that grow like bushes. Sun loving, resistant to drought and light frost, it can grow on all types of soils , including calcareous.
It reproduces mainly by seeds which are collected towards the end of autumn. To obtain a high percentage of germination, it is recommended to stratify them, that is, let them spend a little cold, for two months in the fridge at about 6 degrees.
You will need for them the following:
- a tupperware , preferably transparent although it can be opaque like the one seen in the photo
- river sand or vermiculite
- a little water to which a few drops of fungicide will have been added
- and of course the seeds , from which we will have removed the “fiber” that protects one of its sides
Once this is achieved, we will proceed to “sow” the seeds in the tupperware, and finally we will water a little, enough so that there is some humidity. Then we put the tupperware in the fridge -in the region of the vegetables- and after two months we can proceed to planting in the seedbed .
Once stratified, we will transfer them to a seed tray or to pots. We will use a substrate based on black peat that has a certain percentage of draining material (such as perlite or clay balls), and we will place them in full sun , always maintaining a little humidity. We will put them “lying down” on the surface, and we will cover them with a thin layer of peat. If everything has gone well, in a few weeks you will be able to enjoy your own oaks.
Last but not least: do not forget to water with fungicide from time to time so that the fungi cannot do any damage to your plants. These opportunistic organisms will not hesitate to appear at the slightest sign of weakness in the tree.
Enjoy planting the acorns!
