Acorns, nuts, and other seeds
#1
Acorns, nuts, and other seeds
Our oaks are producing a very heavy crop of acorns this year, and there is a steady rain of acorns onto our roof and porch, and we can also hear them on the roof next door. I have already raked up one barrow-load of acorns from the tree next to the house and spread them in the area which is mostly pine trees. At this rate I will probably have another 4-5 barrow-loads over the next month or so.
There is also a heavy crop of seeds on the dogwoods, but strangely there don't seem to be any seed pods on our big sweetgum, and none from last year either - sweetgum seedpods take two years to grow, fill, and then dry and fall off, and there don't appear to be either green or brown seed pods on the tree.
There is also a heavy crop of seeds on the dogwoods, but strangely there don't seem to be any seed pods on our big sweetgum, and none from last year either - sweetgum seedpods take two years to grow, fill, and then dry and fall off, and there don't appear to be either green or brown seed pods on the tree.
#2
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,452
Re: Acorns, nuts, and other seeds
It's a phenomal year. Apples - lots of wild apple trees and crab apples in the hedgerows and woods around us (northern New York State.) The crop of apples is at least 10x normal, to the extent that I'm seeing heavy crops on trees that don't even have any apples in other years. Butternuts - we have half a dozen big trees in the yard. They always have a fair number of nuts, this year much bigger crop than usual, it's been a problem with mowing.
Oaks too. For some reason, our chipmunk population lives at the front of the house, all the oak trees are behind the house. They choose to commute back and forth via our deck. If you're sitting on the deck, they'll literally walk over your feet if that's the shortest route. On the way back their little cheeks are filled with acorns.
Wild grapes are pretty good this year too...
Oaks too. For some reason, our chipmunk population lives at the front of the house, all the oak trees are behind the house. They choose to commute back and forth via our deck. If you're sitting on the deck, they'll literally walk over your feet if that's the shortest route. On the way back their little cheeks are filled with acorns.
Wild grapes are pretty good this year too...
#3
Re: Acorns, nuts, and other seeds
Interesting. Our household has recently been commenting on the opposite...a distinct lack, or significant reduction in normal levels. No apples at all on the trees this year. A noticeable very low level of seeds from the various trees in the yard. Nature never ceases to surprise!
#4
Re: Acorns, nuts, and other seeds
Our oaks are producing a very heavy crop of acorns this year, and there is a steady rain of acorns onto our roof and porch, and we can also hear them on the roof next door. I have already raked up one barrow-load of acorns from the tree next to the house and spread them in the area which is mostly pine trees. At this rate I will probably have another 4-5 barrow-loads over the next month or so.
There is also a heavy crop of seeds on the dogwoods, but strangely there don't seem to be any seed pods on our big sweetgum, and none from last year either - sweetgum seedpods take two years to grow, fill, and then dry and fall off, and there don't appear to be either green or brown seed pods on the tree.
There is also a heavy crop of seeds on the dogwoods, but strangely there don't seem to be any seed pods on our big sweetgum, and none from last year either - sweetgum seedpods take two years to grow, fill, and then dry and fall off, and there don't appear to be either green or brown seed pods on the tree.
I've got millions of the little sods in my lawn now and raking them up is a pita.
Has anyone used one of these Shop Garden Weasel Nut Gatherer at Lowes.com
I have also tried my garden vacuum but it's not great at picking them up.
I'm not great with an electric blower - I just manage to blow it all over the place.
#7
Re: Acorns, nuts, and other seeds
The large majority of trees I cut down are dead, damaged, diseased, dangerous, or dualed (two growing too close together), and in fairness, I usually leave the mature dead, damaged, or diseased ones for the woodpeckers to feast on unless they become dangerous.
Most pine trees are potentially fair game for my chainsaw, but even most of those that I have cut down so far have been dead or dangerous. ...... Cutting a snag/ widowmaker is a lot of fun. I felled one last winter, a mature 75ft pine snapped about half way up, and the top part horizontal and caught in another tree. Oh, and for good measure, it was a double trunk at the base, so couldn't be cut cleanly at the base - it had to be cut about 5ft above ground level, and with only one possible direction of fall. And it was my tree overhanging a neighbour's back yard.
Last edited by Pulaski; Oct 17th 2016 at 6:40 pm.
#8
Re: Acorns, nuts, and other seeds
why do you spread them?
I've got millions of the little sods in my lawn now and raking them up is a pita.
Has anyone used one of these Shop Garden Weasel Nut Gatherer at Lowes.com
I have also tried my garden vacuum but it's not great at picking them up.
I'm not great with an electric blower - I just manage to blow it all over the place.
I've got millions of the little sods in my lawn now and raking them up is a pita.
Has anyone used one of these Shop Garden Weasel Nut Gatherer at Lowes.com
I have also tried my garden vacuum but it's not great at picking them up.
I'm not great with an electric blower - I just manage to blow it all over the place.
#9
Re: Acorns, nuts, and other seeds
Interesting. Our household has recently been commenting on the opposite...a distinct lack, or significant reduction in normal levels. No apples at all on the trees this year. A noticeable very low level of seeds from the various trees in the yard. Nature never ceases to surprise!
This year I have not seen one apple off of those same trees.
#10
Re: Acorns, nuts, and other seeds
interesting tool , I was looking at a lawn sweeper Shop Sun Joe 26-in Lawn Sweeper at Lowes.com
I tried to use it once and found it to be fairly useless. I don't recall trying to pick up acorns or nuts with it, but I doubt it would be very effective.
#11
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,452
Re: Acorns, nuts, and other seeds
I enjoy encouraging oak trees. The second year we were in our house, 1998, I happened to notice an oak seedling in the lawn when I was mowing for the first time in the spring. Just a tiny twig with two leaves. So I got two canes, stuck them in the lawn to mark the location of the tree, and mowed around it. Now that tree is twenty feet high and growing fast. I've several other oaks that I've similarly encouraged .... most other trees I ruthlessly mow, tear up, strim etc. (box elders, white poplars, popples, spruce..)
[jeez, autocorrect... It corrected poplars to read Polaris??]
[jeez, autocorrect... It corrected poplars to read Polaris??]
#12
Re: Acorns, nuts, and other seeds
I'm with you. I hate pine trees and unfortunately, I live in the pine belt. The ground is littered with the shedded neddles. All bark and little green.
Love oaks and walnut trees. Friend has two black walnut trees on either side of her drive. People come to the door wanting to buy them
My neighbor has two lovely mature mulberry trees. One overhangs a bit of our backyard and I get to rack their leaves for them
Love oaks and walnut trees. Friend has two black walnut trees on either side of her drive. People come to the door wanting to buy them
My neighbor has two lovely mature mulberry trees. One overhangs a bit of our backyard and I get to rack their leaves for them
#13
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Acorns, nuts, and other seeds
We have a lot of pines on the mountains, mixed in with them are the usual trees who turn nice colors in fall, makes for a nice look. I like pines mostly because they keep some green and life around winter and look nice with snow.
#14
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2008
Location: Rural Virginia
Posts: 1,076
Re: Acorns, nuts, and other seeds
Heavy acorn crop here along with black walnut, hickory and pecan.
The persimmon tree are fruiting very heavily, our apple yield was fair as was the peach and pear.
The paw paws seem yielding the least but they are always erratic.
The persimmon tree are fruiting very heavily, our apple yield was fair as was the peach and pear.
The paw paws seem yielding the least but they are always erratic.