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Anne Theron

by Anne
(Kokstad, South Africa)

MY grand-daughter picked up some acorns when I was still living in Dundee some lots of years ago and having found them in my cupboard I want to plant them. Why do you place the acorns horizontally???

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Jan 02, 2021
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Germinating acorns
by: Caroline

Dear Anne

That is a very good question. Why do I place the acorns horizontally ? I must confess it was merely received wisdom that I applied and it worked. There may be no justifiable or scientific reason behind it. You could try different positions. Perhaps it is that the cotyledon and root emerge from that small flat circle, and if that is at the bottom the cotyledon has further to go to reach the light. I think I mentioned in the article that by the time the cotyledon emerges, the tap root has grown out of the bottom of the pot. Oak seedlings need a tall pot.
From my experience the only problem you may have is with the viability of the acorns. I noticed that any deterioration in the condition of the acorn and you get no germination. They deteriorate quite rapidly. They need to be less than a year old to get really good germination. Nonetheless, those which have preserved well will probably germinate.
I would like to refer you to an expert on oak planting. He is an American who grows oaks everywhere by planting the acorns direct in the ground. You can find him on the facebook group 'urban mini-forest'. His contact details escape me at present and I can't log on to facebook before four pm. He can also tell you how to prepare acorns for eating if you are interested.

Good luck with your planting.
Caroline

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