Sawtooth oaks

[osprey]

I've got 25 sawtooth seedlings coming this week from NWTF, along with 4' vented tree tubes. Anybody else planted any? Have had them other places, but first time I'm trying them on my farm. One of the fastest to acorn production, about 8 years on average, and deer and turkeys love 'em. Just hope they tolerate the salt in the soil.

Putting one row in to start a travel hedge/screen across one corner of a field, remainder are going in a clump with some pin oaks I started last spring. Mixing some clover and WSG seed in between them, clover for this year until the WSG takes over good and tall next year.

[osprey]

Been busy the past two days. Here's the row I put in to start a hedge, connects a corner of oak woods with a pine woods/marsh thicket and will block off an acre corner of the field. Deer already like the spot, but think the screen will make them feel more secure and they'll also travel along it (when they finally get bigger). Still have to go back in later with the tractor and get the food plot in shape.



Scatter the rest in several groupings like this where they'd be out of the way but still a good food attractant when they start putting off acorns. Hope they survive.

[davep]

They do grow/produce quick.
Knew a guy in Calvert that used to give me seedlings every year.
Unfortunately,we sold the place I planted them,and haven't planted any here.Yet.

[osprey]

I can't begin to say how pleased I am with these trees so far. Went back and checked them today and don't think I've lost a single one even as dry as it's been. All were 12" seedlings, and while some only have 6-10" of growth at least three of them are growing out of the 4' tall tube protectors already!

[Bartman]

That's awesome Dave. Can't wait to have my own farm someday to be able to do just that. Will be nice to create funnels as well.

[osprey]

Since that last post in early July I've probably only had 3/4" of rain on them, crops are dust, oak trees in the woods are turning brown and dropping leaves but every one of the sawtooths is still alive!! I wouldn't have expected that on a good year, but especially not this one. Had the Scrambler out tonight so I filled several coolers with water and hauled a few gallons back to each one tonight - first watering of the year on them. NWTF gets a big plug from me for the quality of their seedlings.

[loucompton]

Dave, I planted 75 in my back yard 4 years ago. When I plantesd them I did not use the tubes as the cost would have been prohibitive. ( I planted a total of 300 trees of diff. varieties) The sawtooths have done very well for the most part. One problem that I have noticed in my case is that several of them have had a tendency to bush out instead of growing upward. I pruned a few back last winter and they came back great this year reaching for the sky. I will be pruning the rest of them this winter to promote the upward growth in them and fertilizing with some 10-10-10. Perhaps the tubes will prevent this in your case. No acorns yet but my tallest one is about 10' already. Good luck with yours.

[osprey]

Well it's been two years since I put these in, still going well. The biggest are 7-8' tall already and even with two summers of drought and salt soil they are ALL still living. Just ordered 25 more with tubes for this March. Got 'em from NWTF again, can't beat the quality I got last time!

[osprey]

This year's batch came in Wednesday, got them all in the ground yesterday (thursday). Looked good again. Went with 3' tubes this year to keep the cost down a bit. Filled in with a second row and 6 more in a cluster where I planted the others, plus scattered a few along another hedgerow - some of those are in old piles of chipped wood from a storm, it's been breaking down for ten years so I'm thinking those 5 trees will skyrocket, just like planting in a compost pile.

Will take awhile, but someday I'm going to have some awesome deer attracting groves of sawtooth oaks!