Re: Speaking of acorns

on 11/9/04 7:03 AM, Ruth Bogan at rbogan@mindspring.com wrote:

> I saw Doug's message about acorns and wanted to throw out another question.
> 
> I live in New Jersey. The past two years our oak trees have produced acorns
> prodigiously. About this time of year they covered the walks, the deck, the
> ground. I would hear them hitting the roof constantly. This year there are
> not any, and I don't really see them in the trees. The biggest difference
> in the years has been the amount of rain--plenty of water this year; less
> water (even periodic drought) over the past few years. Can anybody give me
> a quick lesson in the relationship between acorns and weather--if, indeed,
> there's any connection at all.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Ruth B.
> 
> 
>> [Original Message]
>> From: <woodyplants-owner@hort.net (woodyplants DIGEST)>
>> To: <woodyplants-digest@hort.net>
>> Date: 11/9/2004 2:01:03 AM
>> Subject: woodyplants DIGEST V1 #17
>> 
>> 
>> woodyplants DIGEST      Tuesday, November 9 2004      Volume 01 : Number
> 017
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> In this issue:
>> 
>> raining acorns
>> 
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> 
>> Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2004 16:29:02 -0800
>> From: "Doug Stone" <dstone@res-q.com>
>> Subject: raining acorns
>> 
>> Here in Pasadena, California, it's the time of the year when acorns, from
>> the Oak trees which line our streets, are falling like rain, from some
>> trees.  There is a species of bird, which looks like a dove or pigeon,
> that
>> works the trees, causing the prodigious downfall.
>> Has anyone seen this phenomenon?  Do you know the species of bird and what
>> they are after in the trees?  The activity of the birds seems directed at
>> making the acorns fall, but they never seem to retrieve them.
>> 
>> Regards,
>> Doug
>> 
>> ------------------------------
>> 
>> End of woodyplants DIGEST V1 #17
>> ********************************
> 
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I am the owner of Connecticut Gardener and in 1999 we published these
responses:

"It's not consistent. There is an acorn abundance in Old Lyme and
Bridgeport, where we're conducting our study, but not in Westchester County.
Acorn production is high in New Jersey and Rhode Island this year. Last year
the acorn production was high in Rhode Island and Bridgeport and the winter
was very mild.
I don't think that acorn production has anything to do with how severe a
winter it's going to be. Trees store up reserves and produce many acorns at
once to ensure the survival of their sspecies. By overwhelming the system,
even though deer and squirrels gourge themselves with acorns, some will
survive."
Dr. Kirby C. Stafford III, Head Dept of Forestry and Horticulture
The CT Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven

"The environment determines how plentiful acorn production is going to be.
The oak tree must be healthy and weather conditions must favor pollination.
Oak trees must have a couple of good growing years so that they can build up
their carbohydrate reserves to make acorns. Then weather conidtions must
favor pollination. For esample, two years ago this spring (1997) we had a
late spring freeze that destroyed the oak flowers and buds so that
pollination could not occur. This contributed to a low acorn production that
year."
Jeff Ward, Station Forester
The CT Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven

Pamela Weil
Connecticut Gardener
CT Gardener is published four times a year and mailed to 2000+ subscribers
in 6 states

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