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How to Grow Oak Trees From Cuttings
How to Grow Oak Trees From Cuttings. Oaks (Quercus spp.) belong to a large family of trees with more than 400 varieties around the world. The generally long-lived deciduous or evergreen trees are used for shade in landscapes and for their lumber. Oak trees grow to mature heights of 60 to 70 feet and have a spread of 40 to 50 feet. Popular oak...
Oaks (Quercus spp.) belong to a large family of trees with more than 400 varieties around the world. The generally long-lived deciduous or evergreen trees are used for shade in landscapes and for their lumber. Oak trees grow to mature heights of 60 to 70 feet and have a spread of 40 to 50 feet. Popular oak varieties include the white oak, red oak and black oak. The acorns of the oaks attract wildlife. You can propagate the tree with seeds or cuttings.
Things You'll Need
Peat
Perlite
Rooting hormone
Spray bottle
Prepare a mixture with equal parts of peat and perlite in a small pot for planting the cuttings. Make sure the planting medium drains well.
Take cuttings from young oak trees between May and October. Avoid taking cuttings during winter or softwood cuttings as these do not root. Cuttings taken from trees that are more than 5 years old have a low chance of rooting. Cut 6-inch stems starting from the growing tip.
Remove all leaves from the lower half of the stem. Dip the bottom of the cutting in a rooting hormone and plant in the prepared planting medium. This is required for effective rooting. You can buy rooting hormone at any gardening supply store.
Place the pot in a warm spot and mist three or four times every day using a spray bottle. Reduce the misting intervals when the cuttings have put out roots. Under optimal growing conditions, this should take about 12 weeks.
Tug at each cutting gently after 12 weeks to make sure it has rooted. Rooted cuttings will hold their ground. Plant in a loose, well-drained soil amended with organic matter. Add soluble fertilizer to the soil and continue to fertilize during the active growing season.
Tips & Warnings
Oaks are slow-growing trees and are often grown in large containers with a well-drained and fertile soil for up to five years before transplanting to the ground. Fertilize the tree regularly during its growing period.
It is very hard to propagate oak trees from cuttings and it often takes several attempts to be successful. The most used propagation method for oaks is planting the seeds or the acorns in a fertile, well-drained soil as soon as they drop from the tree.
