growing oak seedlings

[Pete_zone_5b-6a]

does anyone know how to germinate red oak acorns? and how do you get seedlings to grow their fastest? they are in an elevated bed of compost and sand mixed. I added very few grass clippings and some leaves last year. so far i have 7 swamp whites growing at about 7 inches tall and all about 1 years old. I would like to make them 2 foot tall, sell them, and start the process over. I dont exactly live in the best climate. Denver, Colorado has 15 " of precip. a year and about 10 to 35% daytime humidity on average. Days are usually sunny and hot during summer and winter has days going occasionally into the 60s. Temps can fall below zero although they dont often. I havent tested the bed's P.H yet but im sure it's neutral to acidic. Thanks for all your replies,

Pete

[Newt]

Hi Pete,
Sounds like a great project. From a site below: "Acorns of red oaks should be planted in the fall or stratified for 1 to 3 months." Take a look at these.

http://pearl.agcomm.okstate.edu/fore...ral/f-5031.pdf
http://www.treehelp.com/trees/oak/index.asp
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8704.html

Scroll down here.
http://www.backyardgardener.com/tm.html

Lots of info here. You may find some of it useful.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/c...opagation.html

Newt

[Jenna]

Hi Pete, Hi Newt,
I was just reading your posts about growing oak seedlings. That sounds like a great winter project. I am in zone 5, is there any place I could get acorns this time of year that would grow in zone 5. I would love to try it.
Jenna

[Newt]

Hi Jenna,
Other than from the ground or a neighbor's tree, I don't know. I often find new seedlings in my yard in spring and summer that the squirrels have planted from my neighbor. Do be careful if you dig them as they tend to have a long tap root, so dig deep.

Newt

[Pete_zone_5b-6a]

Jenna,
There are many mail-order seed sources such as sheffields.com and F.W Schumachers at www.treeshrubseeds.com. These should all sell many species of oaks at bulk (not 5 acorns for $1.95!). Good luck,'

Pete