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Need Help - Growing Texas Red Oak Trees

11 years ago

Hello. I planted around 15 Texas Red Oak trees from acorns in separate 12 gallon containers in early April. All 15 acorns sprouted and did very well early, but now some of the tree (around 8 inches tall) leaves are looking like they are dying. The Texas heat right now is 100 degrees, but the soil seems to have a little moisture in it. I'm watering about every other day...is that too much? I will be planting all of these trees in October this year after this brutal heat is behind us. Please let me know how much I should be watering these trees and what else I could be doing to help them. I really appreciate all of your help.

Featured Answer

scotjute Z8

11 years ago

All of my current potted trees are bunched together. Each pot thus shades its neigbor. The outer pots are shaded either by covering with hay/mulch/leaves or sometimes I place empty pots between them and the sun (weighted with a little dirt). Anything to put shade on the surfaces of the pot exposed to the sun.

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Comments (9)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
11 years ago
What kind of potting medium did you use?
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
a 12 gal pot for an acorn??? planning ahead there.. lol ...

thats 180 gals of potting media???? thats quite an investment ... unless there is a hyphen missing on 1 - 2 gal pots ...????

what rhiz said .. whats the media ....? and where are you ... are the black pots in the sun all day long????

ken
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wisconsitom
11 years ago
If these containers are in fact pots, the regimen to be followed for all potted plants is to fill them to the brim, then wait until some drying has occurred, then repeat. Thus, there are both no exact water amounts nor schedule we can provide you with. As has been oft-repeated here, watering is part science and part art. Because each and every situation differs from every other situation, you have to work with it for while to see what kind of frequency of watering is needed.

+oM
scotjute Z8
11 years ago
Had some of these last year from Lost Maples's red oak trees. One of 6 did well enough to transplant(I am not expert). Mine were getting afternoon shade about 2-3 pm. Every other day sounds right for watering with these temperatures. Insure you have some mulch on them. Insure your pots are not in direct sunlight. Wish I could help more, but as noted my success with them was limited.
Its easier to grow trees from acorns of select domesticated Shumard Oak that color well in the fall than these native Tx. trees.
bradleygleaton
Original Author
11 years ago
The Texas Red Oak trees started in small little cups. As they have grown, I have transplanted them to larger pots. They are now in 10-12 gallon pots. A local nursery ended up donating the pots to me and they filled the bed of my truck with an organic (medium) potting mixture. Yesterday, I was in the backyard and noticed that some of the pots were in the hot sun from 12pm to 4pm and those were the trees that were doing the worst. I moved these into another location so they will not get so hot. Hopefully this will help them out. Again, I appreciate all of your time and help. Any additional help and info would be greatly appreciated. Would liquid fertilizer help these grow any faster?

Thanks!
wisconsitom
11 years ago
Black pots perchance? That is a problem right there-in the sun. The trees themselves would probably rather have near to full sun, but a black pot gets way too hot.

Fertilizer should be used only when all other parameters are in the right place and plants are happy.

+oM
bradleygleaton
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes, some are in black pots. What should I do? Re-pot them? I really appreciate your time and help.
wisconsitom
11 years ago
Maybe just paint them white or silver. That would be the easiest solution. Another would be to bury the pots in soil or mulch of some kind.

+oM

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