“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago…The next best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb
Fall is a great time to collect seeds and nuts that will grow into free trees. Even those of us who don’t own property can enjoy starting seedlings for others to plant in the next year or two.
You might even wish to start a mini-nursery!
In Chennai, India, one man started a ‘tree bank’ where volunteers research the city’s trees, then collect seeds when the trees produce them, plant them in pots, and care for them in their homes or yards until they are big enough to be offered free of charge to citizens who promise to properly plant and maintain the trees. It has grown into a group of several hundred volunteers!
https://www.thehindu.com/features/downtown/tree-bank-making-waves-in-the-city/article3425195.ece
Garry oaks (Quercus garryana)
Garry oaks are expected to continue doing well in our region, despite climate change, as they are drought-resistant. They grow to about 20 metres or more in height, and can live for several hundred years.
Collect acorns from beneath healthy local trees in the fall. They are less likely to have insect damage if collected soon after they fall. Don’t pick them from the tree. Green acorns are infertile, so avoid them.
When you’re ready to plant them, put them in a container of water for up to 24 hours – those that float should be discarded.
Without allowing them to dry out, plant them in a pot that is at least 12 inches deep. Use soil that will drain well, such as potting soil mixed with sand. Garry oak seedlings can develop a tap root of 10 inches within their first fall and winter. In the spring the stems will appear.
Plant two or three acorns in each pot. Lie them on their sides and cover with 1/4” of earth, and then top that with another inch of leaf mulch (Garry oak leaves are best).
Pots kept outside will likely need to be covered with screens to prevent squirrels from digging them up. Young seedlings may also need to be protected from deer. Protect the pots from freezing, or keep in a greenhouse.
Survival rates are best if the seedlings are not planted until they are two years old. Ensure that the pots do not dry out, even in winter.
A very in-depth guide to planting acorns – including how to make a bottomless pot, so the tap root will not circle round the bottom – and caring for oaks can be found here:
https://ohgarryoaksociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Planting-Oak-in-the-Pacific-Northwest.pdf
Victoria’s Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team and its Garry Oak Handbook are also great resources:
http://www.goert.ca/gardeners_restoration/garryoak_gardener.php
Bigleaf Maples (Acer macrophyllum)
Winter or early spring is a good time to collect some helicopter seeds from bigleaf maples (which are native to the Pacific Northwest – unlike the Norway maple, which is considered invasive).
Bigleaf maples provide food for birds and small animals, as well as shade and beauty. They usually reach 15 to 20 metres in height (though some grow taller) and may live up to 300 years. Collect seeds near healthy, well-formed trees.
Young seedlings that have already taken root, but are under 3 feet tall can also be collected. Dig them up carefully, wide and deep enough to preserve all the roots and the soil they’re in. (It’s best to dig them up when the tree is dormant, in late fall or winter while the weather is still cool, before leaf buds appear in the spring.)
Plant the seeds soon, before they dry out. Using plantable pots, made of peat, coconut coir, paper, etc. will protect the seedling from transplant shock as both plant and pot go directly in the ground. Choose a medium or large size, so you’ll have some time to nurture the seedling before it needs to be planted. Remember to water them regularly so they don’t dry out.
The roots will grow right through a plantable pot. Maples are quick-growing, so keep an eye on the bottom of the pot and get them in the ground soon, if you see roots coming through! If planted in a temporary location, they should be well-mulched and not transplanted for two years. But it’s even better to plant them only once, in a well-chosen permanent spot.
Big-leaf maple seedlings prefer to be planted in partial shade, in moist, well-drained soil. (Some sites say full sun is also okay, but not dense shade.) It’s also best, if possible, to plant in a similar type of location as the seeds were found. Keep in mind how big the tree and roots will grow, and plant where they will have enough space. Avoid planting too close to houses or sidewalks, as roots can grow into plumbing or crack cement.
If deer are in the neighborhood, trees will need protection. Deer enjoy eating the leaves and young stems, as well as rubbing their antlers on the trunks, which can cause a great deal of damage to a young tree. For protection ideas, read more at: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/deer/newly-planted-trees-deer.htm
Newly planted trees need to be well watered for at least the first year. (If you are planting in the forest, where they won’t be watered, trees will have the best chance at surviving if you plant in late fall, just as the rainy season is starting.)
For more info on planting maple seeds:
http://owic.oregonstate.edu/bigleaf-maple-acer-macrophyllum
Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttalli)
This beautiful flowering tree is native to the Pacific Northwest, and usually grows 20 to 30 feet tall. It may live to 150 years or more. Birds enjoy its fruit.
Late summer is the time to collect the seeds, when the flowers have turned into balls of hard red fruit. Remove the fruit flesh and plant immediately outdoors.
But you will need to be patient – they can take 18 months to germinate! Making more effort (warm and cold stratification – see note below) can speed things up, however.
http://nativeplantspnw.com/pacific-dogwood-cornus-nuttallii/
Arbutus or Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menziesii)
Also native to the Pacific Northwest, these evergreen, deciduous trees can grow 10 to 30 metres in height, and may live several hundred years. They produce berries from mid-September to mid-November.
Separate the seeds from the berries before planting outside in the fall, or use cold stratification (see note below). They don’t do well with frequent watering, so best not to plant one beside your garden. They also don’t like to be transplanted, so plant it where you want it to grow. Read more here:
http://nativeplantspnw.com/pacific-madrone-arbutus-menziesii/
Other PNW native trees (and shrubs)
The following website has brief information on various native species. You can try doing a search for how to propagate the species you’re most interested in:
Pine trees
Shore pine (Pinus contorta) and Western White pine (Pinus monticola) are two local pine species. Both bear nuts that are a boon to wildlife!
Shore pine grows 6 to 10 metres or more in height, and can live to 250 years:
http://nativeplantspnw.com/shore-pine-pinus-contorta/
Western white pines grow up to 40 metres or more, and can live for 400 years:
http://nativeplantspnw.com/western-white-pine-pinus-monticola/
Hazelnuts or filberts
Pick hazelnuts in early to mid-September off the tree. They are ready to be picked if the husk separates easily from the nut.
Keep in mind you will need to grow at least two hazelnut trees, from different parent trees, in order for them to pollinate and bear fruit. Three or four trees would be even better.
https://treegrowing.tcv.org.uk/grow/tree-recipes/hazel
Chestnuts
Chinese chestnuts are more blight-resistant, produce nuts sooner, and can tolerate colder winters than American chestnut trees. Again, you (or your nearby neighbours) will need at least two different trees for cross-pollination to produce the nuts.
https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Chestnut-Trees
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/germinate-chinese-chestnuts-45036.html
A note about ‘cold stratification’
Don’t be put off by the big name!
Many seeds and nuts will need to be put in cold storage for 3 to 4 months. This is called ‘cold stratification’.
It simply means either storing the seeds or nuts in a refrigerator, in a plastic bag filled with damp perlite, or digging them into the ground to spend the winter. The second method requires protection from squirrels and rodents, however, and marking the spot so you’ll find them again.
This cooling period, followed by warmth, lets the seed or nut know it’s time to end its dormant period and start growing.
It would be wise to search and read some additional websites on collecting each kind of seed or nut you would like to plant, as we are just including the most basic information here. Some sites have better tips than others.
If you collect and plant some seeds and nuts this year, let us know how it goes!
“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” – Nelson Henderson