11 Nov
2021
11 Nov
'21
11:18 p.m.
I'm declaring today to be Peak Oak here in the Valley. Looking around,
either from up here on the N. Mountain to the Valley or from the Valley to
the mountain, every oak tree is visible in the sunshine as a separate tree.
Being one of the very last to shed leaves, and with its distinctive rusty
brown leaf colour, the Red Oak is extremely visible against its mostly bare
grey companions.
This interests me especially for its distribution. Like the beech, which
tends to exist either scattered or in clumps, the oak does the same. There
are few on my property, 20+ acres of which is visible from below. I know
about them because I visit them throughout the year. There are some nice
specimens, but they are few and far between. But look only a few properties
to the west, and there are considerable clumps of oak -- likewise in the
valley.
Why is that interesting? The fact is that this is the only time of year
that oaks distinguish themselves from other trees, so it's almost
impossible to pick them out at any other time.
I understand that much of oak planting is done by Blue Jays, possibly with
the help of squirrels, which would account for some of the distribution
beyond the fall lines of mature trees..
Doug
Arlington, Kings Co.
16 Nov
16 Nov
11:32 a.m.
Hi All,
Many decades ago I encountered a Just So story about how Oak is
dependent upon Squirrels (?) who bury the acorns for later use. And only
buried acorns, so it said, could get their root into soil.
That sounded like BS so, one fall, I gathered several litres of
acorns and enough oak leaves to cover them, scattered the acorns in a
unused patch of perennials and covered them with oak leaves. Almost
every acorn, except those worm eaten, became an Oak seedling.
There are few Oak in my North Alton woods so I transplanted them to
mostly open areas and made sketch maps of locations. A high percentage
survived but only briefly. None survived pruning by sharp teeth, even
those which I had attempted to protect with wire mesh.
In another woodlot, which I bought a few decades after it had been
clear cut, I planted about 50 Pine in open patches. They all were
eventually chewed off at ground level.
But Squirrels no doubt contribute to the movement of some trees,
such as Oak and Pine by gathering acorns and pine cones for later use.
Over time I have noticed several hoards of Pine cones far from the
nearest Pine tree.
And once noticed a hoard of fleshy fungi impaled on Spruce twig
stumps, presumably for drying, about 10' up; presumed Squirrel activity.
I often pile 16" long firewood in a tier near the source and cover
the top with black polyethylene to dry for a year before hauling home. I
once found a hoard of dried Maianthemum fruiting plants neatly stacked
in one of the chinks; presumably by a mouse.
Dave, Kentville.
On 11/11/2021 11:18 PM, Doug Linzey wrote:
I'm declaring today to be Peak Oak here in the
Valley. Looking around,
either from up here on the N. Mountain to the Valley or from the
Valley to the mountain, every oak tree is visible in the sunshine as a
separate tree. Being one of the very last to shed leaves, and with its
distinctive rusty brown leaf colour, the Red Oak is extremely
visible against its mostly bare grey companions.
This interests me especially for its distribution. Like the beech,
which tends to exist either scattered or in clumps, the oak does the
same. There are few on my property, 20+ acres of which is visible from
below. I know about them because I visit them throughout the year.
There are some nice specimens, but they are few and far between. But
look only a few properties to the west, and there are considerable
clumps of oak -- likewise in the valley.
Why is that interesting? The fact is that this is the only time of
year that oaks distinguish themselves from other trees, so it's almost
impossible to pick them out at any other time.
I understand that much of oak planting is done by Blue Jays, possibly
with the help of squirrels, which would account for some of the
distribution beyond the fall lines of mature trees..
Doug
Arlington, Kings Co.
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12:16 p.m.
Marginally a propos, from today's Far Side cartoons:
https://www.thefarside.com/2021/11/16/4
- - - Peter Payzant
On Nov 16, 2021, at 11:47 AM, David Webster
<dwebster(a)glinx.com> wrote:
?
Hi All,
Many decades ago I encountered a Just So story about how Oak is dependent upon
Squirrels (?) who bury the acorns for later use. And only buried acorns, so it said, could
get their root into soil.
That sounded like BS so, one fall, I gathered several litres of acorns and enough oak
leaves to cover them, scattered the acorns in a unused patch of perennials and covered
them with oak leaves. Almost every acorn, except those worm eaten, became an Oak seedling.
There are few Oak in my North Alton woods so I transplanted them to mostly open areas
and made sketch maps of locations. A high percentage survived but only briefly. None
survived pruning by sharp teeth, even those which I had attempted to protect with wire
mesh.
In another woodlot, which I bought a few decades after it had been clear cut, I
planted about 50 Pine in open patches. They all were eventually chewed off at ground
level.
But Squirrels no doubt contribute to the movement of some trees, such as Oak and Pine
by gathering acorns and pine cones for later use. Over time I have noticed several hoards
of Pine cones far from the nearest Pine tree.
And once noticed a hoard of fleshy fungi impaled on Spruce twig stumps, presumably
for drying, about 10' up; presumed Squirrel activity.
I often pile 16" long firewood in a tier near the source and cover the top with
black polyethylene to dry for a year before hauling home. I once found a hoard of dried
Maianthemum fruiting plants neatly stacked in one of the chinks; presumably by a mouse.
Dave, Kentville.
On 11/11/2021 11:18 PM, Doug Linzey wrote:
I'm declaring today to be Peak Oak here in
the Valley. Looking around, either from up here on the N. Mountain to the Valley or from
the Valley to the mountain, every oak tree is visible in the sunshine as a separate tree.
Being one of the very last to shed leaves, and with its distinctive rusty brown leaf
colour, the Red Oak is extremely visible against its mostly bare grey companions.
This interests me especially for its distribution. Like the beech, which tends to exist
either scattered or in clumps, the oak does the same. There are few on my property, 20+
acres of which is visible from below. I know about them because I visit them throughout
the year. There are some nice specimens, but they are few and far between. But look only a
few properties to the west, and there are considerable clumps of oak -- likewise in the
valley.
Why is that interesting? The fact is that this is the only time of year that oaks
distinguish themselves from other trees, so it's almost impossible to pick them out at
any other time.
I understand that much of oak planting is done by Blue Jays, possibly with the help of
squirrels, which would account for some of the distribution beyond the fall lines of
mature trees..
Doug
Arlington, Kings Co.
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2 comments
3 participants
participants (3)
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David Webster -
Doug Linzey -
Peter Payzant