Keep the photos coming! They never fail to amaze me. This might be a new growth record – not just for oaks but for kudzu, corn or hops as well!
This set of photos is from a grower in Mississippi. Here is the chronology for the trees shown below. No, these are not typos.
July 2011: Hybrid oak acorns are sown in the nursery (Mossy Oak’s awesome Nativ Nurseries)
November 2011: They are planted in the field as 10 to 12″ seedlings, protected with 4ft Tubex Combitube Plus Tree Tubes.
March 2012: Seedlings break dormancy and begin to grow.
May 8, 2012: Photos taken, with many of the seedlings already emerging from their 4ft tree tubes!
You are reading that correctly. It has been 10 months since these were planted as acorns in the nursery – they are not even 1 year old. There has been less than 2 months of growing weather since they were planted in the field as 12 inch seedlings.
Many of them are 6 inches out the 4ft tree tubes – an astounding 54 inches of growth in 10 months… and the first true growing season in the field has barely begun!
Acorns sown in pots July 2011. Field planted as 12 inch seedlings November 2011. Photo taken May 8, 2012.
One of the hybrid red oaks planted as acorns in July 2011 with its 4ft tree tube removed to show the growth. The leaves virtually glow they are so healthy and stress-free!
Keep the photos coming. I love my job!
