Oak Regeneration Practices: Soil Scarification

Abstract

Annual acorn crops to regenerate oaks are erratic. In some years, few, if any, acorns are produced and in other years, bumper amounts of acorns are generated. Bumper acorn crops, also called mast crops or mast years, are considered those where the number of acorns produced exceeds the amount consumed by predators or affected by insects. The remainder of sound acorns are available to germinate into oak seedlings. Since bumper crops of white oak acorns only occur on average every four to six years or more, oak regeneration through seedling advance reproduction should capitalize on these infrequent acorn crops with abundant acorns. When stands do not have oak advance reproduction, a bumper acorn crop is often the opportunity to begin the oak regeneration process. Soil scarifcation enhances acorn germination and seedling establishment following a bumper acorn crop by establishing greater acorn to soil contact after seed dissemination.