I have a mid size 70 years old oak that has grown in an open field (now next to my house) it seems to be killing almost everything underneath, even moss is not looking healthy. As far as I understand the cause is mostly tannins from various dropping parts, mostly leaves. Soils here tend to be low Ph and no limestone within sight, even if there were it would be marble. So is there any way to get something to grow near the monster, I tried crushed dolomite with minimal change.
Oaks and oaks ...
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You could get some litmus paper and measure the acidity of the soil, if you think that this is the problem.
But it is a common problem under a mature oak tree because the tree shades the soil and its spreading, shallow roots guzzle up any rain, creating a dry, dark environment.
Apparently, the best approach is to trim some of the branches to allow more light to reach the ground, sow grasses that are tolerant of shade, acidity and drought: red, fine and tall fescue or zoysia; While the grass is still getting established, clear any leaf litter so that the young grass is not smothered, water the area and pick up any acorns.
But it is a common problem under a mature oak tree because the tree shades the soil and its spreading, shallow roots guzzle up any rain, creating a dry, dark environment.
Apparently, the best approach is to trim some of the branches to allow more light to reach the ground, sow grasses that are tolerant of shade, acidity and drought: red, fine and tall fescue or zoysia; While the grass is still getting established, clear any leaf litter so that the young grass is not smothered, water the area and pick up any acorns.
Problem is: if you change the conditions to suit plants that you want to introduce then you are changing the conditions that suit an oak tree that has been thoroughly healthy so far.
I’d keep the oak tree as it is.
Do you have oak woods nearby? What is growing under them in your part of the world.
I’d keep the oak tree as it is.
Do you have oak woods nearby? What is growing under them in your part of the world.
Me too.
There are oak trees near us that are 800 years old. They were deliberately grown in what is the Woodland Pasture that's left from a much larger medieval hunting forest.
The tree will outlive you, I'd let it get on with it
Oak trees support the greatest number of other creatures....31 different mammals and over 2,000 insects nationwide here.
What do they support where you live ?
There are oak trees near us that are 800 years old. They were deliberately grown in what is the Woodland Pasture that's left from a much larger medieval hunting forest.
The tree will outlive you, I'd let it get on with it
Oak trees support the greatest number of other creatures....31 different mammals and over 2,000 insects nationwide here.
What do they support where you live ?
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At my latitude there are no oak woods, in the south western part of Finland there are a few oak forests but that's it. True that the oak seems to like it where it is but some undergrowth would be nice as it is close to the house, I doubt that raising the pH a bit would trouble the tree much as oaks grow on lime stone too. I just don't know if it is practical.
Yes, I have seen studies that oaks support more insects than any other tree here. (Which is not necessarily all that many)
Oaks are long lived even here but I doubt any would reach 800 years (oldest known is apparently max 400), they tend to get frost splits.
So do you have any under growth under your oaks, maybe I should look what is hardy enough to grow there.
I am going to test the local pH, good idea.
Yes, I have seen studies that oaks support more insects than any other tree here. (Which is not necessarily all that many)
Oaks are long lived even here but I doubt any would reach 800 years (oldest known is apparently max 400), they tend to get frost splits.
So do you have any under growth under your oaks, maybe I should look what is hardy enough to grow there.
I am going to test the local pH, good idea.
At my latitude there are no oak woods, in the south western part of Finland there are a few oak forests but that's it. True that the oak seems to like it where it is but some undergrowth would be nice as it is close to the house, I doubt that raising the pH a bit would trouble the tree much as oaks grow on lime stone too. I just don't know if it is practical.
Yes, I have seen studies that oaks support more insects than any other tree here. (Which is not necessarily all that many)
Oaks are long lived even here but I doubt any would reach 800 years (oldest known is apparently max 400), they tend to get frost splits.
So do you have any under growth under your oaks, maybe I should look what is hardy enough to grow there.
I am going to test the local pH, good idea.
To be honest, stuff has no problem growing under oak here in the UK. In the woodland pasture grass grows well under Oak (otherwise they wouldn't be part of the man-made wood pasture habitat) but so do a wide range of native plants. In Oak woodland all sorts of woodland plants thrive under oak including bluebells, wood anemone, red campion, pignut, and a variety of ferns (but not bracken).
It may be that oak is so rare at your latitude that there are no native plants that have evolved to grow with it.
Not a far fetched idea, we do know that 6000 years ago we had oak forests but that was some while ago and tree cover looks very different now. I guess I just have to make a trip to one of the forests and see what grows there, last time I was at one I did not really look down all that much.
An Oak Grove can be rather special .....and it'll grow for a long while to come.
Over twenty years ago I watched a magpie digging something into the ground the other side of my pond, just near the rhubarb, and I thought to myself, "I'll get that later", but I was busy in those years, worked away from home a lot, etc., and I forgot....until the next Spring and I saw a shoot with the unmistakeable leaves. I thought to myself that I'd dig it out come Autumn when I would be mostly at home....and come Autumn I found myself even busier.
The next Spring I nipped the top off with my pruners......it went on like that ever since. It tries to grow and I cut it back. I can't leave an oak tree growing there. It's far too close to houses, but I am loath to kill it.
The decision is that this Winter it gets dug up, finally, and we'll plant it out somewhere along the burn path, somewhere it can finally grow up properly.
Acorns sprout easily, if you plant another tree or trees, from elsewhere, well, biodiversity's a good thing
To Broch's list I'd add from under the ones near us, figwort, wood millet, wood sorrel, herb Robert and honeysuckle.
.....and it'll grow for a long while to come. Over twenty years ago I watched a magpie digging something into the ground the other side of my pond, just near the rhubarb, and I thought to myself, "I'll get that later", but I was busy in those years, worked away from home a lot, etc., and I forgot....until the next Spring and I saw a shoot with the unmistakeable leaves. I thought to myself that I'd dig it out come Autumn when I would be mostly at home....and come Autumn I found myself even busier.
The next Spring I nipped the top off with my pruners......it went on like that ever since. It tries to grow and I cut it back. I can't leave an oak tree growing there. It's far too close to houses, but I am loath to kill it.
The decision is that this Winter it gets dug up, finally, and we'll plant it out somewhere along the burn path, somewhere it can finally grow up properly.
Acorns sprout easily, if you plant another tree or trees, from elsewhere, well, biodiversity's a good thing
To Broch's list I'd add from under the ones near us, figwort, wood millet, wood sorrel, herb Robert and honeysuckle.
Neighbours on both sides have planted new trees. Neither are as old as us but none of us will get to see those trees mature. Across from us is the Millennium Wood where we enjoy young trees planted not long before we moved here. Gives a nice sense of continuity.
I wonder though. In the "traditional" woodland *pasture* would most of the oaks/other trees not have been pollarded (with a selected few left for the bigger house beams and suchlike)?
GC
That's a very good point.
I'll find a link to our local trees, pretty sure there's a history written of them. They have white cattle under them too.
Both photos nicked from TripAdvisor)
According to that thesis, these oaks were not pollarded, but oaks were indeed pollarded elsewhere.
I'll find a link to our local trees, pretty sure there's a history written of them. They have white cattle under them too.
Both photos nicked from TripAdvisor)
According to that thesis, these oaks were not pollarded, but oaks were indeed pollarded elsewhere.
The Cadzow cattle, very famed. Are they like my friends White parks?
I think so, I know there are a couple of other herds in the UK.
Was there not a lot of research in France about genetically harvesting and bringing back the Aurochs ?
Thing is though, like the mammoth....we have good DNA and living relatives that we believe would have interbred successfully if both existed at the same time.....
There's an enormous difference there though. Dire wolves are extinct for thousands of years, the last aurochs died in Poland in the 1600's......and their descendants, albeit mixed breed, are still here.
