Answers to Your Questions: Transplanting Young Oak Trees

Question

4 years ago, at Lac Sergeant, I transplanted red oak acorns that had sprouted in another garden in Quebec City, i little south from there. The little plants are now 15 to 30 cm tall, but seem to be growing very slowly. What kind of soil amendment and fertilizer would help them grow faster?

Answer

There are 2 factors that are probably hindering the growth of your young oaks.

Firstly, as soon as they germinate, oak acorns produce a long taproot that burrows deep into the soil and doesn’t easily tolerate disturbance. Now, you’ve transplanted these young plants, which has probably seriously stunted their growth, to the point where it may take a few years or more before they start growing again. Next time, plant acorns where you want the oaks to grow and you should see a big difference.

Secondly, the red oak (Quercus rubra) is close to the limit of its normal range in Quebec City, where it only grows in very favorable locations. Lac Sergent, where winters are colder, is at the limit of its range. So there’s a slight climatic incompatibility that also affects the development of your plants. It’s not impossible to grow red oak in your region, but its growth is very slow.

Of course, you can try to stimulate the growth of your oaks with fertilizers, but I doubt it will make much difference. Applying compost annually would be just as beneficial and even more so, but probably not more effective. Watering, however, is crucial to help young trees get over the shock of transplanting. A good mulch will also help maintain soil moisture.

In your case, patience is the key!

The red oak, and other native oaks, play an essential role in ecosystems by providing habitats and food sources for a variety of wildlife species, including mammals, insects and various birds. It also supports biodiversity by creating favorable conditions for understory plants and forming symbioses with mycorrhizal fungi, which improves the health of forest soils. The red oak contributes to the nutrient cycle through the slow decomposition of its leaves and acorns.

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Larry Hodgson a publié des milliers d’articles et 65 livres au cours de sa carrière, en français et en anglais. Son fils, Mathieu, s’est donné pour mission de rendre les écrits de son père accessibles au public. Ce texte a été publié à l’origine en 15 juillet 2006 dans Le Soleil.