How to Replace an Oak Tree
- 1). Consult with an arborist if the previous plant died as a result of disease. Replacing it with a healthy oak will just invite the new oak to also become infected. If the previous oak fell over because of age or storm damage, the arborist is not needed.
- 2). Collect newly fallen, plump acorns from under a healthy tree. White oak acorns are particularly easy to sprout.
- 3). Place several acorns in a plastic food storage bag along with some damp leaf mold picked from the ground under the tree. Store the bag in the refrigerator over the winter. Check every few weeks to ensure that the leaf mold stays damp.
- 4). Retrieve the acorns in the mid-spring and place each one in a small pot just under the surface of the potting soil. Place the pots where they receive a full day's sun, and water daily.
- 5). Pick the three healthiest and largest looking plants to transplant after the last frost and when the soil warms up. Harden them off first by allowing them to spend several hours outside for about a week.
- 6). Dig three proper-sized holes for the roots a foot apart where you want the replacement oak to be. Gently pull the oak seedlings from the pot and place into the ground. Fill the hole back with the soil and tamp down. Water thoroughly and continue to water for several days.
- 7). Cage around the seedlings to prevent animal damage and mulch around the seedlings to prevent competition for nutrients from grass or weeds.
- 8). Examine the three young trees the following spring and decide which of them will best serve as a replacement tree. Look for a straight trunk with no forks and strong leafing. Snip the other two oaks to the ground.
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