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Learn how to harvest acorns

SacTree offers training online to help preserve native oaks

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED SEP 23, 2020

The Sacramento Tree Foundation is teaching how

to harvest acorns, such as these from a native blue
oak ( Quercus douglasii ). (Photo: Kathy Morrison)

Love oaks? Learn how to become an acorn harvester and help the Sacramento Tree Foundation’s efforts to nurture these beloved California native trees.

This week, the foundation will offer two online seminars devoted to acorns and oaks. The first session, at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, is already full, but the second session – at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 – still has openings.

“This session will be live from the forest on Zoom,” says the foundation. “We will look at identifying native oak trees, how to scout for acorn harvesting locations, talk about acorn ripeness, safety, and how to sort and prepare acorns.”

Sacramento Tree Foundation annually gathers 7,000 to 10,000 acorns from native oaks in the Sacramento region. Those acorns will be used to grow trees for Sacramento’s urban forest as well as other forestation projects.

Official SacTree acorn harvesters must complete both sessions, but folks interested in oaks and acorns can learn a lot, too.

For more information on oaks, trees and the acorn harvester training, go to: www.sactree.com .

- Debbie Arrington

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gardening Sacramento native plants oak trees events trees acorns California natives fall events Sacramento Tree Foundation

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Dig In: Garden Checklist

For week of June 4:

Because of the comfortable weather, it’s not too late to set out tomato and pepper seedlings as well as squash and melon plants. They’ll appreciate this not-too-hot weather. Just remember to water.

* From seed, plant corn, pumpkins, radishes, melons, squash and sunflowers.

* Plant basil to go with your tomatoes.

* Transplant summer annuals such as petunias, marigolds and zinnias.

* It’s also a good time to transplant perennial flowers including astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia, salvia and verbena.

* Let the grass grow longer. Set the mower blades high to reduce stress on your lawn during summer heat. To cut down on evaporation, water your lawn deeply during the wee hours of the morning, between 2 and 8 a.m.

* Tie up vines and stake tall plants such as gladiolus and lilies. That gives their heavy flowers some support.

* Dig and divide crowded bulbs after the tops have died down.

* Feed summer flowers with a slow-release fertilizer.

* Mulch, mulch, mulch! This “blanket” keeps moisture in the soil longer and helps your plants cope during hot weather.

* Thin grapes on the vine for bigger, better clusters later this summer.

* Cut back fruit-bearing canes on berries.

* Feed camellias, azaleas and other acid-loving plants.

* Trim off dead flowers from rose bushes to keep them blooming through the summer. Roses also benefit from deep watering and feeding now. A top dressing of aged compost will keep them happy. It feeds as well as keeps roots moist.

* Pinch back chrysanthemums for bushier plants with many more flowers in September.

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