• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Mom with Plants logo
  • Gardening Tips
  • Houseplants
  • Garden Gear
  • Garden Problems
  • Garden Prep
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Gardening Tips
  • Houseplants
  • Garden Gear
  • Garden Problems
  • Garden Prep
×

Home » Planting & Growing

How to plant acorns

Published: May 25, 2021 · Updated: Mar 23, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links. We earn commission from purchases made. ·

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
an infographic about planting acorns to grow oak trees
oak trees and acorns growing with text overlay that reads how to grow oak trees from acorns
oak trees and acorns growing with text overlay that reads how to grow oak trees from acorns

Have you ever wanted to grow your own trees from acorns? With a little patience, and this helpful guide, you will quickly learn how!

oak trees and acorns growing with text overlay that reads how to grow oak trees from acorns
Jump to:
  • How to plant acorns indoors
  • Do acorns need to be cold-stratified?
  • Whats the best pot to use for starting acorns?
  • How & When to transplant oak seedlings?

How to plant acorns indoors

While you could start them outside, acorns are delicacies to squirrels, so it's best to start these inside.

twelve acorns being planted in pots with potting soil
Large acorns from a bur oak tree
  1. Soak your acorns in water for 24 hours. The acorns that are at the bottom of the bowl after 24 hours should produce trees. The acorns still floating may or may not. I have had luck growing oak trees even from floating acorns, but you will have way better success with the sunken acorns.
  2. Then fill a large pot half-way with your favorite potting soil. Place the acorn in the soil, and then add enough potting soil to completely cover the acorn.
  3. Lightly water all around the pot, making sure you don't uncover your acorn in the process.
  4. Set your pot near a window where it can get morning and afternoon sun if possible. Again, you don't want to put these outside because a squirrel might just make a snack out of it.
  5. Water every 2 or 3 days.
  6. Acorns grow their roots before they grow upwards. You might not see any tree appear for at least a month, but it's definitely growing. If you are curious, you can gently uncover the acorn to see roots growing, but its best to just let them sit and wait.
  7. Depending on how big your pot is, check the bottom to see if the root needs more room. You never want the root to grow out of the pot because it can damage it. So transplant to a larger pot if needed.
  8. Most oak trees can be planted outside in the fall, but if you have a lot of squirrels, you may want to keep them inside at least a year to keep them from getting damaged.
an infographic about planting acorns to grow oak trees

Do acorns need to be cold-stratified?

Some tree seeds need to be cold-stratified before planting, but acorns can be planted without cold stratification.

What is cold stratification? It's when seeds need to experience cold temperatures before they will germinate and grow.

Cold stratification can be replicated by placing seeds in a moist paper towel and into a ziplock bag in the refrigerator for several months.

Whats the best pot to use for starting acorns?

oak trees in various sized pots
Bur oak trees in different sized pots. Recycled an old Monrovia pot which made the best size for bur oak acorns.

This will really depend on how long you plan on keeping your oak tree inside. For smaller acorns like red oak, you can use 6 inch pots.

For large acorns like bur oak, you should use a one gallon pot. You can always move them to a bigger pot later on, but this can be risky as you don't want to damage the roots.

How & When to transplant oak seedlings?

The best time to transplant your young oak tree seedlings is in the fall. So, depending on when you started your acorns, you should ideally wait for this time to bring them outside.

Dig a hole that is twice as big as the your root ball. Take care not to break the large root of your oak tree when you are transplanting.

Because squirrels can wreak havoc on young oak trees, it's a good idea to place some chicken wire around your trees. This will also help deter deer.

You might also enjoy reading: how to grow cantaloupe from seeds

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Luc says

    January 13, 2023 at 1:27 am

    I would really like to grow oak trees from acorns. Fascinating !

    Reply
    • Joanna Stephens says

      January 13, 2023 at 3:36 pm

      It's really quite fun although you have to be patient at first because the roots grow first before you finally get to see the tree sapling come through the soil. Good luck Luc!

      Reply

Join the discussion Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

clipart mom holding her kids with clipart plants all around and text overlay that reads mom with plants

Hi, I'm Joanna! The mom behind "mom with plants". Mom with Plants was started to help beginners learn how to garden everything from strawberries to houseplants and more.

More about me →

Popular Garden Articles

  • Beginners Guide: How to Care for Orchids
  • 3 Most durable raised garden beds in 2023
  • Best Gardening Gloves in 2022
  • Best Smelling Flowers

More Gardening Tips

  • 9 Flowers that attract Butterflies
  • How to grow a lemon tree in a pot
  • What's the best potting mix for Phalaenopsis Orchids?
  • Starting Seeds Indoors: A complete guide

Footer

↑ back to top

Connect

  • Contact
  • Sponsor

About

  • About Us
  • Accessibility

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure/Advertising

Mom with Plants creates information for educational purposes only. Posts within this website may or may not contain affiliate links. You can read more on affiliate links on our disclosure page. She's Your Friend is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program.

Copyright © 2021 Mom with Plants

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

Mom with Plants
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.