My baby Oak

[joe Shmoe]

When I bought my house several years ago from an elderly couple, the garden was completely overgrown - I'm talking to the point where Brambles had snaked their way up to the top of 20ft elderly diseased Apple trees, and I couldn't even tell how big the garden was as you couldn't get in it!!! Anyway, after a couple of months work, I managed to clear away all the brambles and found this lovely baby-oak in the middle. I kept it of course, and its now around 12-13ft high with the crown (I think that's what its called?) at the top of the picture being 6.5ft tall.

 

I was trying to guess the age, and whether it was self-seeded? It has had acorns for the 4-5 years that I have been there, so would that help indicate a minimum age? I though it might be self-seeded as the Elderly couple clearly hadn't done any gardening for the last 20years I would guess, so I doubt if they went out of their way to buy a baby oak and plant it lol. Any ideas?

 

I was intending to leave it as it grows naturally, but someone recently said I should chop off the lower branches as they would not go higher with the tree, and always stay low from the ground? Does that sound right?

 

If I were to remove the lower branches, would it speed-up the overall growth of the tree? I would like to be able to enjoy a small-medium sided oak in my garden before I die (hahah). How big do you think it might get in another 10years ?

 

Anyway, I love the tree - hope you enjoy the pic.

 

Thanks.

Joe.

[Steve Bullman]

Hi Joe,

 

Branches low down are necessary for trunk thickening. Unless they are causing an obstruction they are best left alone