Mast year

[David Humphries]

Here in the south east & east of England there is an abundance of acorns on the Oaks.

 

Branches are bending/drooping a remarkable amount, so much so that there's a notable increase in limb failure due in part to the significant increase in load & also to water uptake (wet summer)

 

This Q. robur had a sizeable limb fracture & then did it again the following week.

 

The tree is not helping itself by having an elongated branch structure that seemingly can't take the increase in lever arm.

 

 

Is this happening elsewhere ?

 

 

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[atree]

Cool pics David,Aren't they used to wet summers tho..

[David Humphries]

Cool pics David,Aren't they used to wet summers tho..

 

We're talking balmy south east here Adam, not the ever raining North

 

 

 

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[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

It is as you say, a mast year, and for everything, from apples to beech mast, acorns are the biggest ive ever known, and a castanea at hatfield forest yesterday was smothered in nuts.

 

I have noticed that the mycorhizea are aslo abundant this year, as have you david? seems so from your posts. I found my first B granulatus friday and the meadow puff ball again at hatfield yesterday, and KNEW I would find granulatus there despite my first find only the day before.

 

It is a truly wonderful time to be out and about in nature. good oportunities to get out and learn at the moment.

 

some cracking future bat roosts being made! lol

[combined tree services]

this is certainly something that we are not seeing alot of down here in cornwall , our summer down here has been pretty wet and lacking in sunshine.

[geoff]

Had a couple round here David,in the Danbury area,2 oaks & a large beech that I have attended,all maidens,limbs at 12 to 20 inch diameter.

[combined tree services]

Having thought about this some more would it be any use in taking several cross sections of timber fromm affected trees as well as non effected trees from several areas of the country to then compare the samples to see if there is any difference in the characteristicks of the timber ? . Also have you found any differences in the leef and acorn formations etc ? .

[Fungus]

Here in the south east & east of England there is an abundance of acorns on the Oaks. Branches are bending/drooping a remarkable amount, so much so that there's a notable increase in limb failure due in part to the significant increase in load & also to water uptake (wet summer). Is this happening elsewhere ?

 

In The Netherlands, because of nitrification and the associated loss of tree species specific ectomycorrhizal symbionts, caterpillars (OPM) and successive oak leave mould on the secondary formed leaves, Q. robur has stopped having mast years some time ago. The only prolific fruiting of Q. robur of today is panic fruiting with 70 % sterile acorns.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

In The Netherlands, because of nitrification and the associated loss of tree species specific ectomycorrhizal symbionts, caterpillars (OPM) and successive oak leave mould on the secondary formed leaves, Q. robur has stopped having mast years some time ago. The only prolific fruiting of Q. robur of today is panic fruiting with 70 % sterile acorns.

 

certainly in my area of the southeast the rains came just in time to salvage and the trees and other life have capitalised on it.

 

Ive never known it so fruitfull as it is right now.

[tommer9]

Having a walk around here in Ellesmere, Shropshire, I have to agree- the amount and size of acorns is phenomenal on the trees here, as are the sloughs, although my wife says that rain has been a stranger. Not noticed any broken limbs as such, but Lucy said she would keep an eye out. Even the terminally ill looking oak that i posted about a while back (with the completely rotten base if you recall it) is showing signs of massive fruiting!

I have some pics, but the wrong lead for this computer, but if i understood that uber confusing tapatalk on my blackberry i would post!