Mast year

[Fungus]

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!

 

Tommer,

Did you check which percentage of the acorns was fertile or sterile ? Fertile 70 % ==> mast year, sterile 70 % ==> panic fruiting.

[Stephen Blair]

How can you tell??

[slack ma girdle]

I have not noticed the oaks in west Wales dripping in acorns this year, but the fruit trees around here are, which i have put down to no late frosts.

Had to clear up two sizable Oak limbs (20" plus) last week, that had dropped

[tommer9]

How can you tell??

 

Ditto.

I can easily check if you tell me the method.

[Martyn Amos]

the daughter and oneself went for a nut pick this afternoon:thumbup1:

loads of nuts about,and full to the brim

even picked an 8 pegga

 

 

[Fungus]

How can you tell??

 

Stephen & Tommer,

Fertile acorns are firm and robust. They have well developed kernels with an energy storage sufficient for five years of growth of the seedling after germinating.

Sterile acorns are smaller, easy to push in, don't have a well developed kernel and mostly look as "shabby" as the ones in the photo.

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[tommer9]

Simples.

Ill have a look tomorrow.

[Stephen Blair]

Thanks, my wife just asked( midwife) why is there sterile ones?

[John Russell]

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'll take a punt that this is its last year. Let us know.

 

Best wishes,

 

John Russell

[Paul Barton]

I have noticed that mature Beech around here are fruiting more than usual. I wasn't aware of the term mast year until now...