Expert: Walter Hintz - 8/20/2007

Question
Dear Walter,

This past Spring in Pennsylvania was warm and dry with the "drought" lasting until the second week of August.  I have noticed many "nubbins", or incomplete acorns, on many of the local white and red oak trees.  Is there a chance the acorns still have time to grow and mature with this late rainfall?  In years past I have seen some white oak varieties dropping their mast the last week in August.

Answer
 Hi George
Last week I was in Kentucky visiting a friend.  He has a lot of oaks and they were not producing acorns.  The weather in Ky has been extremely dry and hot.  I live in Western Ohio and the weather is like yours in Pa.  I have a wooded lot with many pin oaks. Same thing, no acorns. I doubt if the oaks will have time to produce acorns this year.  I have a lot of squirrels and I plan to put a lot of food for them