Acorns: Annoying nuisance or helpful soil amendment?

Hi all,

I have a large oak tree in the middle of my yard and now of course I have aboue 60 gazillion acorns on the ground and in my flower beds. They are a virtual carpet. I am wondering if they are a helpful soil amendment or if I should be getting rid of them all?

Thanks,

Maureen

Maureen,

If you aren't careful, they can become an annoying weed. Even a really small oak tree can be difficult to pull. I have a bag of over 5 gallons of acorns waiting at my shredder-chipper ready to go through a ¼" hammermill screen.

The ground acorns will enrich my compost pile without creating a forest of little trees. You could probably smash your acorns on a hard surface enough to prevent them from germinating. Or possibly bake them in the oven (I have no idea what that would smell like).

MM

This message was edited Oct 10, 2005 2:04 PM

Perhaps look at them as free food? Acorns can make a nutritious flour, though I've never had the opportunity to try it. Do a quick google search for "acorn flour" if you are interested. There are lots of online resources.

Wayne