No expert here! I'd store in baggies with slightly moist soil and try to keep them just above freezing...somewhere between 32 and 40 maybe. At least that would slow them down.

I usually use damp shredded sphagnum moss in a ziplock bag (punch holes in it). Keep in veggie drawer and check every two weeks or so for mold. I usually dip them in a weak bleach water solution, but that may not be best if they're already sprouting.

how many..

where are you ...

and why to try a few outside??

ken

Thanks for all the inputs. Hopefully I can keep them slowed down in the 'fridge until spring.

Agree with all of the above.

I'll add though, that for UNSPROUTED acorns, I've had no issues with storing at temps slightly below freezing, around 28F to 30F. In fact they store better that way, and don't really try to sprout at all. However, there were no radicles to contend with, so I wouldn't risk it in your case.

Still, the colder you can get without freezing, the slower the growth. Around 33F to 35F would be best. Closer to 40 is OK, but the radicles will grow longer.

As Dax said, you can clip 'em off, though, they'll make a forked/fibrous root in response and do just fine.

All,

Thank you very much for the responses. I wasn't aware that radicles could be trimmed, so I think I'll give that a try if the sprouts get too big.

Just a little more tidbit about clipping a radicle. It's the same as clipping a branch on a tree. Both will "branch" and produce more lateral off shoots. Eventually however, a root-system will reproduce a taproot once established in the ground. I've gleaned all this information from chats with my friend Guy Sternberg - author; and owner of the largest DNA tested oak collection in the world right here in Illinois.

Dax

Dax, do you know that to be true for all oaks? Even evergreen subtropical ones?

Yes, all deciduous but tropical I don't know.

Dax

Just a WAG, but I think at least the evergreen oaks that belong to the white or black/red groups would respond the same, like virginiana, fusiformis, and some of the CA/Western live oaks like Q. chrysolepis and agrifolia, etc.

However, for the ring-cupped oaks (acuta, myrsinifolia) and Lithocarpus...I'm not sure, but pretty much ANY dicot plant will respond the same way to a cut taproot (or any root). Any bottomless or root pruning container, from an Anderson Band Pot (open bottom) to a Rootmaker or Smart Pot relies on this fact.

Monocots, however, like palm or whatever, may or may not as they have a different root system structure.

That's what I thought too, hair...

I've broken taproots (intentionally, or through fat fingers etc.) off sprouting seeds of maples and redbuds and they've grown and done fine as well. As long as it's not broken/cut above the point where the root tissue transitions to stem tissue (I'm forgetting the botanical word for that) it should branch out new roots.

We collected white oak acorns and the sinkers have been outside in tupperware. I read that they sprout in the fall and don't need stratification. It's been very mild and they all sprouted. Half I've put in the fridge. The other half I planted in deep pots, put all in a cuttings box with a glass lid. Surrounded the pots with compost to insulate and sprinkled leaves over top. My idea is to mimick nature and hope for the best. Any thoughts?

if you collected them locally.. then the tree is not a problem in your area... i would just be your inner squirrel .. and plant some in mother earth.. there is no real need .. as far as the plant goes.. to make this harder than need be ...

the only thing that might be an issue is tree rats [or other ravenous vermin] digging them up.. and that can be handled with some hardware screen over the acorns ...

sounds like you have plenty to mess with.. so dont skip the obvious ...

ken

Thanks. I'll plant a few with chicken wire. There are of critters around.