There is no question that oaks are among the most popular trees for planting hardwood orchards, and Chestnut Hill Outdoors offers a variety of options for almost any climate zone or site condition.
One of the most important considerations is whether a particular species is well adapted to the local climate. Chestnut Hill Outdoors lists USDA plant hardiness zones for each product to ensure proper selection. They check each order to ensure that the selected species are appropriate for their destination. Soil conditions and sunlight can vary, even within a particular location. That’s why Chestnut Hill Outdoors also provides recommendations on sunlight requirements and soil pH. They also offer enough variety that by planting different species, mast orchards can provide hard masts for a longer period.
The best choices for northern zones would be Nuttall and Swamp white oak, which are cold hardy to USDA plant zones 4-8 and drop nuts in October and November. For southern areas, hhite swamp does best on moist upland soils, while Nuttall tolerates moist soil and moderate drought. White oaks are classified as slightly less cold tolerant and are similarly adapted to rich upland soils. The following is a set of trees classified in zone 5, but they can tolerate slightly cooler zones if planted in direct sunlight on south-facing slopes. Shumard oaks are drought tolerant, fast growing, and produce giant acorns. Overcup oak can thrive in partial or full sun, enjoys acidic soils, and can withstand poorly drained areas, making it a great choice for variable site conditions. Sawtooth oak is favored for its rapid growth and prolific mast, producing acorns in 4-6 years and up to 100 pounds. per tree at maturity. Last but not least is the Pin Oak, which grows well where water sits for weeks, making it an excellent choice for sandy to clay loam soils in lowlands, stream banks, and floodplains.
Most oak trees require pollinators. Chestnut Hill Outdoors recommends planting at least two trees for pollination. However, each additional tree will increase pollination for better mast production. As noted, growing a variety of species also widens the window of wildlife attraction, as some species drop early while others produce later in the fall.
Chestnut Hill is the best place to buy your deer feedlot and attractant plants because they offer a great selection, their plants are grown specifically to attract deer, and they offer customers different size plants at different growth levels. To ensure you receive the maximum benefit from their products, they also provide great advice and instructions on proper planting and care. For more information on Chestnut Hill Outdoors products and how to care for them, visit ChestnutHillOutdoors.com or call (855) 386-7826.
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