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Become an 'Acorn Harvester'

SacTree now accepting registration for popular program, open to whole family

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED AUG 31, 2021

Acorns are starting to fall. The Sacramento Tree

Foundation trains volunteers to gather viable

acorns to grow into trees. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)

It’s almost that time of year again: Acorns will soon be here!

As part of its oak reforestation program, the Sacramento Tree Foundation annually trains volunteers to gather viable acorns to grow into trees.

Registration is now open for the two-part training schedule, set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22, and the following Sunday morning, Sept. 26. The Wednesday evening session is virtual and will be held online. The follow-up morning session will include hands-on acorn gathering at a site to be determined.

Participation is free, but space is limited. Sign up early.

“At the Sacramento Tree Foundation, we steward our urban forest from seed to slab,” say the organizers. “The annual acorn harvest celebrates the beginnings of the lifecycle of our native oaks. Acorns are harvested by volunteers, carefully sorted by interns, grown into seedlings by schoolchildren, planted at reforestation sites by volunteers, and stewarded by our staff. When trees reach the end of their lifespans, we salvage and sell their wood to further support education and programming around the lifecycle of the urban forest.”

That process starts with the acorns. Each fall, SacTree volunteers gather thousands from native oaks. The Acorn Harvester training sessions and program are open to all ages. Students under age 16 are encouraged to attend with a parent or adult.

“Acorn Harvesters will learn how to harvest in a sustainable and ethical way and how to work under the organization's harvesting permits,” say the organizers.

Other than training, no tools or advance knowledge is required. Families are welcome to participate.

To sign up or get more details: www.sactree.com .

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Sacramento free class trees California natives planting trees gardening oak trees planting acorns Sacramento Tree Foundation training reforestation

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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 3

November still offers good weather for fall planting:

* If you haven't already, it's time to clean up the remains of summer. Pull faded annuals and vegetables. Prune dead or broken branches from trees.

* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.

* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.

* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.

* Plant garlic and onions.

* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.

* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.

* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.

* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.

* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.

* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.

* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.

* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.

* To help prevent leaf curl, apply a copper fungicide spray to peach and nectarine trees after they lose their leaves this month. Leaf curl, which shows up in the spring, is caused by a fungus that winters as spores on the limbs and around the tree in fallen leaves. Sprays are most effective now.

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