Holm oak: [Cultivation, Irrigation, Care, Pests and Diseases]

The holm oak is a species of tree widely used to repopulate areas of land that have been left desert for different reasons.

Acorns produced by the same plant are used to achieve this, performing transplants when appropriate.

It is a plant that tends to generate a very strong root system during youth, which can complicate its manageability somewhat.

However, here we will give you all the guidelines you need to be successful in this task, even if you have not done it before, do you join us?

Important points when planting an oak tree

When? In autumn .
Where? In a large space in full sunlight.
How do we prepare the land? Adding an element that helps drainage in case the land is very compact.
How should we water? Moderately.
How often do you have to water? Twice a week in summer , without irrigation in rainy weather.
What care do you need? Abundant sun when adult, pruned as needed, without fertilization.
What pests and diseases does it have? Radical rot.

When to plant an oak?

As the sowing is done from the acorns that fall from the tree , autumn is the ideal time to get them to reproduce effectively. At this time, the acorn will create a very quick root that will keep the established plant in place through the winter .

Later, in spring , with the arrival of good sunlight and a warmer environment, it will begin to grow towards the surface.

Where to plant an oak?

The place where the oak will be planted is the first point that you should consider in detail because it is a species that grows a lot and will need space .

Under this premise, you should not only take into account the height that it will reach when it is an adult tree, but also the complex root system. Therefore, select a large space, away from other species.

How to prepare the land?

The ideal soil for planting holm oak must be very porous so that it does not retain moisture to prevent the root from rotting. When the available soil is very compact, it will be necessary to carry out an adaptation work by incorporating sand.

Holm oak does not need many nutrients to grow and special care must be taken with excess nitrogen .

How do we water the oak?

The irrigation of the holm oak must be carried out in a moderate way, without flooding the soil . In general, when the rainy season arrives, watering becomes unnecessary since the amount received naturally will be more than enough.

How often do we water the oak?

Irrigation should be carried out more constantly during the first years of life, twice a week if it is very hot. The rest of the year, except when it is rainy weather, once a week will suffice.

How to plant an oak step by step?

Holm oaks are sown from the acorns produced by the tree, so the process will start from there.

Collect the acorns that fall from the tree without letting them spend excessive time outside . To select the best ones you have to submerge them in a bowl with running water and those that sink quickly will be the best ones. This step also helps them to hydrate and promote the formation of roots more quickly.
Plant the selected acorn in a large, deep pot to help it develop well without being damaged by rodent attacks.
When transplanting the young plant, it is essential to prune the roots that it has generated during sowing time . This action will help to better manipulate the plant and will also allow it to adapt more easily to the new space. It is necessary to know that afterwards it will grow slowly because it will focus its energies on restoring its root system. This step will run in late summer.
Dig a hole wide but not very deep to comfortably place the oak with its roots . Make sure the plant is flush with the ground with the root line to prevent it from choking.
Fill the spaces with soil and press lightly to ensure that it sets well.
Add a layer of mulch to help keep the roots warm and retain moisture.

What care does the oak need?

Holm oak needs plenty of sunlight during its adulthood, although when it is growing it is normal for it to prefer semi-shade.

Pruning can be applied intensively if you hope to give the tree a specific use , but it is also possible to keep it growing at will.

In case you decide to prune, the appropriate time to achieve the best results is during the winter .

Of course, light pruning should be administered if applied successively annually, as the trees need to rest to recover if a very strong pruning has been done.

On the other hand, the fertilizations are not a compulsory subject because excess nitrogen can alter the natural growth of the plant . The ideal is to allow you to take advantage of what you get from the ground, only making a minimum intervention in case it is excessively poor.

What pests and diseases affect oak?

The holm oak is exposed to the attack of different diseases that are generated by the purpose of certain fungi. Irrigation and low soil drainage are more than sufficient conditions for root rot to occur.

It is also possible to generate dry leaves and wounds on the tree stem. These symptoms can start from having bad conditions in the environment, for example a very high relative humidity.

With the use of systemic fungicides and the choice of a healthy soil, the chances of suffering these damages are significantly reduced. Holm oaks help a lot to protect soils and that is why they are the favorites to repopulate.

In addition, they are also useful as a source of food, for use in carpentry, among others. And having a specimen in a garden will be a very comfortable way to have shade throughout the year.