Which came first the acorn or the storm?

[Neighbor]

Hi all,

 Did the hurricanes Helene and Milton have something to do with the massive number of acorns the oaks are dropping now? Is it random a coincidence? A result of the storms? Or the possibly the storms foreknown and the acorns timed for replacing  the oaks lost to storms?

Huh?

Let me explain; we had two hurricanes come through here recently. Those storms tore apart many oak trees. There are oak branches  now gathered in huge piles everywhere I walk. In addition now there are acorns everywhere too. Literally there isn't a square foot of sidewalk, driveway, or ground  that is not sprinkled heavily with acorns. Along with the still falling branches of oaks and even some still tipping over there is the pelting by acorns still falling to contend with.

Seems oaks do that on a random basis every few years, but not every year. They just drop acorns  like it is raining acorns, numerous acorns which if not gathered up makes for oak trees sprouting up most everywhere in lawns come next spring.

I tend to think that  there is no such thing as random, that all is calculated, foreknown and predestined. So I find myself wondering about the tie between the storms and the acorns, and does one exist? Or is it indeed random, a disproof of  my thinking all matters are predestined if not also preknown to and by God?

[ladypeartree]

Some plants NEED certain weather conditions to become prolific ..a dry summer will lead to a lack of acorns for instance and perhaps your hurricanes sent squirrels squirreling away so not so many eaten or stored out of sight  Whatever the reasons Gods perfect plan keeps the creations creating till man spoils it all 

[BibleStudent100]

42 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

Those storms tore apart many oak trees. There are oak branches  now gathered in huge piles everywhere I walk. In addition now there are acorns everywhere too.

I have never lived in oak tree country.  

A)  Do you know have a LOT of firewood?

B)  Do oak trees sprout and grow fast?

C)  Is there a way to cook/eat acorns?

[ladypeartree]

oak trees live for hundreds of years  so fast is a relative idea. they can grow from the acorn to a sizable sprout in one or two years then into a tree within about 5 years but will continue to grow for about 300 to 6oo years   The acorns taste rather bitter and are most often turned into flour or used to be used as an alternative drink to coffee when coffee was unavailable 

[Neighbor]

34 minutes ago, BibleStudent100 said:

I have never lived in oak tree country.  

A)  Do you know have a LOT of firewood?

B)  Do oak trees sprout and grow fast?

C)  Is there a way to cook/eat acorns?

Yes we are nearly eye deep in broken oak tree piles.

Burning wood is a no no, I haven't have a wood fire in my fireplace since 1984; besides it is hard to cool a home with fire. My AC runs 24/7

Oaks do sprout and grow prolifically, but not especially fast.

Never tried to consume an acorn of the type that is abundant here ( Water oak, and black oak), even the squirrels find them an acquired  taste (Bitter) I think; and deer reject them. Mostly they get crunched on the driveways and sidewalks leaving nasty stains.

The March formations of tendrils become a nuisance too as they fall, covering parking lots inches deep. Our local large oaks- forty and fifty feet tall have a life span of about 45 years to maturity and then rapid decline. I had to tend 49 of them at a church owned property, and dealt with the city arborists, needing permit to trim and or remove and replace them. Bummer of a project!

Oh they also become susceptible to carpenter ants and termites making  expensive treatments by a licensed  bug exterminator a part of life too. Otherwise  branches weighing many hundreds of pounds, or whole trees weighing tons, may fall on parked vehicles or individuals.

[Neighbor]

I had two oaks removed from my front yard before these storms, have only two more left in the back yard that have several broken limbs  still hanging high up in them. Fortunately mostly smaller limbs.

 My poor neighbor behind me has at least seven very tall oaks that are failing. He is going quite broke paying to have them removed and trimmed. Yet  we are pretty much fortunate as a neighborhood onlya couple of roofs damaged lots of fences blown apart and the piles oaks. Streetside is filled with fences and trees, going to be months before it all gets removed. Nowhere near as bad as those poor souls that got flooded too. They have everything they owned  out on the streets to be removed all furniture including appliances ,and drywall.

[ladypeartree]

you could make a small fortune selling the wood here It costs at least £7 for a smallish bag of soft wood hard wood like oak is much more expensive  but it does take 2 to 3 years to dry out before you can use it on the fire 

[other one]

Pecan trees follow the same sequence in producing pecans.   Our trees are on a 7-year cycle unless weird weather interferes on one of the high production years.   We had a tornado come through last year and really stressed the trees(we lost three that were at least 70 years old)(one of them was pulled out of the ground and thrown on my neighbors' car) and we didn't have a single pecan this year that I can find.    The squirrels will have a bad winter this year if the acorns do the same.

[In the Clouds]

Squirrels can be pretty resourceful when in survival mode.  They don't just eat tree nuts.  In lean acorn years I have seen them strip bark off of huge oak trees and eat it.  It killed the trees; but, the squirrels lived.

I appreciate the big oak trees:  planking for construction, shade, firewood, and a good even burning flame for BBQing.

[Neighbor]

1 hour ago, ladypeartree said:

you could make a small fortune selling the wood here It costs at least £7 for a smallish bag of soft wood hard wood like oak is much more expensive  but it does take 2 to 3 years to dry out before you can use it on the fire 

Well  if you pay the shipping.... LOL

 

Actually  in the mountains here, well North Carolina USA  hickory is a desired wood for burning  in fireplace fires.  Doesn't work  for me as our fireplace burns  propane.