I ask the question because I passed by an oak tree groaning with acorns. I’ll be pleased to know what you think. Here’s my photo of the tree in question,
Funnily enough, I was thinking the same thing t’other day when observing an Oak bowing under the weight of acorns … cant recall where it was now, but a close neighbour only had a few ?
It certainly does not. It only shows that there were good conditions during the time that the flowers were being pollinated. Oaks are wind pollinated so the most important aspect would be the lack of frosts during the flowering period. Also trees that are stressed e.g. by drought,would not produce so many flowers in the first place. This year has been good for many species, from Blue Tits to Blackberries.
As Bernard says – all it means is the conditions were very right this year. Interestingly last year there were a lot of oak galls on local trees – in some cases near 100%, this year there are somewhat less but several gall wasp species are active. Some plants of course require a hard winter for them to develop properly, but oak trees like the rain and the lack of frosts during the pollination period.
Groan. We have a line of gnarly old oaks lining our garden, which means in a month or so they’ll be flying like bullets out of my lawn mower. I’ll issue flak jackets to the neighbours. Hopefully, the ricocheting acorns will take out one or two of the maurading grey squirrels that will accompany their increase.
Lightwater 
How do oak trees know what winter will be like?
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Funnily enough, I was thinking the same thing t’other day when observing an Oak bowing under the weight of acorns … cant recall where it was now, but a close neighbour only had a few ?
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It certainly does not. It only shows that there were good conditions during the time that the flowers were being pollinated. Oaks are wind pollinated so the most important aspect would be the lack of frosts during the flowering period. Also trees that are stressed e.g. by drought,would not produce so many flowers in the first place. This year has been good for many species, from Blue Tits to Blackberries.
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As Bernard says – all it means is the conditions were very right this year. Interestingly last year there were a lot of oak galls on local trees – in some cases near 100%, this year there are somewhat less but several gall wasp species are active. Some plants of course require a hard winter for them to develop properly, but oak trees like the rain and the lack of frosts during the pollination period.
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Groan. We have a line of gnarly old oaks lining our garden, which means in a month or so they’ll be flying like bullets out of my lawn mower. I’ll issue flak jackets to the neighbours. Hopefully, the ricocheting acorns will take out one or two of the maurading grey squirrels that will accompany their increase.
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