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Grow your own Ohio buckeye tree
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Ohio Outdoor Notebook
By Laura Jones
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Want to grow one of Ohio's most popular state symbols? Follow these easy steps and see the fruits of your labor pop up next spring.
WHAT: Ohio buckeye nuts
WHEN: Gather the highly-prized buckeye seeds now through late October, but beware, not every buckeye is an Ohio buckeye!
Ohio or Yellow Buckeye … which is which?
Fruits of Ohio buckeye usually contain one seed (or nut) enclosed in a slightly spiny, golden-brown husk. Yellow buckeye trees produce thick, smooth husks that feature two or three seeds.
Only newly fallen nuts are viable for planting. Because it can be difficult knowing how recently a buckeye seed has fallen to the ground, soak the collected buckeyes in water for two to four hours before planting.
HOW: Seeds should be planted in loose, well-worked soil about 6-inches apart, and at a depth twice the diameter of the seed. To help hold the soil in place, put 2 to 3 inches of mulch, straw or well-rotted sawdust over the planting. Check the soil once a week, adding just enough water to keep it moist.
TIP! If squirrels reside in the neighborhood you'll need to protect your crop. Place a screen mesh over the planted seeds before covering them with mulch. Remove the screen and mulch in early spring after the ground thaws.
RESULTS: Seeds will germinate in the spring; begin applying enough water to maintain about one-inch per week. During the first season, lightly fertilize in April and again in June.
By August, buckeye trees big and small will exhibit leaf scorch, a nonfatal fungus resulting in early leaf drop. But don't worry, even without its leaves, your little buckeye tree will be just fine. You'll know it's in good shape if you see a plump bud at the end of the stem – reflecting the start to next year's growth.
As "young bucks," these trees prefer partially shaded conditions. You can transplant your seedling to a sunnier location the first spring after germination. Be sure to do so before it leafs out, and don't wait more than two years to transplant.
Depending on growing conditions, buckeye trees begin producing nuts in five to 10 years.
If you're in a hurry to harvest nuts from your very own Ohio buckeye tree, consider skipping the seed-planting process and going straight to a local garden center. Many tree nurseries across the state have Ohio buckeye trees in stock … after all, ‘tis the season.
Go Bucks!
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Some buckeye facts:
Natural and cultural history of the Ohio buckeye
-- It is one of six species of buckeye trees that grow in North America
Two buckeye species are native to our state: the Ohio and the yellow.
--Native Americans who once inhabited the Ohio Valley region called the nut "hetuck" or "eye of the buck" because it resembled a deer's eye.
-- Its botanical name is Aesculus glabra.
-- Some people believe carrying around a buckeye seed in the pocket wards off rheumatism.
-- The Buckeye name became a synonym for Ohioans during the 1840 presidential campaign of native son William Henry Harrison. The old general's campaign symbol was a log cabin built from buckeye timber and decorated with strings of buckeye nuts. He won, and today is honored as one of seven "buckeyes" elected President of the United States.
-- The Ohio buckeye tree became our state symbol in 1953, during the 150th anniversary of statehood.
For more information, visit ohiodnr.com
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