The amount of red oak in the new stand will be proportional to the amount of advance regeneration of large, well-rooted seedlings before canopy removal, plus the amount of anticipated stump sprouts. The minimum number of first order lateral roots, greater than 1 mm in diameter, that an acceptable red oak seedling should have is five to seven. Larger 2-0 red oak seedlings can be difficult to plant with conventional machine tree planters. Requirements for an acceptable tree planting machine for red oak include a coulter near 36 inches in diameter and shoe width of 3 inches. The machine planter must be able to create a slit in the soil at least 8 to 12 inches deep and then properly pack the soil once the seedling has been planted.
Red oaks sprout readily, especially as young seedlings.
Early thinning of the sprout clumps is desirable to improve potential growth quality. Oak wilt can kill a tree in a single year and sites with a recent history or new signs of the disease should be avoided for reforestation with red oak unless proper treatment of infected stems and sprouts is accomplished. Tilia Americana Basswood generally grows on fine-textured, sandy or clay loams, on certain glacial tills, or even on high, rocky ridges. It grows best on moist, well-drained sites, such as low woods. The tree is medium-sized, ranging from 60 to 80 feet heigh, and 2 to 3 feet in diameter.