Oaks are among the deep-rooted deciduous trees. They develop very strong taproots that penetrate deep enough into the earth that they can reach the groundwater. If the root is damaged, the tree will die quickly.
The roots of the oaks
As soon as an acorn has germinated, the gardener will notice that small strong roots develop at the bottom of the fruit and sink downwards. These are the so-called taproots. Small root stolons form on the sides of these taproots, which appear like small hairs.
The taproot provides the oak with all the necessary nutrients and water. The oak's root system is so strong that it penetrates even compacted layers of soil.
The upper small roots reach the same dimensions as the above-ground crown of the tree just below the surface of the earth.
Oak trees are storm resistant
Due to their root system, oaks are considered to be particularly storm-resistant, because the long taproots grow many meters deep into the ground. This gives the tree a high level of stability.
The tree is not uprooted even in strong storms. At best, the branches break off or the trunk splits.
Be careful when transplanting
Because of their root system, oak trees should only be transplanted when they are young. As soon as the trees have reached a height of two meters, moving them hardly works.
This is because with older oak trees it is almost impossible to dig the long taproots out of the ground undamaged.
If the taproots are bent or even torn off, this usually leads to the tree dying.
tips and tricks
Thanks to their long taproots, oaks can also obtain nutrients and water from very deep layers of the earth. It is therefore not necessary to fertilize or water older oak trees in the garden.
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