Lots and lots of Acorns - a Mast year?

[veggiechicken]

Has anyone else noticed how many acorns there are this year? I've never seen so many on my trees - sometimes it sounds like machine gun fire as they land on the shed roof
Reasons on Goggle indicated it is a sign of a harsh winter to follow!
More rational explanations say that it reflects the wet weather in the preceding year when the fruit buds are being formed. Here's one:-
Bumper autumn for forest fruits expected as nature puts on a rare show
Should keep the squirrels entertained burying them all over the garden and in the GH
Anyone like some acorns? I have lots and lots...............and don't suggest I make acorn coffee - life's too short

[Bren In Pots]

? I have lots and lots...............and don't suggest I make acorn coffee - life's too short

How about making flour if you don't fancy coffee

more ideas here How to Use Acorns for Food: 10 Steps - wikiHow

[veggiechicken]

Thanks for the thought Bren, but I think I'll give it a miss

[Bren In Pots]

Don't think I fancy giving it a go either VC.

[mrswadders]

spray them gold and silver and string together, lovely X**s decs? Have done that before they look lovely

[veggiechicken]

Aarrgh ^^^^^!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mrswadders]

felt cold enough this morning to be ********!!!!! sorry VC

[veggiechicken]

Its really nice out now, Mrs W,......................in the greenhouse
The acorns are like ballbearings underfoot - really sneaky little things

[muddyfeet]

I noticed yesterday there seemed to be lots more beech seed pods in among the fallen leaves than usual, too

[mothhawk]

I scoop up acorns (and conkers) and fill my pockets, then when I'm out walking, I toss a few here and there into hedgerows and rough or neglected corners of fields and untended ground. Even if only a couple grow and the rest are eaten or rot, it's a nice feeling to have sown a "wild, free" tree.

[zazen999]

Yes..these are the walnuts and sweet chestnuts that I got from the woodland floor just yesterday

[susieq100]

I heard a botanist on R4 Today programme a couple of weeks ago explaining that it is a mast year this year. He claimed that no-one really understood the 'mechanism' that triggers this but that we and wildlife should just enjoy the bounty! I'm up for that.

[Alison]

Why "mast" year, never heard that expression?

[Glutton4...]

Me neither, Alison, but I do know the fruit of the Beech tree is called 'Mast'

Have to say everything round here is fruiting like crazy this year. My half dead Pear is full of fruit. My Damson, that only has one live branch has produced enough fruit for a big batch of Jam (sadly not all at once, so the Chooks have had them as they've fallen), and my Peach had 31 full-sized fruit on. Beech and Horse Chestnuts are bursting, and the Sloes are already huge. A truly bumper year here.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Why "mast" year, never heard that expression?

Mast seeding or masting is a mass seeding phenomenon exhibited by some species of plants which can be defined as "synchronous production of seed at long intervals by a population of plants."

mast year - Yahoo! Search Results