growing oaks from acorns

Is it feasible to grow an oak tree from an acorn or does it make more sense to buy a young tree from the nursery?

Good question, since now is the time to plant acorns (which need to be planted fresh, soon after they fall from the tree). Growing from acorns takes time, but it allows you to preserve a tap root if you sprout them in very deep pots and plant them young. Plants from nurseries are a lot bigger right away, but since they have been confined in containers, their tap root is pretty well shot (and it will take them a long time to be truly drought-tolerant). So it depends how much time you have -- if I were landscaping a property, I'd probably look for very healthy and young 5 gallon plants that do not have a strangulated root system. It'll save you about 2 years.

Steve Brigham