Not seeing many nuts this year...mild winter ahead?

[pheasantplucker]

I've got 7 shagbark hickories in my yard. the last two years they have been absolutely loaded with hickory nuts. This year I'm seeing very few. Think it might mean a mild winter? What are some other natural predictors for weather, that you've heard of? I know there's something about wooly bear caterpillars, but I don't recall what it is.

[mickm]

Thats not what it meant here last year. We had no nutts or fruit of any kind and had a terrible winter.

It meant we had late freeze the prior spring.

[tamsam]

Same here. Two big oaks and one big hickory and not a nut last year. It was the worst winter since the early 90's. Haven't seen any this year either but oaks 20 miles away are loaded. Sam

[MrCalicoty]

We have a well established English Walnut tree that is loaded with big mature-looking nuts already. We also have a large oak tree that I haven't paid much attention to.

[dawncagle]

Nuts...no nuts...black caterpillars or red....whatever it takes, just please....a nice, mild, short winter!

[mickm]

100's all this week here, I would take ten foot of snow to be honest!

[ronbre]

i'll agree..just so we can have a nice winter

[Old Vet]

Originally Posted by pheasantplucker

I've got 7 shagbark hickories in my yard. the last two years they have been absolutely loaded with hickory nuts. This year I'm seeing very few. Think it might mean a mild winter? What are some other natural predictors for weather, that you've heard of? I know there's something about wooly bear caterpillars, but I don't recall what it is.

There are many things that will cause nuts not to bear. Late frost, Rain during the time they pollinate, Dry weather and so on. I doubt that it will mean anything.

[Callieslamb]

I was informed this week that because the big lake is so warm this year, we will have a very WET winter- piles and piles of snow. Of course, I haven't gotten the part where it was so hot this summer.....I'm still happy to be away from TN heat.

[Mike in Ohio]

hickories - like black walnuts - are bi-annual producers. During an off year you will get many fewer nuts than in an on year.

Mike