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October 12, 2025 10 mins

Mary Stone recounts witnessing a bear in her pond overnight, perhaps feeding on acorns. The encounter led her to learn about the Acorn Float Test, which assesses the viability of acorns for propagation. 

Blue Jays flock to feast on acorns in the fall, making a ruckus. Like squirrels, they bury a stash, though many are never retrieved. Mary admits a previous grudge against Blue Jays, which shifted after observing their nature. She highlights the importance of Oak Trees and Blue Jays in the balance of our natural world.

Thanks for tuning in!

Related Podcast and Posts: 

Acorns and a Ruckus of Blue Jays - Blog Post

Ep 35. Leaf Therapy, Essential Oaks

Native Plants, especially Oaks, are Essential - Blog Post

Ep 132. Shagbark Hickories and Nutty Mast Years

Shagbark Hickories – Nutty Mast Years - Blog Post

Growing the Home Garden's YouTube channel: The Float Test: Separating the Good from the Bad Acorns 

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I'd love to hear your garden and nature stories and your thoughts about topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at AskMaryStone@gmail.com. 

You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook and Instagram #MaryElaineStone.

Episode web page —Garden Dilemmas Podcast Page

 Thank you for sharing the Garden of Life,

Mary Stone, Columnist & Garden Designer


More about the Podcast and Column:

Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
Direct Link to Podcast Page

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