Oaks growing on the ridge of the Stanford Dish. Oaks do grow in these usually thin, rocky, ridgetop soils, but often slowly. They also rarely grow to majestic size. Planting in areas where the grasses are very tall, or areas that are filled with healthy, robust “invasive exotics” like wild mustard and thistle has proven much more successful. The “invasive exotics” are, from one perspective, simply soil indicators. Put the oaks where the soils are good, and they will outcompete the exotic weeds. We learned this over 20 years of planting on the Dish. The method is now called the Bradley restoration method in honor of another who noted this same pattern.