Chestnuts

[coolbrze]

We have 2 clients that have gorgeous Chestnut trees on their properties. I would like to grow a dozen or so on our farm, what's the best way to go about this - using the seeds or can you propagate cuttings?

 

[fubar2]

I've wondered about that for years. With Chinese Chestnuts I would have my doubts that seeds would work. A guy I worked with claimed a sucker would grow after transplant but I've never tried it. I'm gonna keep an eye on this thread hopefully to find out also.

 

[Creeker]

G'day fellas, in Aus. a grove I have worked in has grafted trees, ie.. different rootstock to tree/fruit above it.

That would rule out self sown seedlings I guess. Given how long you may have the trees on your property and the yield
you would like, I think I would spend a few $$ early on to end up with the best trees/yield of nuts possible.

Lovely shade tree in Summer too !

edit...check what the local growers do, good indicator of what works/grows in your area.

 

[fubar2]

About fifty years ago my dad was thinking about selling our farm and found a person that had 200 young Chinese he had to get set out. The deal was he could set them at our place and if the deal didn't go through the trees stayed. Well the deal didn't go through and I now own the ground the Chestnuts were planted on. I've spent almost my whole life around these trees. Most of them are dead now, started dying about twenty years ago and one at a time they died. In all those years I have found maybe fifteen small saplings growing that came from them, usually around twenty feet or so from I assume the parent tree, I have no idea what started the new tree or for what reason. I've never really followed up on one to see if it lived to maturity or what become of it but I can tell you its few and far between.

Chinese Chestnuts like to grow about ten or twelve feet tall and spread branches in all directions if given the space to do so but some will branch lower. The leaves are plentiful and provide very good mulch. There is a smell from them when they are blooming that will take your breath away and may not be good for anyone with a breathing disorder. They are beautiful trees that generally grow tall and pretty much take care of themselves. I'd rate the wood for burning down around equivalent to Maple. The nuts will draw Turkeys, Squirrels, Chipmunks, rats, deer and anything else that likes nuts.

 

[caricob]

Collect the nuts now if they are not too far gone. Put about 15 nuts in a gallon zip lock bag with peat moss and potting soil mixture. Store in the refrigerator until next spring. Around April 1st plant the nuts in a 6" round hole (pointy side down). Plant the seed about 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep. Use potting soil to fill the planting hole.

 

[old_soul]

my neighbor has a grove of these chinese chestnut trees about 30 of them and trees are older and 30-40 foot tall.

Several have sprouted on my property in the un mowed areas and I wanted to see if they would grow so I cleared the brush away and they are doing very well. Probably 15 foot tall by now and 2-3 foot growth each year

I'm waiting to see if they will produce any nuts (pollinate) but they are definitely chestnut trees and definitely grown from the nut (squirrels planted I'm sure)