Allegheny Chinquapin - Transferred from QDMA Forums

[yoderjac]

I have top growth on 18 ACs as of today which is about a 70% germination rate so far. The largest are about 2.5" with around 5 leaves or so. The smallest are just a tiny red head flush with the top of the media. I've had this happen with AC before where some nuts germinate much later than others with the same treatment. I give ACs plenty of extra time to germinate before I give up on them.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[yoderjac]

Checked them today and I'm up to 21 or 80% with top growth beginning.

 

[Shedder]

This year I tried an easier method to see how it would work. I took fresh nuts that I picked, soaked them to make sure they were well hydrated. I then put them in a ziplock bag with no damp medium. Nuts that require cold stratification need both cold and moisture. With out added moisture from damp medium cold stratification slows and stops if the moisture content of the nut gets too low and they sort of go into suspended animation. Since AC don't need cold stratification, I just tried to suspend them until I was ready to plant them. On Nov 25th, I took them from the fridge. None had root radicles growing but some looked like the were on the edge. As of yesterday, I had 15 out of 26 with top growth. I presume I'll see most of the rest in the next week or so.

If I were you, I would hydrated them well and the pat them dry and put them in a ziplock bag with no medium and put them in the crisper until you are ready to direct seed. I'd direct seed them at your first opportunity. They my be a little behind ACs direct seeded in the fall but they should do fine.

I put them in a ziplock bag with no medium, last week, and put them in the dedicated crisper at 34 F. We will see how it goes. There was no change in them that I could see. Some looked like they had a radicle barely starting but there was nothing long so i wonder what shape they are in.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[yoderjac]

I put them in a ziplock bag with no medium, last week, and put them in the dedicated crisper at 34 F. We will see how it goes. There was no change in them that I could see. Some looked like they had a radicle barely starting but there was nothing long so i wonder what shape they are in.

Thanks for the tips.

As long as they have enough hydration that they don't dry out, they will be fine. They don't require cold stratification like chestnuts.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Shedder]

http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1139/cjps-2015-0089

"Efficacy of washing treatments in the reduction of postharvest decay of chestnuts (Castanea crenata ‘Tsukuba’) during storage"

 

[yoderjac]

http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1139/cjps-2015-0089

"Efficacy of washing treatments in the reduction of postharvest decay of chestnuts (Castanea crenata ‘Tsukuba’) during storage"

Very interesting!

 

[yoderjac]

Well, I collected and planted ACs again this year. I just transplanted these into 1 gal RB2s:

Thanks,

Jack

 

[yoderjac]

I moved seedlings outside today to begin acclimating them. Here are the ACs:

Note: The small one on the left side of the front row is not an AC. Of the 10 chestnut nut grafts I tried, it is the only one that seemed to take. It is still small and seems fragile. I almost kept it in, but I thought the sun might help it along.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[NorthPotter]

Somehow I missed this repost. Many thanks Jack. All of Jack's information aligns will my experiences too. I will second that the nuts with radicles are intolerant of overwatering and too much moisture. Moisture has to be just right.

Collected nuts will develop radicles quickly in the fall. Some of mine have developed radicles in 1 week. I have tried 2 different processes. 1. I keep the nuts in a tall bag the fridge until late March/early april. This is simply because I don't have the time/facility/space to pot/manage them under lights all winter. The radicles will continue to grow in the fridge throughout the winter. Its a good idea to use some type of tall bag/container to allow the radicle to grow straight while in the fridge. A straight radicle helps when planting in container/field in the spring.
2. I let the nuts develop a good radicle, then plant the nuts into deep containers in October/November. Soil in containers is a moist sandy, leafy, chunky wood chips type of mulch. Place the containers right into the fridge until March/April. I take them out and gradually acclimate them to room temps then outside. Both of these seem to work. I only have done this a 1-2 times so I only have a small sample of relevant experience (My AC bushes/trees from early 2000's have all been started from seedlings). I have been told my #2 process is more of a vernalization than stratification.

Shedder I am in a cold zone like you. Some of my AC's that leaf out in May make it through frosty nighttime temps with leaves just fine (heavy frosts in May is not uncommon for me). Others do not. So I wait until after Memorial day to plant new seedlings outside.

Very nice seedlings Jack.

How are yours coming along Shedder?

 

[TreeDaddy]

I love this tree(AC)

I planted bare root seedlings 2 years ago and several are already producing.

They seem to love my sandy soils and are tolerant of the east texas heat

bill

 

[Shedder]

Shedder I am in a cold zone like you. Some of my AC's that leaf out in May make it through frosty nighttime temps with leaves just fine (heavy frosts in May is not uncommon for me). Others do not. So I wait until after Memorial day to plant new seedlings outside.

How are yours coming along Shedder?

Good question.
I noticed 3 weeks ago a few had what looked like a mold. I dug them out tonight and some had a whitish mold in a coating of peat moss and dampness. They didn't seem in bad shape, however, and it seemed the wet around the nut was condensation and moss. I hope so. I had them in dry moss for the last 3 months like suggested here. There seemed to be some green on some of the radicles. i removed the wet moss\mold and put them in new moss in a new bag. There may be hope yet. I am itching to get them in the ground but there are still some sub freezing nights to come. They were in an a powered fridge in an unheated building all winter. They were at 25F for a good while. Now they are at 40.

 

[yoderjac]

I have been talking to someone that's part of TACF and he sent me pictures of some of his succesful bark grafts of Americans. I bark grafted a ozark chinkapin to an Allehany chinkapin this weekend if it takes and does well I will post some pictures of it. After he sent me some of his ark grafts it makes me feel better about bark grafting chestnuts.

Thanks for the heads-up on Bark Grafting them. I haven't decided what grafting technique to use yet but I have time. My trees are just beginning to leaf out. Any idea on the best timing for grafting chestnuts?

Well, it's up to you and Jack I'm afraid.

My one nut successful nut graft was looking pretty good till I had the bright idea to leave it on my trailer for a little more sun one morning as I left for work

When I got home, 12 hours later, something, I suspect my wife's new dog, had jumped up on the trailer and decided the pot was a chew toy.

My tree was left high and dry for no telling how long.

I did repot it and bring it in the house and while the stem is still green all the leaves have fallen off except the bottom one.

I'm still babying it, but don't have a lot of faith in it..







Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

I'm really sad to hear that. I hope if survives for you. I moved mine outside along with most of my trees. I'm checking it often and so far, no signs of an issue.




Thanks,


Jack

 

[DLH]

The one I attempted to bark graft was just starting to show leaves and the bark was slipping really well. Chestnuts may need warmer temperatures for the graft union to heal I'm wanting to say 70s for some reason where pears and apples will callus up at lower temps. I think I read that somewhere but it's harder to find chestnut grafting information.

 

[Shedder]

I planted the Allegheny chinkapins
Monday. I doubt any will come up. They all seemed rotten. Bummed but
will
have to check later just in case.

Seems my friend was right, a sweaty film of peat moss on the nut is a bad sign. A month in the mail
likely didn't help. I will have to try again in the fall.

 

[yoderjac]

Sorry to hear that. Hope you get lucky!