AlleghenyChinquapin Question

[Chrisgriffin3]

Ok guy I have been a observer for a while on here, and read a lot of post trying to find the answer. But I was wondering if I needed to cage or using a tree tube AC. I just recived 100 barefoot in the mail today and was trying to decide what my best option was. Thanks

 

[yoderjac]

The clear answer is "it depends". I have Allegheny Chinquapins growing natively on my farm and there is very little browsing pressure on them. They are in the chestnut family. I planted Dunstan chestnuts and without tubes the deer browsed them into bushes. I have also collected nuts from my ACs and started new trees. I planted them with not protection and none were browsed. There is one difference which is location. The chestnuts were planted along the edges of clover fields and the ACs were planted (along with other dunstans) along a logging road with no clover. Neither the dunstans nor the ACs along that road were browsed.

My theory, for what it is worth, is this. Deer are browsers by nature. They come to clover fields to feed and it is just their nature to take a bite of any young tree they come across as the feed. The deer are not coming to browse the trees as they have plenty of browse available in the bedding areas. They were coming for the clover and the chestnuts were there.

So, it depends on your deer densities, planting location, and foods available. If it were me, I'd protect most and leave a few unprotected to see how deer relate to them fro future reference.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[TreeDaddy]

I love this little tree

A rare variety that thrives in sandy soils and Texas heat/drought

I have a few bare root trees producing in second growing season

I protect them with mats and cages.......not a fan of tree tubes

bill

 

[yoderjac]

I love this little tree

A rare variety that thrives in sandy soils and Texas heat/drought

I have a few bare root trees producing in second growing season

I protect them with mats and cages.......not a fan of tree tubes

bill

Very interesting. They grow native in my heavy clay here. Sounds like a pretty adaptable tree if they do well in your conditions.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[ToddG]

I know they don't like wet feet around here.

 

[yoderjac]

I know they don't like wet feet around here.

Todd,

I don't think any trees in the Chestnut family like wet feet. None of my native AC grow in places where ground water collects. However, they flourish even in my heavy clay. Clay retains a lot more moisture than sandy soils, but that does not equate to "wet feet". I find that if the soil stays wet for long periods chestnuts have issues.

This is easy to see when starting trees indoors in rootmakers. Most of us error on watering too frequently. With many trees we can get away with watering too frequently but not with chestnuts. When we do a post mortem on dead or dying chestnuts, the most common thing I find is "carrot root". This is some kind of root infection where the tap root swells up and looks almost like a carrot. There tend to be few lateral roots when this happens. It is strongly correlated with wet feet. I have found that it is better to water slightly less frequently than optimal rather than more when it comes to chestnuts. When I water mine, I drench them but then wait until the containers get light again before the next watering.

I find it interesting how well they do in dry sandy soil in Tx given how well they do in their native area here with heavy clay and good seasonal rain.

Thanks,

Jack