Anyone growing chestnuts?

[Turkey Creek]

Dunstan

 

[scott44]

Chinese

 

[TMIL]

I'm not growing any yet. I would love to grow American and get them to live, I'm sure many others would as well. I am slightly out of the native range of the Americans but I doubt that means I would be free of blight. I'm leaning towards Dunstan when I do plant because they have American in their pedigree.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Dunstan and chinese is what I was told anyways

 

[Spur]

Dunstans and 20 American chestnuts.

 

[homegrownbucks]

I have american seeds, and Chinese seedlings coming. I'm gonna try some grafting with the American nuts as an experiment

 

[dipper]

Anyone have an experienced opinion on how long the actual nut has to be connected to the tree?
My trees are about a foot. There are actually almost as big as the guy from mn on the qdma thread, and he's has a grow system with heat, etc. I'm doing it the poor man's way, just in the window.
Anyway, they will be going outside soon and the chipmunks and squirrels are going to be seeking those nuts, as I baby the trees on my deck.
I have a system to make sure there is almost a 0 rodent population, but I don't want to harm these trees since they have been my babies since February.

 

[kabic]

I think your safe to remove the nut. I'm pretty sure it just provides the energy to get the roots established. Once the roots are established the tree can pull nutrients from the soil.

 

[dipper]

It's kinda neat, the nut is a rich green color, never seen that

 

[CAS_HNTR]

1000% remove the nut before you take them out.....rodents will destroy your trees trying to get the nut off! Been there, done that!

 

[kabic]

When do the second year trees break their dormancy? I have moved the trees that I overwinter in my garage to the south side of my house a few weeks ago. They have what appears to be little buds on them but none seem to be opening yet. I have some sort of maple near them and it has started to open its buds.

I'm wondering if these froze out like Dipper warned me his did one year.

 

[NYHUNTER]

From my expierience the squirrels will still dig in your pots even after nuts are removed i think they still smell chestnuts they have ripped up alot of my trees even after they were removed so ive had to completely wrap area in chickenwire is the only thing that will keep them out and ive even heard they will chew through the chickenwire to get to the food!!Dont know if thats true but im sick of squirrels

 

[NYHUNTER]

If you bring trees in your basement in dark area after they go dormant will they stay dormant even though its a bit warmer or will they try to break does anyone have expierience with this?

 

[wildfire]

Black walnuts are very late to emerge.

 

[Spiider]

I've planted Dunstan's in the past couple years but am trying some "Benton Harbor" strains this year.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

I've planted Dunstan's in the past couple years but am trying some "Benton Harbor" strains this year.

I've not herd of these? To the cloud

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Looked them (Benton) up and read this in their intro. Can someone please explain this in English? Whats IKB???

remember, do not place Chinese chestnuts with European X Japanese hybrids or you will probably produce nuts with IKB; choose one or the other, and in most cases European X Japanese cultivars produce more chestnuts, larger chestnuts and sooner than Chinese cultivars.

 

[kabic]

IKB = internal kernel breakdown ...never heard of it until now

http://chestnuts.msu.edu/horticultural_care/internal_kernal_breakdown

 

[scott44]

Looked them (Benton) up and read this in their intro. Can someone please explain this in English? Whats IKB???

remember, do not place Chinese chestnuts with European X Japanese hybrids or you will probably produce nuts with IKB; choose one or the other, and in most cases European X Japanese cultivars produce more chestnuts, larger chestnuts and sooner than Chinese cultivars.

I see you found it but for everyone else.

http://chestnuts.msu.edu/horticultural_care/cultivars_for_michigan

 

[kabic]

So here are some photos of my chestnuts. I seem to be getting a lot of suckers growing off the bottom instead of new growth on the existing leader.

First the tree that is doing the best:


This tree has some existing areas green up, but also has suckers:


Not sure if you can see the suckers on this one. Is it odd that last year leaves still are still attached to some trees?


more suckers, but the main trunk is still green so I'm hesitant to think it dies all the way back


Only the two first trees above have greened up any the rest I'm starting to see some sprouts near the bottom or haven't seemed to do anything yet.