Chinese Chestnuts....

[John-W-WI]

Has anyone grown them in the north? I'm interested in growing them in USDA zone 4.

Does anyone know of trees growing in the northern 1/3 of Wisconsin? Seems we are right on the edge of their range.

A customer introduced me to his "1000 Chestnut trees" project. Pretty interesting:

https://www.qdma.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70803

Thanks,

-John

 

[shawnv]

I have a couple growing on my property EC county that are maybe 10ft tall now that my dad had planted 7-8 years ago. I think the production you get out of them here is not worth the effort though unless you just want enough to roast over an open fire. I'm probably getting a handful of them off each tree.

 

[PackerBacker]

I've got about 50 that I grew from Wayne this year and put into their permanent location this fall. I can give you an update in the spring on the survived the winter. He sent me another 50 (maybe 100) this year and I will be planting more.

I did plant Dunstans 2 years ago and they made it through last winter and added some good growth this year.

 

[John-W-WI]

I've got about 50 that I grew from Wayne this year and put into their permanent location this fall. I can give you an update in the spring on the survived the winter. He sent me another 50 (maybe 100) this year and I will be planting more.

I did plant Dunstans 2 years ago and they made it through last winter and added some good growth this year.

Keep me posted guys.... If they do well for you I would like to plant some. As long as others are already testing, I might as well wait for the results. If they make it though our winters (this winter hasn't started yet) I would love to try some.

-John

 

[dipper]

I bought 10 dunstans for $200 5 years ago, cage them and only had 2 survive that are now 700 yards apart. Pollination? I doubt it,

Winter kill them?
I've got a couple dozen cc in the nursery will c how winter treats them

 

[Jordan Selsor]

I think it was sunburn in the summer. The 2 that made it were in the woods.

From what I have read many northern guys are having much more success with chestnuts in the timber.
Have you considered ordering a couple pounds and direct seeding a bunch in your timber?

 

[PackerBacker]

^^^Nov - is that from experience?

This fall I planted about 50 chestnut trees and 20 pin oaks. Didnt protect either. When I came back a week later, the pins had been pulled out of the ground & eaten. None of the chestnut trees were touched.

Figured that deer knew what the oaks were but never seen a chestnut before so left those alone.

 

[chickenlittle]

From what I have read many northern guys are having much more success with chestnuts in the timber.
Have you considered ordering a couple pounds and direct seeding a bunch in your timber?

Planting in timber would not be a long term solution for Chinese or Chinese hybrids like the Dunstan brand. The shelter might help get them established but they won't be able to compete and produce in the understory. Eventually you'll have to remove the mature competition and make it into an orchard.

Planting in timber has long term potential if you can find more timber-like hybrids. I got some hybrid nuts from a chestnut researcher that have several back crosses to American chestnut. Those will go into oak timber that is nearing harvest. Any that show a timber form will eventually get released. Some others like Empire, Badgersett, and Oikos have timber type seeds or seedlings. I may try the Empire hybrid timber nuts at some point.

 

[2ndHand]

Here's a picture of one of the Dunstan's I grew from seed last year - growing out of a 5 ft. tube. This one is planted among oaks and pine that are redeveloping after a pine planation cut about 7 years ago. I did not provide any additional watering - it's one of my better growing Dunstan's.

 

[PackerBacker]

Yes. They wont touch ns. Anything else has to be in a cage or its toast.regen has no chance with our dpsm.

Good distinction. Big difference in dpsm in Waupaca County and where Im at in Oconto.

 

[PackerBacker]

Is the habitat substantially different or is there another reason for the difference?

I would assume - if all else is equl between the areas that deer would start to disperse to where their is less competition.

 

[NorthPotter]

I don't have them growing in the northern 1/3 of Wisconsin but I do have them growing in very northcentral PA at 1600-2000 ft. elevation. Its a 5a/4b (saw -23 last winter, haha) but its not too uncommon to have frosts in the first week of june and again in mid/late September so we also have a short growing season. Note that I have more success with selections of nuts/seedlings that come from a northern tree or northern nursery. So maybe consider picking a northern Chinese source for your nuts/seedlings.

Even though a good Chinese can produce boatloads of nuts, I do prefer planting hybrids and wild Americans over pure Chinese,...just a personal preference.

 

[homegrownbucks]

I know of "hardy" cc growing in sw wi that produce intermittently. There are Chinese like hybrids that can produce good in the same area of sw wi. I will be trying those this spring from nuts in west central wi and will see in 5 years I suppose.