Growing Chestnuts & Persimmons

[Buckman26]

Hi everyone,

2 years ago I planted 6 permissions and 6 chestnut from mossy oak nativ nursery. I also planted 4 chestnuts from whitetail hill. During the first growing season, the permissions were doing well and grew about a foot, but are struggling since. 3 have died and the other 3 leafed out the 2nd year but did not grow much, if any. All the chestnuts have leafed out the past 2 years but have grown maybe a couple of inches. I am in zone 5a and all these trees were planted on higher ground with tree tubes.

Does anyone have any thoughts on why these trees aren’t doing well? Any suggestions on other nurseries to purchase chestnuts or permissions from? Thank you for your time.

 

[GoldenTriangleIL]

Cut the tubes down to 24 inches and use cages.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I would look at buying bare root persimmons from MDC or the Kansas Forest Service. I have planted a few hundred of persimmons from both of those sources. I have great luck with tree tubes on persimmons. As to why yours grew for a bit and then either didn't grow more or just died, I would think it has something to do with your site and especially the soil. Persimmons grow faster in the bottom ground at my places, but I also have several that grow about a foot per year on the ridgetops.

Chestnuts are kind of hit or miss in tree tubes. Some grow really well and others would do much better in cages. I really like to grow them out from seed, but there are all kinds of great places to buy chestnut seedlings or younger grafted trees. Some like Blue Hill chestnuts. Personally, I am not a fan of the structure of the 2-3 types I have planted and will only grow them out from seed going forward. If you want some nuts to try growing out your own, PM me as I will certainly have some extra Chinese chestnuts leftover this winter.

 

[RGrizzzz]

How wet is the soil? What's the pH? Amend the soil? Do anything to help with weed competition?

Back at my desk, to add more info.

Chestnuts prefer a lower pH and drier sites. They do not like wet roots.
Persimmons like a more neutral pH. I had some die in sites I planted that were too wet.
Transplanted trees can be slow to start. People will often say "Sleep, creep, leap" when it comes to years 1, 2 and 3. I wouldn't give up on them yet, if they're planted in the right conditions.

Regarding chestnut seed, try here. Buzz has the best seed around. He's in zone 4. I'd direct plant them in tubes. Stratify them over the winter and get them in the ground in the spring.

perfect circle farm

www.perfectcircle.farm

 

[Angus 1895]

I have had great luck so far with MDC persimmons. I used cages and weed mats. I mulch with composted horse manure.

The chestnuts I grew from seed were a huge disappointment. I amended the soil and used cages. I wasn’t very aggressive with weed control however.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

How wet is the soil? What's the pH? Amend the soil? Do anything to help with weed competition?

Back at my desk, to add more info.

Chestnuts prefer a lower pH and drier sites. They do not like wet roots.
Persimmons like a more neutral pH. I had some die in sites I planted that were too wet.
Transplanted trees can be slow to start. People will often say "Sleep, creep, leap" when it comes to years 1, 2 and 3. I wouldn't give up on them yet, if they're planted in the right conditions.

Regarding chestnut seed, try here. Buzz has the best seed around. He's in zone 4. I'd direct plant them in tubes. Stratify them over the winter and get them in the ground in the spring.

perfect circle farm

www.perfectcircle.farm

The only caution I would have with direct seeding chestnuts is potentially spreading chestnut borers. Perfect Circle does have an amazing selection and high quality nuts, but they do have a warning about chestnut borers (and some that I bought did have borers). If you grow them from seed off-site first this isn't a concern.

 

[RGrizzzz]

The only caution I would have with direct seeding chestnuts is potentially spreading chestnut borers. Perfect Circle does have an amazing selection and high quality nuts, but they do have a warning about chestnut borers (and some that I bought did have borers). If you grow them from seed off-site first this isn't a concern.

You can heat treat the seed nuts to avoid this as well. Warm water bath of 120 for 10 minutes. ( I think, from memory)

 

[j-bird]

I have had pretty poor results with Chestnut trees....to the point I am considering planting Chinese varieties. What I have planted have been from Chestnut hill as container plants. I have slightly better luck with persimmons.

The chestnut trees I either get some that do great, or they just sit there. One of the best one I have right now the deer ate down to a stick.....and I babied it back to the point it is producing nuts this year. I have another tree that has produced for a few years now. My issue is that I have poor pollination because the other trees I have planted have done so poorly that they have either died or are still too small. Sometimes I feel like I am trying to pound a square peg into a round hole!

 

[RGrizzzz]

I have had pretty poor results with Chestnut trees....to the point I am considering planting Chinese varieties. What I have planted have been from Chestnut hill as container plants. I have slightly better luck with persimmons.

The chestnut trees I either get some that do great, or they just sit there. One of the best one I have right now the deer ate down to a stick.....and I babied it back to the point it is producing nuts this year. I have another tree that has produced for a few years now. My issue is that I have poor pollination because the other trees I have planted have done so poorly that they have either died or are still too small. Sometimes I feel like I am trying to pound a square peg into a round hole!

Be careful with potted trees. They can get root bound pretty quickly. Walmart is notorious for not watering the trees they sell AND letting the roots cook in the hot sun.

 

[j-bird]

Be careful with potted trees. They can get root bound pretty quickly. Walmart is notorious for not watering the trees they sell AND letting the roots cook in the hot sun.

That holds true for any containerized plant. If I am looking for them at stores I try to get them as quickly as I can to help reduce the stress on them, and get them into the actual soil as quickly as I can. I try to loosen the roots and the like when I get them this way and I water them weekly for the first year to help with establishment. Yet, sometimes they still don't cooperate. I will say I have had far better luck with bare root plantings, or in some cases even growing from seed. In my opinion...anything that is supposed to have a long tap root should not be in a container. I realize we all make exceptions all the same.

 

[Teeder]

It doesn't take very long for chestnuts to put out a large tap root. This seedling was only in the deep pot about 3-1/2 months. That's about a 14" root!

 

[RGrizzzz]

It doesn't take very long for chestnuts to put out a large tap root. This seedling was only in the deep pot about 3-1/2 months. That's about a 14" root!

That's why direct seeding can work better than potted.

 

[Angus 1895]

How do you keep the seed from being eaten in direct seeding?

Do you put the weed mat down after the seeding has erupted through the dirt?

Thanks

 

[RGrizzzz]

Sink a tube(or tin can) into the dirt a few inches. Weed mat and possibly cage the tree.

 

[Teeder]

3-3.5 months is all the longer I keep them in the pots. That way I can give them a headstart in the basement late winter and pick which seedlings I keep for myself. All without dealing with something getting the nuts.