Question about planted chestnut seeds.

[ethompson]

Have them planted in rm 18’s. Heated, humid room with lights just inches from soil. Watering just about daily. What if I have to leave for work for 3-5 days? With no one to water.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Have them planted in rm 18’s. Heated, humid room with lights just inches from soil. Watering just about daily. What if I have to leave for work for 3-5 days? With no one to water.

I'm jealous you have rm 18s. I called probably 20 stores/websites this winter and couldn't find a single one.

I would definitely avoid over-watering them. I put mine in netted pots that were exposed to much more air than the 18s, and I was only having to water them once a week. I kept my room at about 74 with a soil temp of around 71. I was initially only watering by letting water wick up though the bottom of the pots. I would try and do the same.

How long did you let your seedlings vernalize in your fridge?

Here are my seedlings after 4 weeks of being planted in soil following 12 weeks in cold storage:

 

[yoderjac]

Have them planted in rm 18’s. Heated, humid room with lights just inches from soil. Watering just about daily. What if I have to leave for work for 3-5 days? With no one to water.

It depends on the stage. Chestnuts like to dry out and then get saturated. At early stages of growth, most of the energy is coming from the nut and water use is less. As the first and second flush of leaves come on, they need water more frequently. As soon as the leaves begin to droop it has been a little too long without water and you need to water immediately. They will rebound quickly and the leaves will lift back up. Five days will be problematic at some stages and three days will be dicey.

 

[yoderjac]

I'm jealous you have rm 18s. I called probably 20 stores/websites this winter and couldn't find a single one.

I would definitely avoid over-watering them. I put mine in netted pots that were exposed to much more air than the 18s, and I was only having to water them once a week. I kept my room at about 74 with a soil temp of around 71. I was initially only watering by letting water wick up though the bottom of the pots. I would try and do the same.

How long did you let your seedlings vernalize in your fridge?

Here are my seedlings after 4 weeks of being planted in soil following 12 weeks in cold storage:

You were a little too late. I'm moving on from trees and sold my entire stock of rootmakers not too long ago. I posted a thread on here and guys from here bought everything. Were you unable to buy them from Rootmaker directly?

 

[Hoytvectrix]

You were a little too late. I'm moving on from trees and sold my entire stock of rootmakers not too long ago. I posted a thread on here and guys from here bought everything. Were you unable to buy them from Rootmaker directly?

Yes, I tried with Rootmaker directly and with retailers and wholesalers. Literally could not find a single container.

I tried using netted pots to help with air pruning and they seemed to do just fine, for their purpose. The only problem was that they were drying out too quickly compared to the standard containers. When these plants begin to ball up their roots, I'll transfer over to 1 gallon root trapper bags. Hopefully by then I'll be close enough to being able to take them outside.

 

[yoderjac]

You really have to watch watering closely, but these will work like 18s if you are working indoors in a controlled environment and they are cheap! https://habitat-talk.com/index.php?...ntainers-diy-transfered-from-qdma-forum.5542/