Tree Pro Chesnuts
- Thread starter split toe
- Start date
This is the company that purchased Morse. I bought grafted persimmons this year that were a complete joke. Freshly grafted in wax and was 0 for 4 on grafts taken. Ended up being some pretty expensive seedlings.
I thought things could only improve once Charlie left but was wrong about that. Have seen lots of negative reviews since this past spring.
I cannot find anything on their site about their chestnuts being grafted or seedlings. I'm fairly certain they're seedlings though. I'd be pretty skeptical of anyone claiming a specific drop date of a seedling. If you're interested in specific chestnut drop times I'd look at the Auburn University trees, AU Buck, sold through The Wildlife Group.
I thought things could only improve once Charlie left but was wrong about that. Have seen lots of negative reviews since this past spring.
I cannot find anything on their site about their chestnuts being grafted or seedlings. I'm fairly certain they're seedlings though. I'd be pretty skeptical of anyone claiming a specific drop date of a seedling. If you're interested in specific chestnut drop times I'd look at the Auburn University trees, AU Buck, sold through The Wildlife Group.
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chickenlittle
5 year old buck +
The other thing is that ripening and drop depends on the growing season. Earlier spring means earlier drop. Later drop in the north could mean they’ll get hit with frost before the chestnuts fill out and ripen.
b116757
5 year old buck +
I planted a 1/2 dozen from Tree Pro I do not believe they are grafted trees but have survived just fine one is even two foot above a 5’ tube in it’s second season but the others are simply plugging along. This year I ordered 20 seedlings Chinese and 10 AU buck seedlings not grafted from Wildlife Group the 10 AU Buck seedlings had been grown in a air pruning system and had very nice root systems. I wouldn’t hesitate to order them again.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
I purchased some AU Buck seedlings from Wildlife group. Mine were nut grafted and grown in roottrapper bags. Keep in mind that AU Buck is a protected variety. If you are actually getting AU Buck variety they have to be grafted. Otherwise they would be sons of AU Buck. "Dunstan" was also a protected variety but Chestnut Hill also registered "Dunstan" as a trade name. When you buy "Dunstan" chestnuts, you are actually buying sons of the "Dunstan" variety. Since chestnuts are not self-fertile, you are getting approximately 50% of the DNA of the "Dunstan" variety. This is much less important with chestnuts as they seem to be much truer to seed than apples or many other trees.
I don't know if the Wildlife Group is now playing the trade-name game or not today. They were not when I got my AU Buck chestnuts from them. I presume you talked to them and verified they are not nut grafted. If not, you should not presume they are not grafted.
I have nothing bad to say about The Wildlife Group. The trees I purchased from them were in great shape. I transplanted them into 5 gal RB2 containers and kept them on my deck for a year. They grew well there. The following year, I planted them at the farm. The greened up the following spring but did not grow well. The next year they never greened up. I don't know if it was winter kill, disease, or animal damage. I did not cage them the first winter but did the next year. I did not notice any browsing on them.
The package I got from them also had another chestnut (can't recall the variety right now). I did the same with that one but planted it at a different location at the farm. I has grown pretty well. It is planted a location more shaded from morning sun than the others.
Most of my chestnuts are sons of Dunstan. Many are now producing. Those nuts tend to drop in early oct. The AU Buck were supposed to drop later.
Thanks,
Jack
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Perhaps graft failure is why mine eventually died. I don't know. I know I've tried my hand at nut grafting with no real success. I've also tried grafting chestnut trees, again with no luck. I've grafted other trees with no issue, but for some reason, chestnuts are tough. At least for me.
FYI, here is the blurb from their 2020-2021 catalog:
The AU Buck Chestnuts are grafted varieties of heavy producing as well as late dropping Chinese Chestnuts. The trees were discovered while doing field analysis for drop date, annual crop, and yield data for the commercial chestnut market. Although some of the trees did not meet the strict requirements of the commercial market, they were in turn very heavy producers of medium to large nuts and found to have very desirable late drop dates not found in other chestnuts. This season these trees will be offered individually for the customer to choose. Both the AU Buck III & IV will hold well into November and will greatly benefit each other. So we advise planting together. AU Bucks are Grown in 3 Gallon Root Pouch Bags. The bags and soil will be removed for shipping. This lessens the weight to prevent damage while in transit. For pick up customers they will remain in the containers. AU Buck III $30.00 AU Buck IV $30.00 AU Gobbler I $30.00 AU Gobbler II $30.00 Gobblers have smaller seed for Turkeys. AU Buck seedlings can be purchased in 1 gallon grow bags. These trees are grown from seed off of the AU Bucks. They will have the same traits as the parents, but we have no guarantee on drop dates on these specific trees. They will drop anywhere from Late September thru late November. *Seedlings from these trees can be purchased in 1-gallon pots for $10.00 each
So, from the description above, it sounds like you can buy either the actual nut grafted AU Buck (iii or iv) or you can buy seedlings for 1/3 the cost. Do you know which you got?
