Chestnut Trees
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I bought about 15 dunstan chestnuts about 3 years ago. got them from Walmart but they go fast when they get a shipment in. Check chestnut hill nursery webpage in the spring and it will tell you when certain walmarts should get them in. Never know some may get them in fall but doubt it since they mostly are all gone.
I also planted about 30 Chinese chestnuts this year that I got nuts off a friend tree last fall. Just need to cold stratify them in the fridge during the winter. They are all doing well.
I tubed all of mine since a buddy did not and they were destroyed. So I would recommend what ever you decide either fence or tube.
I also planted about 30 Chinese chestnuts this year that I got nuts off a friend tree last fall. Just need to cold stratify them in the fridge during the winter. They are all doing well.
I tubed all of mine since a buddy did not and they were destroyed. So I would recommend what ever you decide either fence or tube.
I did a little of both. Had a few that did not sprout so tossed them. Started growing them in pots early spring inside. Then replanted some after chance of frost was gone.LONZO said:
I direct planted about 10 and only lost one that I know of. I tubed almost all of them also.
I actually have about 10 still in bigger pots that I will be planting this fall.
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Yes I planted some nuts and they all came up protect them or they will get eaten.
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Gosh Drew, where to start...DrewMc said:
If you like planting seedlings, in the last 15 years or so, I have purchased chestnut tree seedlings from a place in Ohio and two different places in PA.
To keep it simple, you can grow about 6 different kinds of seedling chestnuts in PA. However, for your first planting, I would consider starting with either Chinese Chestnut seedlings of possibly American Hybrid seedlings. If you like the look of Chinese chestnut trees, they are easy to grow, winter hardy, and start to produce boatloads of nuts for wildlife around 8 years or sometimes less.
If you don't like the look of Chinese Chestnuts, an American Hybrid may be of more interest. They are just a cross between an American and other chestnuts (usually Chinese but not always). Hybrids are also easy to grow and winter hardy. Some may or may not produce as many nuts a Chinese and some will be partially or fully susceptible to the blight. But some can look amazingly similar to true wild Americans and you can reminisce about how the PA woods used to look 100 years ago.
Dunstan is also a Hybrid. Its a Chinese, European hybrid with a small amount of American in it too. I have not had good success with Dunstans. IMO, They are not as cold hardy for PA's harsh winters. If you live at low elevations or southern PA you may have more success. They are also expensive compared to other hybrids that survive the PA cold winters much better for me.
Whatever you choose, know that they are all highly desirable winter browse when they are young. Consider tubing or caging them from the get go.
You can also start with nuts, direct seed them in the ground, PROTECT them from critters, then tube or cage as they develop just like others have pointed out. Chinese nuts are easily purchased, American hybrids nuts are a little more scare but you can find some. It is best to bury/plant and PROTECT the nuts in the autumn.
Let me know if you want some links for places to purchase seedlings.
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I think I'm going to try the tree route and just buy a few each year for the next few years. I did my first fruit tree planting this spring. Bought some bare root seedlings and some 4-5 ft trees. I lost roughly 6-7 seedlings out of the 30 thus far. Yeah, it's a lot cheaper planting seedlings, but I think I'd rather buy a few trees instead and have a better chance of survival and have something that's producing sooner. Does Wal-Mart still get the trees in the Spring?
NP - if you don't mind, I would be interested in a source for some Chinese Chestnut seedlings. We have done Chinese and Dunstans, and the Chinese are doing quite well for us, despite dangerously dry conditions in our part of Juniata County. I lost a few trees to the drought, but the CC's haven't seemed to miss a beat.
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Sending Pm, Pa-Guy
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Also bought both Dunstan and Chinese Chestnut. Not that impressed with Dunstan for our area. Chinese Chestnut have thrived and are basically a sure thing. The biggest problem I have though is bear have a tendency to tear my Chinese Chestnut up to get the nuts. They killed 2 really nice trees last year and pulled down branches from 4 others.
Bought my Chinese Chestnut from Mussers and the PGC.
Other good sources would be MDC(Missouri Dept Conservation) nursery which usually has very nice and big seedlings and Superior nursery out of Florida. I usually like to stick with northern nurseries but my Dwarf Chinkapin oak from Superior nursery have thrived while the ones I got fro the PGC are mostly runts. Could be different for Chestnut.
Bought my Chinese Chestnut from Mussers and the PGC.
Other good sources would be MDC(Missouri Dept Conservation) nursery which usually has very nice and big seedlings and Superior nursery out of Florida. I usually like to stick with northern nurseries but my Dwarf Chinkapin oak from Superior nursery have thrived while the ones I got fro the PGC are mostly runts. Could be different for Chestnut.
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