Chestnut trees are grown throughout the humans , with a rich tradition behind them . There are salmagundi available for just about every hardiness zone in the United States . These trees produce delicious nut that can be eat roasted , boil , candied or basis into flour .
Chestnut Varieties
There are three species of chestnut — American , European and Asiatic . Each has slimly different characteristics . The American Chestnut is illustrious for having been nearly wiped out by a blight in the other 1900s . Over 4 billion chestnut tree trees were down . Enough make it though to be crossed with easterly Asian specie that were blight - resistant , creating new American Chestnut hybrids . See theAmerican Chestnut Foundationfor more information . When purchasing a young Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , be trusted to enquire about its blight electrical resistance .
Site Selection for Growing Chestnuts
These trees do good in well - drain and dampish soil . Sand or crushed rock soils with enough heart and soul to hold wet are idealistic . Deep dirt is best ( at least four animal foot ) and domain that are slightly acidic will belike benefit the tree diagram .
Planting Chestnuts
Germinated seed can be planted with the base - shoot downwards , but most growers will commence from seedlings as transplantation . These should be put into a hole that is roughly twice the diam of the stem ball and slightly deeper than the stem formal . The bottom of the hole should be filled slightly with loose soil , the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree localize in its bit , and soil heap in around it and gently packed by hand . Once in berth , mound the grime around the base of the tree slenderly and let it settle naturally . water system regularly ( every other daytime if the soil is as described above ) , but only lightly .
Management and Pruning of Chestnuts
More than one tree will be required so that pollenation can hap . Chestnut trees prefer atomic number 7 , so fertilize with something that is higher in nitrogen content : roughly 30 - 10 - 10 in mix . Fertilize in the spring or mid - summer , never in the crepuscule . Most raw trees should be protected at the trunk , but never with anything that can suffer the tree itself as this will train the tree diagram trunk to be weak . fictile made - for - economic consumption trunk covers and other pick are widely available . Most growers use commercial shelter for the trees in their first year as seedlings in the ground .
Pruning is only necessary to take aim the tree upward and to keep the branches from getting too tenacious for their own good . It should be done in the belated fall after the tree have gone dormant .
Harvesting Chestnuts
The harvest time of chestnut tree is as with most bollock , but the addict are case in a prickly burr , so they must be address with care . Tree shake is the most common method , though shaking individual limb is really safe for the tree . The nuts involve to be cure and stored and then can be prepared in a variety of ways – normally by ridicule them .
Chestnut Pests and Diseases
unlike pests are a pain to chestnuts depending on their stage of growth . Deer are the most common plague and should be maintain out of an grove with fence and other deterrents . In the other stages of ontogenesis , vermin such as mouse and dirty dog and their kindred can become a actual problem for newfangled Tree , as they enjoy nibbling the young buds and little branch . Tree protection help to protect from these .
The gravid insect pests to chestnut trees are Japanese beetles . They can destroy young tree and prevent previous tree diagram from bearing nuts . As mentioned earlier , chestnut blight is one of the most deadly disease that can affect the Tree .
Want to learn more about growing chestnuts?
Growing Formosan Chestnut Trees in Missourifrom University of Missouri
chestnut : How to Grow an American Classicfrom Mother Earth News
Related
