Dunstan Chestnut Trees

[mcbuck58]

I'll post pics tomorrow, but I looked today and there is NO moisture on the side walls or the lid. Also looked like the was a slight white film on top of the soil. That doesn't appear good to me. I'd like your recommendation after I post pics on what to do. Thanks again!

I've never seen a white film on top of the soil. When I did find mold you couldn't see it on top of the dirt. It was around the nut in a cluster of dirt and mold. I just went out in the garage and pulled a tray and took two pictures.

You can see condensation on the inside of the lid. The soil is moist to the touch but not wet. Here are two pictures from last February when I pulled them out. That soil was moist to the touch but not wet.

Lets see those pictures when you get a chance.

 

[readonly]

You know what. I liked this post back in November. Just reread since I replyed to Popcorn. If you have empty husk (you called them shells) that means the tree got pollinated. The burs (female flower) had to be pollinated from the floret bundles on the catkins (male flowers) from another tree to start growing into a husk. A chestnut tree does not grow husk without being pollinated.

The forester that pointed it out to be indicated that was what happens when the tree pollinates itself, it doesn't work well. That's why there were no other chinese chestnut offspring trees in the area despite this tree being huge and about 100 years old. I have not investigated to see what the nuts look like since then. I did also plant several chinese chesnut seedlings about 10 years ago. I have seen a few nuts on them and they are starting to come along, maybe 10' or so. Hopefully I will have enough viable trees to have good nut production in the future.

 

[mcbuck58]

The forester that pointed it out to be indicated that was what happens when the tree pollinates itself, it doesn't work well. That's why there were no other chinese chestnut offspring trees in the area despite this tree being huge and about 100 years old. I have not investigated to see what the nuts look like since then. I did also plant several chinese chesnut seedlings about 10 years ago. I have seen a few nuts on them and they are starting to come along, maybe 10' or so. Hopefully I will have enough viable trees to have good nut production in the future.

Never heard or read that before about tree pollinating itself developing empty husk. A 100 year old Chinese chestnut is believable but original Asian trees are more bush like. Blight introduced early 1900. Trees dying quickly so they get trees from Asia and Europe. Bring more blight into the country. If you want to get a second opinion on that tree you can contact the American Chestnut Foundation. You can send samples to them and they will tell you what kind of chestnut that is. Good luck with your trees.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I've never seen a white film on top of the soil. When I did find mold you couldn't see it on top of the dirt. It was around the nut in a cluster of dirt and mold. I just went out in the garage and pulled a tray and took two pictures. View attachment 256930View attachment 256931You can see condensation on the inside of the lid. The soil is moist to the touch but not wet. Here are two pictures from last February when I pulled them out. That soil was moist to the touch but not wet.View attachment 256932View attachment 256933Lets see those pictures when you get a chance.

@mcbuck58 - here are the pics. What would you do? Should I dig a few up to see how they are? If good and just the mold on top of the soil, should I remove all of them and put in better soil?

 

[mcbuck58]

@mcbuck58 - here are the pics. What would you do? Should I dig a few up to see how they are? If good and just the mold on top of the soil, should I remove all of them and put in better soil?

That does look like mold to me. Never seen it like that before. Just seen where it is clustered around the individual nut. Move dirt away from a couple nuts and see what you got. It is just going to get worse. I would get one of those baccto soils that I posted pics of and redo. If you find any nuts with dirt and mold clustered around it I would discard those so it doesn't spread.

 

[readonly]

Here is a pic of the tree taken right after it was found, about 11 years ago. A little over nine years ago, about half of it came down in a storm. The remainder is still there but I have not been up close to it since.

 

[mcbuck58]

Here is a pic of the tree taken right after it was found, about 11 years ago. A little over nine years ago, about half of it came down in a storm. The remainder is still there but I have not been up close to it since.

That's cool

 

[JCDEERMAN]

That does look like mold to me. Never seen it like that before. Just seen where it is clustered around the individual nut. Move dirt away from a couple nuts and see what you got. It is just going to get worse. I would get one of those baccto soils that I posted pics of and redo. If you find any nuts with dirt and mold clustered around it I would discard those so it doesn't spread.

After talking with @mcbuck58 on the phone and sending him more pics, decided to pull all the chestnuts out of the soil to check them for mold. Glad I did. 2 of them were obviously bad and got thrown out in the yard. The others appeared to be fine. Washed them off under the faucet and stuck this tray back into the fridge. Will be cleaning my container tomorrow and getting the Baccto soil if I can find it. Co-op says they carry it - will call in the morning.

He and I agreed this was very informational stuff for others to see and to check their own if they are growing them. This shows what to look for. Hope it helps someone in my situation. I got lucky

 

[mcbuck58]

After talking with @mcbuck58 on the phone and sending him more pics, decided to pull all the chestnuts out of the soil to check them for mold. Glad I did. 2 of them were obviously bad and got thrown out in the yard. The others appeared to be fine. Washed them off under the faucet and stuck this tray back into the fridge. Will be cleaning my container tomorrow and getting the Baccto soil if I can find it. Co-op says they carry it - will call in the morning.

He and I agreed this was very informational stuff for others to see and to check their own if they are growing them. This shows what to look for. Hope it helps someone in my situation. I got lucky

Good deal and good luck. Keep us posted

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Good deal and good luck. Keep us posted

Will do. I redid this morning. I called atleast 10 places for the Baccto with no luck. I just got regular miracle grow potting mix.

 

[mcbuck58]

Will do. I redid this morning. I called atleast 10 places for the Baccto with no luck. I just got regular miracle grow potting mix.

Looks good. Good luck

 

[G@TOR]

After talking with @mcbuck58 on the phone and sending him more pics, decided to pull all the chestnuts out of the soil to check them for mold. Glad I did. 2 of them were obviously bad and got thrown out in the yard. The others appeared to be fine. Washed them off under the faucet and stuck this tray back into the fridge. Will be cleaning my container tomorrow and getting the Baccto soil if I can find it. Co-op says they carry it - will call in the morning.

He and I agreed this was very informational stuff for others to see and to check their own if they are growing them. This shows what to look for. Hope it helps someone in my situation. I got lucky

Thanks for making me go look at mine. Had about 10 I couldn't fit in my containers and wrapped in a damp paper towel. They had a little mold, so I pulled them to clean. Ended up just installing them in a potting container and leaving them outside. BTW most had already started sprouting.

 

[G@TOR]

 

[mcbuck58]

Thanks for making me go look at mine. Had about 10 I couldn't fit in my containers and wrapped in a damp paper towel. They had a little mold, so I pulled them to clean. Ended up just installing them in a potting container and leaving them outside. BTW most had already started sprouting.

Curious when you started them in cold stratification. The picture of the one in the pot. I see the radical is pointing up. Was that just for picture? The radical grows down and makes a root before it branches off to start the tree. If I had a radical I would put that in a pot with dirt and grow it in the house by a window for sun. If you leave it outside try to put it somewhere so it doesn't freeze solid and critters won't find it. If you get a prolonged freeze when it's outside it might kill that radical. See your far southern TN you might be okay.

 

[G@TOR]

Curious when you started them in cold stratification. The picture of the one in the pot. I see the radical is pointing up. Was that just for picture? The radical grows down and makes a root before it branches off to start the tree. If I had a radical I would put that in a pot with dirt and grow it in the house by a window for sun. If you leave it outside try to put it somewhere so it doesn't freeze solid and critters won't find it. If you get a prolonged freeze when it's outside it might kill that radical. See your far southern TN you might be okay.

I started them the week that chestnut hills sent them to me. That's good information to know. I'll stick that one in the house and see if it grows.

 

[mcbuck58]

I started them the week that chestnut hills sent them to me. That's good information to know. I'll stick that one in the house and see if it grows.

Chestnut Hill nursery is in Florida. Don't think they sell seeds. You mean Chestnut Ridge of Pike County in Illinois? Think CRofPC was running behind this year so probably beginning of November. Carefully push the radical down into the soil with the nut just in the soil about 1/4". Keep it well watered until a tree starts growing up. When I pot my seeds with radical they spend a week sending a root to the bottom of an eight inch pot then start growing a tree. Let us know if it works. I usually start stratification end of October and don't have any radicals until the beginning of February. Always pull them out of stratification end of February and pot. They grow in my house for month of March. Good luck

 

[mcbuck58]

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Thanks for making me go look at mine. Had about 10 I couldn't fit in my containers and wrapped in a damp paper towel. They had a little mold, so I pulled them to clean. Ended up just installing them in a potting container and leaving them outside. BTW most had already started sprouting.

Good deal! Was hoping to help atleast one person, the more the better.