Dunstan Chestnut Trees
- Thread starter DoubleRidge
- Start date
I've edited my last post if you want to reread. Can see now with your new picture. Looks good. Like all those little feeder roots. Cover them back over with dirt. Looks real good. When did you put your seeds in stratification and when did you take them out? Good luck.
Thanks, Mcbuck58 your knowledge has been very helpful. I started stratification first week of November.
And just pulled them out now?
No, on Dec 17th. I had about 10 I couldn't fit into my containers and just wrapped them with a damp paper towel. They started to get mildew, so I pulled them to wash off and noticed they started sprouting. This is when I put them in 12-inch pots. So, they have been in these pots since Dec 17th under a grow light turned on about 4 hours a day.
Starting Chestnut trees indoors or in a greenhouse with warm conditions under a grow light is very good.... here are a few pics from my 2013 project. These were taken at planting, two months, four months, & seven months old.
Very nice. They look really good
Looks good. I would make that two trunk tree into a one trunk tree. Let it put all the growth into one tree.
What's the best way to do that? Just cut it at the base?
Yes sir a nice clean cut perpendicular to the stem as low as possible. Might see it sprout from there again just keep cutting it.
One more month I'll be getting my seeds out of the fridge. I have the same thing sometimes, tries to grow two trees.
gladesman60
Well-Known Member
fairly common for me as well. I left a couple to grow that are like that just to compare to single trunks planted at the same time. no difference so far
It will grow just fine. Do notice one side is stronger than other. Why not let the tree put all its energy into growing one central leader. Chestnuts are supposed to be central leader trees. They will have the best nut production that way. I mean just look at nursery stock very few trees species have multiple trunks. Cut extra trunks or branches when young meaning small. Small cuts or wounds heal faster than large ones. Out in my oak forest when I see a two trunk tree, I usually cut one side down. That's the same as thinning the trees around certain trees to help them with growth and production. I do have some big two trunk oaks that work great for a ladder stand.
gladesman60
Well-Known Member
All that is true. I just wanted to see how they grew versus the trees with one central leader. So far it's a tie but they aren't producing yet so time will tell. I have had to clip 2nds off many of my seedlings. Just left the 2.It will grow just fine. Do notice one side is stronger than other. Why not let the tree put all its energy into growing one central leader. Chestnuts are supposed to be central leader trees. They will have the best nut production that way. I mean just look at nursery stock very few trees species have multiple trunks. Cut extra trunks or branches when young meaning small. Small cuts or wounds heal faster than large ones. Out in my oak forest when I see a two trunk tree, I usually cut one side down. That's the same as thinning the trees around certain trees to help them with growth and production. I do have some big two trunk oaks that work great for a ladder stand.
Lots of rain today so I decided to pull my Dunstan Chestnuts out of cold stratification today. Refrigerator was full and it took me most of the day. Had to move a couch, coffee table and two end tables into other rooms so I'd have the space. I said this last year but I need a heated greenhouse.
Had 13 containers with 40 nuts in each container.
520 Dunstan chestnut nuts in cold stratification from end of October to February 15th.
471 nuts had radicals, one was 1 3/4" long.
36 nuts had no visible radical but some were starting to split open.
13 were molded, cut the worst one open and the inside was just mush.
4 molded ones actually had a radical.
519 were put into pots in front of sliding glass door.
Might have bit off a few to many. The next month and a half will be hectic watering and moving them around before they go outside.
520 Dunstan chestnut nuts in cold stratification from end of October to February 15th.
471 nuts had radicals, one was 1 3/4" long.
36 nuts had no visible radical but some were starting to split open.
13 were molded, cut the worst one open and the inside was just mush.
4 molded ones actually had a radical.
519 were put into pots in front of sliding glass door.
Might have bit off a few to many. The next month and a half will be hectic watering and moving them around before they go outside.
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
You are the man! I haven't pulled mine out yet, but plan to do that this week. I'll follow up when I do. When you pot them, how often do you water them? And I assume that's just with a spray bottle? (I'm sure it's somewhere in this thread)
I need to pull the rest of mine out of the fridge.
I have about 1/2 of the seeds i got are between 3" and 12" already, only about 24 of them and that's a lot to move around. I'm about to double that and make the wife mad that I'm taking up more room. Between the chestnut trees and garden plants I'm running out of windows to put stuff in LOL
I have about 1/2 of the seeds i got are between 3" and 12" already, only about 24 of them and that's a lot to move around. I'm about to double that and make the wife mad that I'm taking up more room. Between the chestnut trees and garden plants I'm running out of windows to put stuff in LOL
