Chestnuts

[Belo]

I know this comes up a bit here and there. My dad has found good deals on chestnuts 6 or 7 tall at walmart of all places. Has anyone seen them out yet? Is it too early? I'd like to plant 4 or 5 this year if the price is right. 

[dmandoes]

The walmart near me doesn't get them until about middle of may.

[Keith Nehrke]

We have four mature Chinese Chestnut in our backyard, and for the most part, they are done by the second week of October. They are one of the most vertical sources of mast I've ever seen. They fall all at once. Nevertheless, I grew bunches of trees from seed, planted them as two year old saplings from rooting containers at our hunting properties, and caged or tubed them for protection. The ones in tubes did not fare well, for many reasons. Cages worked out better, but not bulletproof. You've really got to protect them. And it seems that we are at the edge of their range for viability, especially for some of the commercial varieties like Dunstans, so there can be significant winter kill. There is a great thread on Chestnut at the Habitat Talk forum. FYI, I have heard some troubling concerns about late-drop grafted trees, and would think seriously before purchasing.

[Belo]

1 hour ago, Keith Nehrke said:

We have four mature Chinese Chestnut in our backyard, and for the most part, they are done by the second week of October. They are one of the most vertical sources of mast I've ever seen. They fall all at once. Nevertheless, I grew bunches of trees from seed, planted them as two year old saplings from rooting containers at our hunting properties, and caged or tubed them for protection. The ones in tubes did not fare well, for many reasons. Cages worked out better, but not bulletproof. You've really got to protect them. And it seems that we are at the edge of their range for viability, especially for some of the commercial varieties like Dunstans, so there can be significant winter kill. There is a great thread on Chestnut at the Habitat Talk forum. FYI, I have heard some troubling concerns about late-drop grafted trees, and would think seriously before purchasing.

Thanks for the insight, you answered a few of the questions I had. I guess I didn't realize they were done dropping so early. Dunstans is what I was looking at.

[Belo]

The macedon walmart which is closest to me only has 3 4 footers left. Still trying to decide if it's worth it or not... I have a pretty good spot where I had to cut most of my plums down due to black knot. Would be right at the edge of the woods and a field that opens up to the orchard. I have a very mature pear nearby as well but only the 1 so it doesn't pollinate as well. I know pears take forever but thinking about maybe another pear too.

[Belo]

These guys offer a late dropping chestnut, but looks like it's something I'd have to buy in the fall. Looks like maybe some oaks that produce in 5 to 6 years as well.

https://www.wildlifegroup.com/tree-plot-planning-planting-and-care/

 

[ZAG]

2 hours ago, Belo said:

The macedon walmart which is closest to me only has 3 4 footers left. Still trying to decide if it's worth it or not... I have a pretty good spot where I had to cut most of my plums down due to black knot. Would be right at the edge of the woods and a field that opens up to the orchard. I have a very mature pear nearby as well but only the 1 so it doesn't pollinate as well. I know pears take forever but thinking about maybe another pear too.

It’s always worth it.

[Belo]

I did enough light reading to convince me to hold off for now anyhow and do some more research. Best time to plant would be fall anyhow so there's no rush to try and plant anything right now anyhow. 

[Belo]

So I wasn't going to drive 30 minutes 1 way to Macedon, but I was out that way to lowes to pickup my new brushcutter and said why not. I picked up 2 of the 4 they had in stock at $38. I figured worse case if I can get some later dropping chestnuts or some oaks in, these will start brining them in earlier and for ~$80 it's not a huge commitment. I'm going to get them in the ground this weekend while the ground is nice and wet and soft. 

[Belo]

2 minutes ago, Rusty said:

I assume that the walnuts that Walmart has are Dunstan chestnuts?  They are a hybrid and they do very well in open sunny areas, but not so good in closed shady forests.  My students and I have planted a bunch of them in the forestry cuts that the state is doing on our local WMA to establish Young Forest Habitats.  

yeah they're dunstan and I plan to plant them where I cut down some black knot riddled plums. It's in a sunny field about 10-15' from the woodline.

[Belo]

My journey last Friday. Lots to skip over here, but I like using these videos as diary of sorts to look back on. Constructive feedback welcome

Edited October 3, 2023 by Belo

[G-man]

2 hours ago, Belo said:

My journey last Friday. Lots to skip over here, but I like using this videos as diary of sorts to look back on. Constructive feedback welcome.

 

Depending on snow depth you get you may want to got to a 5 or 6 ft fence.. deer love to browse on themafter tops are above 6 ft  i shrink my fence to a 1 ft diameter to kust protect the trunk from rubbing.  I then hit the grass/ weed at bottom to keep it bare dirt as it keeps the voles and mice away..  best of luck

[Belo]

6 minutes ago, G-man said:

Depending on snow depth you get you may want to got to a 5 or 6 ft fence.. deer love to browse on themafter tops are above 6 ft  i shrink my fence to a 1 ft diameter to kust protect the trunk from rubbing.  I then hit the grass/ weed at bottom to keep it bare dirt as it keeps the voles and mice away..  best of luck

yeah i was struggling with the fence height. The 6' fence was like $120. I know I shouldn't cheap out, but my thought process was maybe if I go wide enough that'll help? I didn't even think about the little critters. Appreciate the feedback. 

[2BuckBizCT]

Nice video. Would have preferred a chiefs bucket, but I'm sure the Bills one worked fine. What dates should I come to hunt?

[G-man]

4 hours ago, Belo said:

yeah i was struggling with the fence height. The 6' fence was like $120. I know I shouldn't cheap out, but my thought process was maybe if I go wide enough that'll help? I didn't even think about the little critters. Appreciate the feedback. 

Got 5ft at runnings  under 50$