2016 ACCF American Chestnut

[shedder]

I direct seeded 15 American Chestnut from the American Chestnut Cooperators' Foundation, last fall. I planted them last fall in a new clearcut. I didn't expect much since some 100 white, bur, shumard , chinkapin, red, black, swamp white oaks I planted are being hammered by voles. I started looking at the ACCF sites and was astonished that 90% were likely up. Why they are doing so well vs the oaks is opposite to what I expected. I don't expect it to last though. Voles and winter will likely get them yet.

https://goo.gl/photos/Zb3ZTDNKqaeG619A6

Pix of them. Some are small some are big.

 

[letemgrow]

When was this seeded ie how old is it?

Around 2008 I think. It sat around for a couple monsoon years and did not grow much. 2010 on is when it started jumping big time. It's on a NE slope, morning sun only and gets drainage.

 

[letemgrow]

I direct seeded 150 American Chestnut from the American Chestnut Cooperators' Foundation, last fall. I planted them last fall in a new clearcut. I didn't expect much since some 100 white, bur, shumard , chinkapin, red, black, swamp white oaks I planted are being hammered by voles. I started looking at the ACCF sites and was astonished that 90% were likely up. Why they are doing so well vs the oaks is opposite to what I expected. I don't expect it to last though. Voles and winter will likely get them yet.

https://goo.gl/photos/Zb3ZTDNKqaeG619A6

Pix of them. Some are small some are big.

Looks great!!! I can never get anything to grow from seed without dropping them in a tube that's 1-2" in the soil. I've had them exit a 5' tube in one growing season from seed which is hard to believe. To me, they grow fast as an apple and deer pound them extremely hard. Winter time means all kinds of varmints girdling those not in tubes for me also.

100% pure American Chesntuts r a labor of love like Apples, but definitely worth the hassle!!!

 

[shedder]

Looks great!!! I can never get anything to grow from seed without dropping them in a tube that's 1-2" in the soil. I've had them exit a 5' tube in one growing season from seed which is hard to believe. To me, they grow fast as an apple and deer pound them extremely hard. Winter time means all kinds of varmints girdling those not in tubes for me also.

100% pure American Chesntuts r a labor of love like Apples, but definitely worth the hassle!!!

I am in a blight free region for now so I have my fingers crossed. Some of my ACCF trees are now 1-1.5 feet since June. Winter will be the test here at 45N vs VA.

 

[Merle Hawggard]

Here is my largest tree as of 2day. I couldn't get it all in the screen, but it's a little over 20ft with a 4 inch diameter at breast height. Planted from 09 nuts.

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[Merle Hawggard]

This one is from 2013 nuts, but it was in a grass fire that winter and came up the next year with multiple stems.

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[letemgrow]

Healthy looking trees Merle!!

 

[letemgrow]

When was this seeded ie how old is it?

I want to say it was seeded in 2008 or 2009 from seed.

 

[shedder]

8-9-2016
seeded 2015
Doing well.

 

[Merle Hawggard]

This is my best accf tree from this year. It's right at 4 ft tall. I started this in a 3 gallon pot then moved it to its permanent location after it was big enough I felt most things would leave it alone.

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[letemgrow]

This is my best accf tree from this year. It's right at 4 ft tall. I started this in a 3 gallon pot then moved it to its permanent location after it was big enough I felt most things would leave it alone.View attachment 2684

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Its amazing how quickly American Chestnuts grow, basically like an apple tree with the hard mast benefits of an oak. Your 1 one year old trees look great!!!

 

[shedder]

Any tips on protecting against winter dieback for ACCF trees?

Do tree tubes help?

 

[letemgrow]

Any tips on protecting against winter dieback for ACCF trees?

Do tree tubes help?

They may help once tree is dormant, but I'd leave them off till then. Seedlings can have a hard time hardening off before winter if tubes that r not vented well r installed.


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[letemgrow]

Had to go back and look over the bur closer....kind of like keeping the first dollar a business makes....clipped it off for a keepsake.

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[shedder]

"This CCC director is standing beside an American Chestnut tree that was planted as a seedling in 1999. This forest is a Pine plantation near Woodstock Ontario. When the plantation was thinned in the late 90s, many Chestnut seedlings were planted between Pine rows."

Wow, AC is the bang for the buck in wildlife trees if the disease can be overcome.

At that growth rate, I may live to see some if they grow.

 

[letemgrow]

I could see bears being a problem once those trees start producing Shedder. Where did those trees originally come from? They are more northern sourced chestnut?

 

[shedder]

I could see bears being a problem once those trees start producing Shedder. Where did those trees originally come from? They are more northern sourced chestnut?

https://www.facebook.com/search/279156798779681/local_search?surface=tyah

The Canadian Chestnut Council FB page

I assume sourced from local trees.

Bears are trashing a tasty early apple on my land so chestnuts will be hit when they come on line.

 

[Mitch]

How old were your chestnut trees when you put them in the ground? I have 5 dunstan chestnut trees that are about the same height maybe a little shorter than that pic you have when you're tree is at it's youngest in the picture. Congratulations btw! I know i'd be super excited to get a bur!

 

[DLH]

Will the ACCF let you collect scions or is that restricted?

 

[Oakseeds]

100% American Chestnuts only on my place.

Planted others elsewhere, but I feel it's not that hard to get nuts on straight American stock when treating them like apples trees, just takes a little work and when they blight, they resprout and start again so they r never a lost cause.
These r American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation seeds and all I'm allowed to plant per their guidelines.

One note of caution ... the chestnut blight can be transferred to oak trees (they are susceptible); consequently, if one has a lot of oak trees on his/her property you might want to plant Chinese chestnuts or the very popular Dunstan variety in order to ensure you don't put your oaks at risk. I admire those of you who are helping to attempt to create a blight-resistant American chestnut; however; I have too many oak trees to plant American chestnuts at this time. If your property has no oaks - and you don't expect to plant any in the future - then by all means plant American chestnuts and enjoy your efforts. Good luck!