AU Buck Chestnuts

[cutman]

I planted a variety of AU Buck Chestnuts last year on two properties in SC. I planted AU Gobbler, Buck III, and Buck IV. They were planted with care, tubed, and have 6'x6' of lumite around them. They are watered weekly during times of lack of rainfall.

At this point, I'm disappointed. Allen at the Wildlife Group is great to deal with, but multiple trees arrived broken at the graft. Allen replaced them, but some of the replacements arrived damaged as well. I didn't bother asking for more replacements.

Here we are in late July and the seedlings are struggling. Another one died at the graft this week. The top died and the tree is resprouting from the trunk. This one was a Buck III.

For future reference, I recommend anyone who buys these trees re-pot them in 3 gallon rootmakers for a season when they arrive. This will allow you to baby them while the graft fully heals. I also feel like the trees would have done better with fences rather than tubes.

The pears I got from Wildlife Group are doing awesome, on the other hand. I will definitely buy from them again.

 

[Native Hunter]

Good information. I have had excellent results with the pears as well.

I've never been able to get any of the AU IV chestnuts. I'm supposed to be on the list.

 

[Neahawg]

I got a au buck 3 and 4 and my only disappointment was there size they are tiny. However so far the grafts are living just wish they would grow.

 

[Brushpile]

Is the tube breaking the scion at the graft? Ordinarily, I both tube and cage chestnuts.

 

[cutman]

Is the tube breaking the scion at the graft? Ordinarily, I both tube and cage chestnuts.

I don't think so - especially with the one that died yesterday. There was no pressure on the graft whatsoever.

The majority of the seedlings are alive, but they are constantly trying to put up new growth from below the graft. We are also in the hottest/driest stretch of the year and they are clearly feeling it.

 

[Brushpile]

Since you used Lumite weed mats, one watering will last about two weeks. If you poke holes in a container full of water and let it soak through the Lumite, the Lumite will retain the moisture.