Chestnut Production?

[KSQ2]

We grew these trees from seed and I put the one year old whips in the ground the spring of 2016. This is the third year this one has put on burrs, but no nuts. Is that normal?
Here’s a pic, for reference, the cage is 4’.

A look at some of the burrs.
Also Matt, if you read this, two of the chestnuts you sent finally took off. They’re growing well now.

 

[RGrizzzz]

Those are male flowers aka catkins. Chestnuts usually develop male flowers before they'll develop female flowers. Female flowers are at the base of the catkins or near by, and look like spiky balls.

 

[Native Hunter]

^^^ This, and once you do start getting burs, it’s not uncommon for it to take a couple of years for the nuts to look good. I’ve seen trees as big as yours in the pic have small crops, but not all will. It may take a little longer.

 

[lakngolf]

I have some about same size, grown from seed, planted about same time. With exact same results.
I have four trees three years older that are loaded for their second year.
We have hope!

 

[KSQ2]

Thanks everybody!

 

[wbpdeer]

Thanks everybody!

I expect you will see them make a big improvement in production. Eliminate all of the ground competition around the tree you can. I started using a two prone aerator around my trees to increase water retention and improve oxygen levels around the roots. I am adding compost to those areas where I pulled the plugs out of ground with the aerator in a couple of months.

A note of advice: I use the aerator after a rain has made the soil softer and it easier to get around each tree.

 

[TreeDaddy]

I expect you will see them make a big improvement in production. Eliminate all of the ground competition around the tree you can. I started using a two prone aerator around my trees to increase water retention and improve oxygen levels around the roots. I am adding compost to those areas where I pulled the plugs out of ground with the aerator in a couple of months.

A note of advice: I use the aerator after a rain has made the soil softer and it easier to get around each tree.

Everything I know about chestnuts, I learned from Wayne,jack, and Matt in 2016

starting year 8 in containers with rootmaker method

progeny from year I ( seeds from Wayne) are prolific producers now

I realize there are other methods, ways but I get a kick out of a backyard of baby trees every year

bill

 

[yoderjac]

Everything I know about chestnuts, I learned from Wayne,jack, and Matt in 2016

starting year 8 in containers with rootmaker method

progeny from year I ( seeds from Wayne) are prolific producers now

I realize there are other methods, ways but I get a kick out of a backyard of baby trees every year

bill

I realize they are not a fit for every place, but those rootmaker grown trees were the perfect fit for my situation!

 

[TreeFan]

Dunstans in my backyard in rootmakers for 5 years are 7 to 8 feet tall and bearing chestnuts. Meanwhile dunstans the same age out in the field are 3 feet tall and spindly.. They seem to have some die off every year.. I am going to have to clear the grass away and see what happens... location - Michigan.. The rootmakers in the backyard get the special treatment while the field grown are left to themselves 200 miles away subject to the rigors of field life.. drought.. tent worms.. colder temps and such.. 3 years ago, I did a timber stand improvement and decided to try growing out in the field on a south facing ridge in higher country and some of those are doing surprisingly well.. location.. location.. location.. I have more trees in my backyard than I can plant out and I may have to break out the chainsaw soon.. hehehe

 

[yoderjac]

Dunstans in my backyard in rootmakers for 5 years are 7 to 8 feet tall and bearing chestnuts. Meanwhile dunstans the same age out in the field are 3 feet tall and spindly.. They seem to have some die off every year.. I am going to have to clear the grass away and see what happens... location - Michigan.. The rootmakers in the backyard get the special treatment while the field grown are left to themselves 200 miles away subject to the rigors of field life.. drought.. tent worms.. colder temps and such.. 3 years ago, I did a timber stand improvement and decided to try growing out in the field on a south facing ridge in higher country and some of those are doing surprisingly well.. location.. location.. location.. I have more trees in my backyard than I can plant out and I may have to break out the chainsaw soon.. hehehe

I always started mine indoors in the winter and then did the transplants to larger containers. I kept mine on the deck for 1 or 2 growing seasons in RB2 containers before planting them in the field. Without the special care and continued root pruning, things did slow down when I planted them in the field. My heavy clay is not ideal for chestnuts, but they have been doing well.

I sold all my rootmakers and tree growing stuff a couple years ago. I'm now old enough that I probably won't see benefit from trees planted going forward, but the real reason I quit is that we are done with that phase of our habitat improvement and are moving on to others.

 

[wbpdeer]

Hello yoderjac,

I am still using my rootmaker 18s. i have 11 trays out in cages right now. I will turn 70 next month and hope to keep getting seedlings grown and gift to deer hunters in this area before I pass this life. I have chestnuts, sawtooth, shumard and bur this go round. Mostly chinese chestnut and sawtooth oak.

My dustans grown like my chinese chestnut and planted like them are not near as productive. The death rate in the field is 2 to 3 times the chinese chestnut. I wanted the diversity.

wbpdeer

 

[yoderjac]

Hello yoderjac,

I am still using my rootmaker 18s. i have 11 trays out in cages right now. I will turn 70 next month and hope to keep getting seedlings grown and gift to deer hunters in this area before I pass this life. I have chestnuts, sawtooth, shumard and bur this go round. Mostly chinese chestnut and sawtooth oak.

My dustans grown like my chinese chestnut and planted like them are not near as productive. The death rate in the field is 2 to 3 times the chinese chestnut. I wanted the diversity.

wbpdeer

Good to hear from you Wayne. Your commitment to chestnuts is laudable! I'm still doing habitat work, but not chestnuts. I think your observations of Dunstans are spot on. I wouldn't say my dunstans are particularly productive. At lest not yet.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Hello yoderjac,

I am still using my rootmaker 18s. i have 11 trays out in cages right now. I will turn 70 next month and hope to keep getting seedlings grown and gift to deer hunters in this area before I pass this life. I have chestnuts, sawtooth, shumard and bur this go round. Mostly chinese chestnut and sawtooth oak.

My dustans grown like my chinese chestnut and planted like them are not near as productive. The death rate in the field is 2 to 3 times the chinese chestnut. I wanted the diversity.

wbpdeer

Attaboy, wayne

My shumards explode with radicles and topgrowth after stratification

All my seedlings do much better when deferring transplant to field until they reach 3 gal container size

bill