Chestnuts, the wait is finally over

[TheOldOak]

My Dunstan's that were planted in 2013 as two year old trees finally have a few burs on them. Essentially 8 years from seed to producing seeds. Interestingly, my Chinese chestnuts also have burs. Those were planted in 2015 as one year old, 3 feet trees. Essentially 5 years from seed to seed. One of the Chinese chestnut trees has 15+ burs on it and it sits by itself with the nearest brethren 100 feet away- figure that one out!. Most only have 2-4 burs. It's a start!! Hate to say about time, but it is about time they produce! If I had to do over again, I would likely stick with the Chinese version, but I do like a little diversity in the woods.

 

[wbpdeer]

Congrats on getting your trees this far along. I personally know how it feels to see burs begin to show up. Next spring around April 10 to 15 fertilize those trees good to give them a boast for 2020. I plan on using triple 13 around mine.

I have both Chinese and Dunstans - if I was eating chestnuts myself (which I am not) I would grow Dunstans. The Chinese handle stress better in my opinion. Whitetail deer don't care as long as they get a chestnut to eat.

Congrats - your production will go up each year now that they have started - 6 to 8 years down the road they will level off.

Wayne

 

[DrDirtNap]

Congrats on getting your trees this far along. I personally know how it feels to see burs begin to show up. Next spring around April 10 to 15 fertilize those trees good to give them a boast for 2020. I plan on using triple 13 around mine.

I have both Chinese and Dunstans - if I was eating chestnuts myself (which I am not) I would grow Dunstans. The Chinese handle stress better in my opinion. Whitetail deer don't care as long as they get a chestnut to eat.

Congrats - your production will go up each year now that they have started - 6 to 8 years down the road they will level off.

Wayne

Wayne,

Here’s a picture of one of your “babies”. This is one of your chestnut seeds direct seeded the winter of 2015-2016. This tree has several burs on it this summer.

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[Sam16]

Am I correct that the Chinese Chestnuts drop way earlier than Dunstan? Yay or Nay?

Dunstans late September/early October?

 

[THE LLC]

My chinese chestnuts are in full sun and produce burrs every year. They are 12 years old. Yet the burs never fill out with nuts. May very well take a chain saw to them this winter.

 

[tlcfarms]

My Dunstan trees started producing in the 4th year. This is year 5 and I did not have the first birr. I have over 100 trees. The good part is with no birrs, you can strip a lot of the green leaves off and pile them in your food plot during archery season and the deer eat them up before any other food in the plot.

 

[THE LLC]

Never thought of that.

 

[Oakseeds]

" ……. The good part is with no birrs, you can strip a lot of the green leaves off and pile them in your food plot during archery season and the deer eat them up before any other food in the plot.

You might want to rethink that … especially with young trees sending reserves to the root zone for growth next spring.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/kids/science/why-do-leaves-change-colors/ar-AAAFHUL?ocid=spartanntp

 

[H20fwler]

Am I correct that the Chinese Chestnuts drop way earlier than Dunstan? Yay or Nay?

Dunstans late September/early October?

Mine are at same time, October.

 

[massey]

Mine drop from sept 20- 0ct 15 most years. Both dunstans and Chinese.


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[massey]

Mine drop from sept 20- 0ct 15 most years. Both dunstans and Chinese.


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

 

[weekender21]

The chestnuts in our area, which I assume are Chinese, were almost all on the ground by mid September last year.