Got My Box of Chinese Chestnuts - Now What??

[wbpdeer]

What is a Radicle?

What does a radicle look like?

A radicle is the visual proof that this chestnut wants to become a tree. It is the product of the germination process. It is white and comes from the pointed end of the chestnut. I am going to show a photo with many on a green tray with the remains of long fibered Sphagnum Moss show.

These were taken from the fridge in Jan. of 2016 and within hours placed in rootmaker 18s with Pro-Mix as the growing media.

Pictures tell a great story. Words only add to it slightly - words are a poor replacement for a good photo. Questions are what eliminates confusion and organizes knowledge for the learner - not the presenter.

Here you go.



Most have germinated. The length and shape of the radicle will be unusual and distinct from nut to nut. Always plant with the radicle point downward in the growing media.

 

[John Barnes]

Put mine in the fridge as soon as i got them. The 90 days for stratification ends the first week of january. Some of mine will be direct seeded in the spring, but i won't be able to get them into the ground until at least march. Do i just leave them in the fridge til then or is there something else I'm supposed to do with them?

 

[wbpdeer]

John
No we leave them in the fridge until we want to direct seed.
U may have some ugly shaped radicle with cork screw features. I use some very sharp scissors and clip the radicle at a point that gives me a 90 degree angle.
As soon as cut get it in ground or growing media if I was growing in a container.
Hope this helps.
Wayne

 

[550Gator]

So my hydrated chestnuts should be placed in a ziplock bag with holes in one side. I should put some of the long leaf sphagnum peat moss in the bag to stratify, correct?

 

[wbpdeer]

So my hydrated chestnuts should be placed in a ziplock bag with holes in one side. I should put some of the long leaf sphagnum peat moss in the bag to stratify, correct?

Most people that get a box from me, split their chestnuts into 4 or 5 bags. This is insurance against mold getting control of too many chestnuts if it gets a head of steam. Yes, poke holes in the one side of the bag, this helps the chestnuts breath.

I will put the long fibered sphagnum moss in my bags in the middle of November. I like my fridge to be around 34 - 35 degrees F.

Here is a photo of what I buy.



This product is different than regular peat moss. Peat moss holds to much moisture to suit me. With peat moss I see to many chestnuts that turn soft from getting rotten.

I hope this helps and doesn't confuse.

 

[550Gator]

Most people that get a box from me, split their chestnuts into 4 or 5 bags. This is insurance against mold getting control of too many chestnuts if it gets a head of steam. Yes, poke holes in the one side of the bag, this helps the chestnuts breath.

I will put the long fibered sphagnum moss in my bags in the middle of November. I like my fridge to be around 34 - 35 degrees F.

Here is a photo of what I buy.

View attachment 4013

This product is different than regular peat moss. Peat moss holds to much moisture to suit me. With peat moss I see to many chestnuts that turn soft from getting rotten.

I hope this helps and doesn't confuse.

Thanks Wayne, that is exactly what I bought. Found it at home depot. I also bought some Osmocote Plus there. I thought I would get them on sale being toward end of season but nothing was on sale. At another local garden supplier I bought a 60 pound cube of Pro Mix Bx with micorizhea for 43 dollars. The package is a little different than the pro mix you show but I hope it will work. Is 43 dollars a fair price? She said she was giving me a "end of the season deal". Thanks again

 

[wbpdeer]

550Gator,

Yes I know 43 is a good price. I pay more where I get what I buy.

It is not an item you buy online because of the weight and shipping cost.

Sounds like you are set up well.

 

[550Gator]

It was Pro mix Bx with micorrizhea and bio fungicide. Now I need to buy some rootmaker 18s and get my indoor growing setup ready for early next year.

 

[wbpdeer]

The bio fungicide helps the roots and should help fight mold.

I like the rootmaker express 18s because you can reorganize the cells based upon the height of the seedlings. Chestnuts have a wide range of germination - some will be soon and some will be late. To me I would own any that were capable of reorganizing.

You are on your way!!!

 

[Btaylor]

Why do you wait until mid November to add peat moss?

 

[wbpdeer]

Why do you wait until mid November to add peat moss?

I don't add peat moss. It retains moisture too much to suit me. I see many chestnuts rot when I used it. What I add is Sphagnum Moss (long fibered).

I soak my chestnuts good to prevent them from drying out. Too much moisture increase mold and increase soft rotten chestnuts.

The Sphagnum Moss helps prolong germination. I live in Zone 7a and I like it when I can (if I wish to) to plant chestnut seedlings in the field when I move it out of the rootmaker 18. I like to keep the stratification period around 85 days which is a long time.

The man that sells as many "American Chestnuts" on the internet as anyone, (Indian Sam) stores his chestnuts dry in a sandwich bag.

I start out with my dry (well hydrated - but dry) and then I add the Sphagnum Moss in November. I will be looking the chestnuts over and anything soft gets tossed.

Sphagnum Moss and Peat Moss are two different products and act differently.

This approach works for me. If your approach works for you, then stick with it. I stepped away from peat moss in chestnut bags after I witnessed soft, rotten chestnuts.

 

[John Barnes]

Checked mine today, no signs of mold.

 

[wbpdeer]

John,

That is great. If it ain't raised its ugly head, you may be past that issue. I learned that peat moss holds so much moisture that I stopped using it. I now have very little mold issues and much less soft chestnuts. Over time if the chestnut is too wet it will rot.

We don't like wet - we like damp. When you inspect them - if you can reduce - not eliminate - the moisture slightly I would do that.

Glad yours are doing well.

 

[wbpdeer]

About this time is when many indoor growing stick Chinese Chestnuts and acorns in the growing media and turn on the lights.

With that in mind, I am bumping this thread to the top. Today I sent two friends to this thread to answer a question.

Wayne

 

[Sam]

i have been slacking i need to get my stuff together. thanks for the bump/reminder!

 

[catscratch]

I put about half of mine in water this morning. Will set them out to germinate soon, and then pot them Monday. Kids are studying plant response to environment and structural changes right now (with pot design to keep in mind as their homework is to have a pot ready for Monday).

 

[wbpdeer]

Let the fun begin! Hopefully, you have some naturals in this class, Catscratch. Looking forward to what they accomplish and how they go about it.

Wayne

 

[Cap'n]

Question. Just looking at acorns you sent me and I had a few that had worms and a few that are turning dark, almost black. Are they still viable or should I pitch them?

 

[wbpdeer]

Chestnuts is what you got from me. The worms are a chestnut weevil that bores a hole to get out of the nut. Some of those chestnuts with a hole in them will still germinate and make a tree.

The only color that causes me great concern is white - white means mold and most times means a loss of that chestnut.

Your chestnuts have been in the fridge. I need you to give each of them the squeeze test between your thumb and finger. Any soft and squishy are rotten - those you can toss.

Do you have any that have a radicle? We want to see white radicles that don't have cork screws shapes.

Inventory - How many good chestnuts do you believe you have?

I pitch the rotten ones and usually I pitch the moldy ones. The others I take a chance on them most times and put them in growing media.

Cap'n reply back if I failed to answer something or if I need to clear anything up.

Thanks
Wayne

 

[Cap'n]

Chestnuts is what you got from me.
Exactly.
I'm familiar with the worms, we get them in our acorns and pecans too. I've sprayed a ton of pecan trees over the years for case bearers which are similar. I have the chestnuts and various other acorns in a fridge, I take them out once a month and dry them off and get the moisture out of the bag. I have only a few that have developed a radicle.
Inventory
I have 44 that look to be in good shape, 5 with worm holes and 1 with mold which i pitched. The reason I asked about the dark ones was the one with mold on it was dark and soft, so I thought about separating the dark ones from the others.