Growing Chestnuts for Wildlife

Matt how do know they iron deficient? First year growing so have been trying to learns. And I've made plenty of mistakes so far an don't want to lose anymore trees.


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ncstewart,

look at the photo and see the leaf that is yellow and it shows the skelton of the leaf - like it shows it bones. That is how they look when they get iron deficient. I don't have well water and I am not collecting rainwater yet - I use city water.
To compensate I put city water in 3 or 4 five gallon buckets on Monday. I also add acid from a bottle with a medicine dropper - got these items at a grow store. I cover the lids of those five gallon buckets after the acid is added.
On Tuesday - the next day - I will use that treated water to water my seedlings that like acidic soil. Pine needles are something that will increase the acid level of soil.
You know they are iron deficient when they look bear bones, yellow and have the skeleton look.

I hope my reply helps. I think MattPatt will agree but he is an engineer and outstanding seedling grower - so he may add to this answer.
 
Jason,

I don't have an answer or reason for the white dust like appearance of the leaves. I have that on some of my chestnuts too

It has not cost me any seedlings yet or sent them in the wrong direction. I will take one of mine to the Garden Center friend I have and get his opinion. To me it appears like white talcum powder from a distance but it part of the leaf. Matt thought it was fungal.

So give me a few days and I will 1) see if I can get it ID and 2) get the remedy for it.

I don't have all of the answers but I do know how to track some of them down.

Thanks
 
Jason,

I don't have an answer or reason for the white dust like appearance of the leaves. I have that on some of my chestnuts too

It has not cost me any seedlings yet or sent them in the wrong direction. I will take one of mine to the Garden Center friend I have and get his opinion. To me it appears like white talcum powder from a distance but it part of the leaf. Matt thought it was fungal.

So give me a few days and I will 1) see if I can get it ID and 2) get the remedy for it.

I don't have all of the answers but I do know how to track some of them down.

Thanks

Wayne,

If it's white power like that's called powdery mildew. I use a fungicide made by Daconil that you can find at any home and garden center.

Matt
 
Matt how do know they iron deficient? First year growing so have been trying to learns. And I've made plenty of mistakes so far an don't want to lose anymore trees.


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I can tell by looking at the leaves. The light green leaf with the dark ribs is a sign they are iron deficient. Again I use a product by by miracle grow designed for acid loving plants.


Matt
 
Wayne,

If it's white power like that's called powdery mildew. I use a fungicide made by Daconil that you can find at any home and garden center.

Matt
Hey Thanks Matt. That gives me a good discussion point with my Garden Center Friend. He is a college grad in Horticulture. I will ask about Daconil tomorrow.
 
ncstewart,

look at the photo and see the leaf that is yellow and it shows the skelton of the leaf - like it shows it bones. That is how they look when they get iron deficient. I don't have well water and I am not collecting rainwater yet - I use city water.
To compensate I put city water in 3 or 4 five gallon buckets on Monday. I also add acid from a bottle with a medicine dropper - got these items at a grow store. I cover the lids of those five gallon buckets after the acid is added.
On Tuesday - the next day - I will use that treated water to water my seedlings that like acidic soil. Pine needles are something that will increase the acid level of soil.
You know they are iron deficient when they look bear bones, yellow and have the skeleton look.

I hope my reply helps. I think MattPatt will agree but he is an engineer and outstanding seedling grower - so he may add to this answer.

I'm am using city water as well but I have a well on my property that I could haul water from if that would be better? I don't have a rain collection system yet cause I'm really new at this but if y'all think well water is better then I can haul that. I will also check into orchid and thanks for the help guys!


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I'm using tap water with no other treatment aside from running it through a $15 RV water filter. Been doing it for two years with no ill effects. You can use well water if you want or treat your tap water with acid and leave it out in the sun for a few days to remove most of the chlorine but I'm just saying I've never seen any evidence to prove to me that untreated tap water shouldn't be used.

Matt
 
Obviously I dont add water when we get a good rain but like Matt patt I use untreated tap water. I will use miracle grow for acid loving plants on occasion as well as mixing osmocote in with my potting mix and my trees do well.
 
This is my last pic of the smaller trees I have left at home about 3 weeks ago before I repotted all the ones in white pots to larger 3 gallon. I have one planted at my land from this year just over 4ft and most about the size of largest one in pic or just a tad bigger. Any tips? All were started in rm18s and I have another batch of 8 that recently sprouted not pictured in one yet. Anybody else have any sprout this late in the year? I'll definitely be over wintering those.2016-07-27 19.49.47.jpg

2016-07-27 19.52.32.jpg

2016-07-27 19.53.19.jpg
 
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Sparkynutz,

You and I have had many conversations and discussions about growing in containers. I have shared items with you because you are young and working hard with resources you have. I have some advice - get a solid well-thought out process and stick to it. Don't tinker or fall prey to wonder if this works. My 2 cents ...

Now what I see I the photo above looks good to me. I don't know when they were started - various times no doubt. Those in the white containers look fine - they like have not had as much time in growing media as others in the photo.

What do I see: 1) large leaves, 2) pine bark, 3) white perlite, 4) various sized containers, 5) no brown leaves, & 6) success. :)

Any Benton Harbors in that photo - be nice to see a photo of some of yours.

Comments: I am encouraged by the younger tree growers I have meet - MattPatt, CAS_HNTR, Sparkynutz, Jaximus, BigEight, Tyler Deaton and others. I am 63 and want to see those in their 30s and 40s carry the torch when people born in my decade don't walk this path. I will edit this post when I think of others in this age group.
 
Yes, the back four pots on right side are Benton harbor. The initial batch of trees started in rm18s got pretty root bound and planted or repotted later than they should have. I have since been keeping a better eye on them and up sizing to various pots I had according to size. The ones in white pots were only in them 2 weeks while I waited for larger pots I ordered to arrive. I really enjoy growing and caring for these trees. I'm sure next year will be even better with what I've learned along the way and thank you all for the great threadstate pics and input!
 
Wayne, neahawg is 30 and I'm uhh, well..............nuts.
I think I saw a photo last year of Neahawg with a home grown seedlings that was taller than him. It was on the old forum - I can't hardly type those four letters. I was impressed by that photo. Ask him to post it on my thread or here. MattPatt likes trees - blame it on me. :eek:
 
Sparkynutz

I am sorry - I posted rather fast and then you edited your post and added photos to it. When a person reads it now - they think I was in the wine cabinet. Your seedlings in the extra photos look great.
 
Here it is wbp it ended up 6ft plus before we planted it.


And here it is this year in may I believe, year two.
 
Yes sir - that is the impressive driveway seedling I remember. I just knew my seedlings were not going to be in a photo with that giant. :eek:

Good one and thanks for posting it. Neahawg - is that container grown by you?

Thanks for sharing this here.
 
And with good comes the bad, in the 3 weeks I wasn't able to make it up there either Japanese Beatles or something ate nearly every leaf it had, not sure if it will pull through or not.

 
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