Familytradition
Active Member
My first ever chestnut seedling is out of the gate! Thanks Wayne!
Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum
One Thousand Chestnut Trees - a Whitetail Deer Project
- Thread starter wbpdeer
- Start date
My first ever chestnut seedling is out of the gate! Thanks Wayne!
Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Sam
I see 18 bags. I am thinking these are part of what you will have in growing media. I would add that I would not want water sitting in the bottom of those plastic containers. Two choices - either drill weep holes in the bottom of the plastic or put something in the bottom to prevent the bags from sitting in water. Constant moisture (AKA - standing water) will promote root rot and cause our chestnut to go soft.
Just want you to enjoy success. From the photo you are off to a super start. Enjoy the ride.
Thanks for sharing the photo.
Wayne
I see 18 bags. I am thinking these are part of what you will have in growing media. I would add that I would not want water sitting in the bottom of those plastic containers. Two choices - either drill weep holes in the bottom of the plastic or put something in the bottom to prevent the bags from sitting in water. Constant moisture (AKA - standing water) will promote root rot and cause our chestnut to go soft.
Just want you to enjoy success. From the photo you are off to a super start. Enjoy the ride.
Thanks for sharing the photo.
Wayne
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
QUESTIONS
If anyone has a question about growing chestnuts in containers or otherwise, please ask them here. It would be my pleasure to help you get things squared away. Don't be shy. If you like you can send the question to me in a primate message.
If I have failed to answer a question, please let me know. I don't always catch them all. Just send me a reminder.
Container growing season is here. Time for my Chinese Chestnuts to start putting on top growth - at least that is what I think.
Wayne
If anyone has a question about growing chestnuts in containers or otherwise, please ask them here. It would be my pleasure to help you get things squared away. Don't be shy. If you like you can send the question to me in a primate message.
If I have failed to answer a question, please let me know. I don't always catch them all. Just send me a reminder.
Container growing season is here. Time for my Chinese Chestnuts to start putting on top growth - at least that is what I think.
Wayne
Sam
Active Member
I'm still working out the details on how to stand up the bags. I think I'm going to put them outside under a chicken wire cage to protect them. We shouldn't have any more real cold weather. So the only part i would have to worry about is too much rain in the same week and not having time for the bags to dry out. If i keep them inside i will have to figure out a water catch but that shouldn't be hard. I have thought about using a kiddo pool to hold the bags with water holes drilled in the bottom so it would hold some heat to help with drying out.
Grow bags are being filled. Should finally have the chestnuts planted this weekend. Thanks again Wayne and others for all the help!
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Chicken wire will not prevent mice from getting to your chestnuts nor will it keep a ground squirrel from them. A tree squirrel and a rabbit will likely be held at bay by the chicken wire.
1/4 inch hardware cloth will protect them. Just don't want the nose of those critters to cause you grief.
Wayne
1/4 inch hardware cloth will protect them. Just don't want the nose of those critters to cause you grief.
Wayne
John Barnes
Member
I took mine out of the fridge this morning and soaked them for 4 hours to prep for putting into containers. Fourteen of them floated. Does that mean anything at this point?
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
The ones that sank I would go ahead and stick them in the growing media. The floaters i would soak them over night and it is my belief that most of them will be sinkers in the morning. The ones that sink over night I would stick them in the growing media.
The floaters in the morning, I would inspect everyone of them to determine if they were soft. White chestnuts have mold. Most people toss them. I do but my supply of chestnuts is practically unlimited.
If the chestnuts is firm and still floating tomorrow morning, I would label that group in the containers as experimental. I would treat them just like the sinkers and put them in soil. Do I believe some of the floaters will germinate? Yes I do if you give a chance.
A fridge can dry chestnuts out. If your bags had zero condensation that is another clue they may have dried up.
Count your good ones today, Count how many sink tonight. Just track the chestnuts and you will learn from the experience.
You stand a chance to get 30 to 40 seedlings out of the group. That would be great. Get back with me if you have another question.
Hope my reply helps. It is a numbers game.
Wayne
The floaters in the morning, I would inspect everyone of them to determine if they were soft. White chestnuts have mold. Most people toss them. I do but my supply of chestnuts is practically unlimited.
If the chestnuts is firm and still floating tomorrow morning, I would label that group in the containers as experimental. I would treat them just like the sinkers and put them in soil. Do I believe some of the floaters will germinate? Yes I do if you give a chance.
A fridge can dry chestnuts out. If your bags had zero condensation that is another clue they may have dried up.
Count your good ones today, Count how many sink tonight. Just track the chestnuts and you will learn from the experience.
You stand a chance to get 30 to 40 seedlings out of the group. That would be great. Get back with me if you have another question.
Hope my reply helps. It is a numbers game.
Wayne
Last edited:
John Barnes
Member
Thanks Wayne, that's exactly what I needed to know.
catscratch
Well-Known Member
I went with some large chunks in my mix this yr. I don't think I like it, I'm getting some crazy twisted roots as they are trying to grow around the bigger pieces. Learning experience if anyone wants to take note...
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
JohnL48
Well-Known Member
Wayne,Yes because Chinese Chestnuts are slow to germinate and this process can stretch over 3 weeks. I am in the process of getting 14 trays going and 90% of what I stuck had no radicle showing at this point. With heat they will germinate. I say get them started now.
Good Luck.
Wayne
Life has me a bit behind. Just checked mine in the fridge, about 1/2 have radicals about half to an inch long. I'm a first timer so I just put these in root maker trays with potting soil now ?
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
First - the radicals are a good sign and good length.
Many of us are growing under shop lights inside. If you are doing that - get the chestnuts with radicles into growing media. I stick my just so I barely see part of the brown hull. I run lights 14 hours on and 10 hours off. The chestnuts without a radicle - those you can check them every five days for ten days and they I would stick them in the growing media if the chestnuts are not soft. A weak soft chestnut usually means it is rotten on the inside.
Now read this post and follow up if you have a question. Many different approaches to growing so I can't know exactly how you plan to proceed. Good luck.
Wayne
Many of us are growing under shop lights inside. If you are doing that - get the chestnuts with radicles into growing media. I stick my just so I barely see part of the brown hull. I run lights 14 hours on and 10 hours off. The chestnuts without a radicle - those you can check them every five days for ten days and they I would stick them in the growing media if the chestnuts are not soft. A weak soft chestnut usually means it is rotten on the inside.
Now read this post and follow up if you have a question. Many different approaches to growing so I can't know exactly how you plan to proceed. Good luck.
Wayne
JohnL48
Well-Known Member
Thanks Wayne,
What type of growing media you use to start with and what size seed trays should I start with ? Need to get them locally
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
I use rootmaker 18 express trays. They air prune the roots and this gives us a great root ball.
What ever pot it has to drain well. If it is round then have root circling which hurts the tree down the road IMO. Tall thin containers are not real bad as a chestnut puts down a good tape root. I know guys that use 1/2 gallon milk containers and they put a slit in the opposite corners and put good holes in the bottom.
Growing media has to be well drained. We want zero moisture retention in the growing media. This is because chestnuts are high in carbohydrate and will rot right fast on us. The root will rot too if our soil is water logged. Water logged soil hurts our oxygen to the roots.
You and I can't get a breath under water - same principle hurts the roots of chestnuts.
I use Promix High Porosity. It has a lot of perlite which helps the drainage and aeration.
Watering chestnuts is a feast and famine process. We water them good and then allow them to go dry. When they are dry - we then water them real good. The length of the period between watering is controlled by air temperature, wind and heat. If a person uses an oscillating fan - it can dry them faster. I have two grow boxes in my basement and one is in the high 70s and the other is in the low 80s.
I am watering about every 36 hours. How well a container drains also influences how soon the containers go dry.
Too much water / moisture kills our chestnuts!!! Avoid growing media with moisture retention.
Three Critical Decisions on Growing Chestnuts Successfully
1. Good Growing Containers
2. A Well Drained Soil that allow Aeration
3. A good approach to watering timely without over watering.
I hope this helps.
Wayne
What ever pot it has to drain well. If it is round then have root circling which hurts the tree down the road IMO. Tall thin containers are not real bad as a chestnut puts down a good tape root. I know guys that use 1/2 gallon milk containers and they put a slit in the opposite corners and put good holes in the bottom.
Growing media has to be well drained. We want zero moisture retention in the growing media. This is because chestnuts are high in carbohydrate and will rot right fast on us. The root will rot too if our soil is water logged. Water logged soil hurts our oxygen to the roots.
You and I can't get a breath under water - same principle hurts the roots of chestnuts.
I use Promix High Porosity. It has a lot of perlite which helps the drainage and aeration.
Watering chestnuts is a feast and famine process. We water them good and then allow them to go dry. When they are dry - we then water them real good. The length of the period between watering is controlled by air temperature, wind and heat. If a person uses an oscillating fan - it can dry them faster. I have two grow boxes in my basement and one is in the high 70s and the other is in the low 80s.
I am watering about every 36 hours. How well a container drains also influences how soon the containers go dry.
Too much water / moisture kills our chestnuts!!! Avoid growing media with moisture retention.
Three Critical Decisions on Growing Chestnuts Successfully
1. Good Growing Containers
2. A Well Drained Soil that allow Aeration
3. A good approach to watering timely without over watering.
I hope this helps.
Wayne
Scott44
Active Member
I received 53 chestnuts form you when I checked them a week ago 2 had mold so I just pitched them, at that time I put the 12 that had started to germinate and 6 more into a RM 18 tray and the rest back in the fridge. Today I pulled them out and I had another 20 that were starting to germinate so as of right now I have I have 38 of the 51 that have radicles. I have them all in RM 18's and I'm trying to force the other 13 that hadn't started.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
My reply would be there about. When you direct seed a chestnut I like to put it one inch deep in the soil. We have to protect it to avoid the nose of critters digging it up.
That one inch deep in the soil will protect it against some cold temps. I don't have great success with direct seed but others have better luck. My success gets better if my chestnut has a good radicle when I direct seed it.
I am not sure but you may have sandy soil. I have no experience with that. Watch the forecast and you can dial it a good date to direct seed them. I think here I can be a few days early to a week earlier than last frost because of the soil I have. I have plenty of chestnuts in still in the fridge so I will direct seed some around April 15th here.
I use hardware cloth shaped into a cylinder. I stick the one end about 2 inches into the ground. The top end of the cylinder I pull together and use three or four cable ties to hold it shut. The hardware cloth gives you a good view and allow sunlight to hit the ground. When the ground warms up in the spring those chestnuts get busy putting down the tap root.
Wayne
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Scott44,
Your percentages on radicle showing put mine to shame. This year my chestnuts have been extremely slow to put out the radicle in the fridge. It don't alarm me - it is just how things move slowly. This morning I noticed in the two grow boxes downstairs that I have a good group to germinate. Especially, the swamp white oak from CAS_Hntr. I have chestnuts from one source (Taylor Farm) that have gotten going. The chestnuts from other sources are not there yet. I expect by next Monday we will be looking good.
Each fridge operates differently and at various temps. Sounds like your fridge got them in the right zone.
Nature has taught me to be patient. It is her game - not mine.
I always enjoy your farm update - you have done a great job with the habitat management.
Wayne
Your percentages on radicle showing put mine to shame. This year my chestnuts have been extremely slow to put out the radicle in the fridge. It don't alarm me - it is just how things move slowly. This morning I noticed in the two grow boxes downstairs that I have a good group to germinate. Especially, the swamp white oak from CAS_Hntr. I have chestnuts from one source (Taylor Farm) that have gotten going. The chestnuts from other sources are not there yet. I expect by next Monday we will be looking good.
Each fridge operates differently and at various temps. Sounds like your fridge got them in the right zone.
Nature has taught me to be patient. It is her game - not mine.
I always enjoy your farm update - you have done a great job with the habitat management.
Wayne
