One Thousand Chestnut Trees - a Whitetail Deer Project
- Thread starter wbpdeer
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Familytradition
Active Member
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Congrats - you did a great job. All I did was collect and share the Chinese Chestnuts.
Thanks for sharing.
Wayne
Mitch
Active Member
Wayne did I do anything wrong with mine this winter that it appears they are dead now? I tried to pay attention and water them on occasion, I left them outside and our winters here in north texas are not harsh by any stretch. Days below freezing are few and far between. Should I have still brought them inside?
mattpatt
Well-Known Member
Mitch I'm in North Texas too. I didn't do anything more than you did and 90% of mine made it and all have leaves now. It's possible you may have let them dry out or something. I sold 10 chestnuts to a guy I work with and he stored them under his carport (don't know if he didn't water or not) but every last one of his have not leafed out. They all look dead. I watered mine once maybe twice all winter with no mulch or anything covering them and most of mine are fine. Now I got to get them in the ground!
John Barnes
Member
It's been 3 weeks since putting mine in rootmaker trays and still not seeing any signs of life. So when I stopped by the local garden center today I picked up 10 bare root chinese chestnuts. I was very happily surprised to see them. They are nice looking 2 foot tall trees. Got them in the ground already.
Weasel
Well-Known Member
You all are growing some beautiful chestnut trees! I'm late at getting to mine but we're supposed to get snow tonight and corn & bean planting is still 6-7 weeks away. Mine held up fine in the fridge, thanks for the supply Wayne! I used up some leftover Jiffy tree pellets I had here to start 16 air pruned seedlings indoors. I have one gallon rootmaker bags here also ready for transplant. The rest will be direct seeded at my farm. I may start a little tree planting bed and fence it off.
Mitch
Active Member
I have mine in rootmaker 18's right now, at what point do I transplant them to the root pouches?
I'm going to start introducing them to sunlight a little at a time starting this weekend.
Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum
I'm going to start introducing them to sunlight a little at a time starting this weekend.
Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
I would move out of the rootmaker 13 to 14 weeks after I started them in the rootmakers. One of the things you will notice about a rootmaker 18 when they get full of roots is they get hard to water.
It is better to move them too soon as opposed to moving them too late.
Good luck.
Wayne
It is better to move them too soon as opposed to moving them too late.
Good luck.
Wayne
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Lak
They chestnuts leaves look alive with the best green color. Your temps and rainfall has been good to them. Your deer and turkey will not care what the percentage is - they will just love those 14 trees.
By the way, I have tomato top growth about 3/4 to 1 inch tall. All showed up since Tuesday night. My wife is happy. Thanks so much.
I got a call from a friend that wanted me to coach him up on chestnuts. He worked hard and he has already planted 80 chestnuts that he grew from nuts off of his trees. He has two super trees that I was able to collect from this past fall for the first time. I have 36 chestnuts in my grow box off of his trees.
As the A Team would say, You got to love it when a plan comes together!
It is a great time of year round here! I think the Brushpile is getting rain too.
Wayne
They chestnuts leaves look alive with the best green color. Your temps and rainfall has been good to them. Your deer and turkey will not care what the percentage is - they will just love those 14 trees.
By the way, I have tomato top growth about 3/4 to 1 inch tall. All showed up since Tuesday night. My wife is happy. Thanks so much.
I got a call from a friend that wanted me to coach him up on chestnuts. He worked hard and he has already planted 80 chestnuts that he grew from nuts off of his trees. He has two super trees that I was able to collect from this past fall for the first time. I have 36 chestnuts in my grow box off of his trees.
As the A Team would say, You got to love it when a plan comes together!
It is a great time of year round here! I think the Brushpile is getting rain too.
Wayne
JohnL48
Well-Known Member
Wayne,
Mine are approaching 35" in height under the grow lamps, also in root maker 18. Do I need to plant them in the pouches now ? I was planning on planting with tree tubes late may. I have 40 trees doing great lol, or do I wait til fall and keep them in the pouches all summer ? Not sure I can keep the deer off them without the tubes
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mattpatt
Well-Known Member
14 out of 1000....what percentage is that?
By my count, Wayne, I have 14 thriving chestnut trees from nuts you sent my way. The color of all plants and trees this spring has been magnificent. I hope these all produce some great chestnuts in a few years.
Those are looking really good. Since you only have 14, if you could mulch around them to help control the competition and retain moisture it would help a lot. Especially during the Summer months. I usually cover my young trees with a bucket, spray gly around it to kill all vegetation then add mulch. Doesn't take very long. Just some food for thought...
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Wayne,
Mine are approaching 35" in height under the grow lamps, also in root maker 18. Do I need to plant them in the pouches now ? I was planning on planting with tree tubes late may. I have 40 trees doing great lol, or do I wait til fall and keep them in the pouches all summer ? Not sure I can keep the deer off them without the tubes
Okay, here are my thoughts.
Best news I read is you have 40 good Chinese Chestnut Seedlings. That is cause for celebration. Our challenge is to save as many as possible to allow them to become established chestnut trees.
1. I suggest you divide the 40 into two groups of 20. I would move all 40 out of the rootmaker 18s and get them into root pouches now. The pouches are not expensive - but it will take more growing media than you think.
2. After the chance of the last frost / freeze, I would plant 20 of them in their final destination. They need full sun to produce chestnuts later on when they are mature enough. Don't plant in the forest as the canopy will prevent chestnuts being produced. You have got to protect those chestnuts from the critters. Two choices: either tree tubes or wire cages. Otherwise - take a good look at those 20 seedlings and get ready for them to be destroyed over time.
3. Other 20 in root pouches, I would keep at home until the fall. I would feed them with fertilizer every two weeks and stop that at July 4th. We stop at that time to allow the tender growth to harden off before the cold weather arrives. I would put a small fence around them to keep rabbits and such off them and I would water them every day or every two days depending on sun and heat. Before you put them outside you have to get them gently introduce to sunlight. Start slowing and work up to a full day over 2 weeks or so.
My recommendation splits your 40 into two groups of 20 and increases the chance that you don't lose them all.
If where you plant them you can't water - get 2 litter bottles or 5 gallon buckets to put small holes in them and sit by the seedlings to slowly water. It don't take much to save a chestnut.
Congrats on your 40 great seedlings. Best of luck turning them into established trees. It is normal to lose a few maybe 5 to 10 percent but it not normal to lose more than that unless you have sever drought.
Hope I have helped.
Wayne
