One Thousand Chestnut Trees - a Whitetail Deer Project

[catscratch]

Wayne, I'm not going to find any new trees (never seen a chestnut other than the ones I've planted) but rest assured you have some seed being babied in the center of the country!

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[catscratch]

Hummmm, I guess I should go move that window screen down some after looking at that pic.

 

[suburbhunter]

A few new finds, maybe some future source tree.

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[wbpdeer]

Catscratch,

I hope your class will want to grow some seedlings from chestnuts this fall/winter. I have a goal of shipping 4,700 chestnuts this fall to move me beyond 25,000 at which point I am going to stop the shipping project.

Your seedling looks great. Think it over and let me know. If you know any other teachers in your area that would like a go at this type of project please help get us connected.

Thanks for the picture.

Wayne

 

[wbpdeer]

A few new finds, maybe some future source tree.

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Yes sir!!! The truck size of those trees tell me they will generate 1,000 of chestnuts. Kind of situation where you get to select the best chestnuts to grow a seedling from. If a chestnut has two flat sides, that was in the middle of the bur, one of three. If a chestntu has one flat side, then it was the outside of three or the outside of two in the bur.

The best chestnuts are round like a jar breaker - that one was a single bur chestnut. Where we collect 1,000s and ship them, my grandkids and I favor the large round ones for us.

Another thing we like to do, is get chestnuts from many different trees - not just one tree. Diversity is nature's way of keeping species going.

Congrats on finding new trees. If you ask permission to collect, offer them half of what you collect. I have only paid to collect - that was from a 32 grove of chinese chestnuts. There was a few tree that dropped later and I loved those trees for that reason.

Thanks for posting the photos so others can see them.

Wayne

 

[catscratch]

I will gladly take more seed for the classroom. It's been a year or two since you sent me some but I've kept the project alive with Sawtooth's. I had a few kids model and 3d print their pots this year... As the project grows every year it's turning into a great multifaceted experience. Just so you know, I have kids that say they still have trees alive that they've grown in the classroom.

 

[wbpdeer]

Good to see the project has continued. I am fascinated by the 3 D printing stuff. My County Clerk's son is a graduate student that works on 3 D Technology.

Does sawtooth have to be pollentated by other sawtooth or can a single tree alone generate nuts? Sawtooth may be the next project for our farm. For our farm a project is at least 50 trees of a species spread across 225 acres.

Since we started with you - if those students that are good at it - want some chestnuts to grow at home for their land, let me know. We can put them in your shipment count. My goal is the help the deer and motivated young growers can help reach that goal.

If you say they are good at growing that will be my yardstick.

Thanks

Wayne

 

[suburbhunter]

A few more I found this afternoon


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[catscratch]

Good to see the project has continued. I am fascinated by the 3 D printing stuff. My County Clerk's son is a graduate student that works on 3 D Technology.

Does sawtooth have to be pollentated by other sawtooth or can a single tree alone generate nuts? Sawtooth may be the next project for our farm. For our farm a project is at least 50 trees of a species spread across 225 acres.

Since we started with you - if those students that are good at it - want some chestnuts to grow at home for their land, let me know. We can put them in your shipment count. My goal is the help the deer and motivated young growers can help reach that goal.

If you say they are good at growing that will be my yardstick.

Thanks

Wayne

I don't know if Sawtooth are self-pollinators or not. I guess I never gave it much thought as I've always planted several at a time. I could do some research when I get a chance...
To be honest, I don't think I have any kids right now that would benefit from extra nuts. This is cattle country and trees = bad for grass. The kids who still have trees living happened to find a spot in the yard type of thing. I appreciate your offer but I don't think it would be put to good use.
If you want Sawtooth acorns I can send you all that you want next fall. The one's at my dad's place drop around mid September. I usually stop the truck under a tree after a dove hunt and have the kids shake branches until we have a few buckets worth in the bed. Just let me know...

 

[Cap'n]

I’ve yet to find any acorn with as high a germination percentage as Sawtooth. I plan on direct seeding them from now on. Incredible survival rate too. Maybe it’s just the ones I have access to but I’ve decided they don’t need my assistance beyond direct seeding. I have so many I’m going to have to sell some this fall in 3 gal grow bags.

 

[THE LLC]

Wayne, check out this four year old chestnut from nuts you sent me. Any idea what the damage is caused by. Looks like friggin' fire blight.

 

[wbpdeer]

LLC

To me, it makes me wonder if you have had any rain? Is that from lack of water? I would say check the good color leaves by rubbing them between your thumb and index finger. Do they feel good and like they have had sufficient water?

I have been lucky - my chestnuts look as good as ever.

The limb in the lower left has plenty of nice size leaves - this is a very positive sign.

Wayne

 

[THE LLC]

We had a lot of really hot temps in late May and a long period without rain, but the other 15 or so in that grove look fine. I lost one this spring without warning that was doing REALLY good at leaf drop last year. Sucker is dead as a hammer now. Roots and all.

 

[wbpdeer]

LLC

For the seedling with the leaves showing stress, I would get an old 5 gallon bucket and drill 3 holes that are 1/8 inch in diameter about 1 inch above the bottom of the bucket. Get one clean rock in the 3 or 4 pound weight range and put in on top of the lid.

Fill the bucket up and place it next to that seedling so the 3 holes drip about 10 to 12 inches from the trunk. That will help the tree rehydrate well over a 2 or 3 day period. Do that twice and I imagine that one rebounds.

If you don't want to use a 5 gallon bucket, get you three or four 2 litter soda bottles. Drill your hole in the plastic screw on cap. They will allow you to distribute the water around the seedling in more locations. Think about all the time invested in that tree and an hour to set up the water drip system ain't much to save it.

Good luck.

Wayne

 

[wbpdeer]

Fall of 2019 Chinese Chestnut Plan

This project has been a great success and great fun too. Chinese Chestnuts from Portland, TN have been shipped all over the eastern United States. My plan was to give back to the whitetail deer and all the participants have helped me accomplish that goal.

I hope to ship at least 4,700 chinese chestnuts this fall and then stop my project. I will not ship smaller boxes with 52 in a box this fall. I am going to ship larger counts - 100, 150 or 200 to a box. I will visit my local post office to determine the cost of those orders.

If you want chinese chestnuts, please find some like minded folks that you can split a large order with if you don't want that many. I am happy to report that I have 5 trees in my backyard that I planted in the beginning of this project that will bear chestnuts this fall.

Why 4,700 this fall? That will move me past 25,000 shipped. Do I know how many chestnut trees this project has generated? The answer is - "Far More Than I Ever Imagined." I am not going to worry about the number. Our deer herd in multiple locations are in a better position than before this project started.

I am looking for school teachers that would like to grow chinese chestnuts as a school class project. I would donate for such a worthy cause.

Thanks for reading this post.

Wayne

 

[Rottie87]

Fall of 2019 Chinese Chestnut Plan

This project has been a great success and great fun too. Chinese Chestnuts from Portland, TN have been shipped all over the eastern United States. My plan was to give back to the whitetail deer and all the participants have helped me accomplish that goal.

I hope to ship at least 4,700 chinese chestnuts this fall and then stop my project. I will not ship smaller boxes with 52 in a box this fall. I am going to ship larger counts - 100, 150 or 200 to a box. I will visit my local post office to determine the cost of those orders.

If you want chinese chestnuts, please find some like minded folks that you can split a large order with if you don't want that many. I am happy to report that I have 5 trees in my backyard that I planted in the beginning of this project that will bear chestnuts this fall.

Why 4,700 this fall? That will move me past 25,000 shipped. Do I know how many chestnut trees this project has generated? The answer is - "Far More Than I Ever Imagined." I am not going to worry about the number. Our deer herd in multiple locations are in a better position than before this project started.

I am looking for school teachers that would like to grow chinese chestnuts as a school class project. I would donate for such a worthy cause.

Thanks for reading this post.

Wayne

I would gladly take 100

 

[wbpdeer]

I would gladly take 100

Please send me your contact info in a private message. Name, complete mailing address, cell if you get text, and email address. I will add you to the list. I will contact you when they begin to drop and we will talk price (based upon shipping).

I will not ship any order until after we agree on terms. No person pays until after they receive the chinese chestnuts.

Thanks

Wayne

 

[wbpdeer]

Happy 4th of July to everyone that contributes to this forum and reads all of the threads posted here.

I am thankful I live in our great country and enjoy the freedoms we have. I have been receiving contacts from habitat peeps that want to get chestnuts in the coming season. Appreciate your interest - thanks.

Wayne

 

[buckdeer1]

I recently bought a bunch of 4ft trees from Oklahoma,I planted 9 on my place and the rest others bought.I lost all mine and everyone else that had a better soil theirs lived.My soil is sandier and I did water 5 gal per week until they died.Funny part is I planted some of the nuts that I got from you and they are growing fine and out of the tubes

 

[wbpdeer]

Right now I have 8 square five gallon buckets that I put 2 inches of gravel in the bottom with black fabric on that with play sand on top to within 2 inches of the top. I planted 9 chestnuts per bucket for a total count of 72 potential seedlings. The chinese chestnuts were placed in the fridge last fall. They had been there a long time. I used sharp scissors and clipped the long ugly shaped radicles that many had developed.

They have started germinating good - I am at 25 with top growth. I water them once or twice a day. I have a wire cage over these containers to keep rabbits, squirrels and birds out of them. I got the idea for sand from Eric Metgzer on here. He lives two counties away from me.

I will remove the seedlings from the containers when the leaves are more mature and likely put them in their final location. Each 5 gallon square bucket has 4 drain holes drill in the bottom. The containers are food grade and the restaurant I buy them from gets hard boiled eggs in them they use on their salad bar. I pay one dollar a bucket.

Yes chinese chestnuts grow well in sand. Buckdeer1 you direct seeded the chestnuts you got from me - if that is true they established a good tap root. Their root systems was not over powered by the top growth. With store bought seedlings the container may restrict the roots and the topgrowth can't be supported by the roots when they are planted in their final destination.

GraceNMercy in Texas loves Dustans chestnuts for eating - they taste better but the chinese chestnut is a tougher seedlings. I am a diabetic so I don't eat chestnuts due to them having high carbohydrate content. He says the chinese chestnuts are tougher in their hot climate.

Direct seeding sandy soil is a very effective method. Be glad to put you on the list for the last year of shipping. Just let me know.

When my square bucket seedlings get further along I will post some photos. Eric gets high praise for coaching me up.

Wayne