Small Place in East Texas
- Thread starter GraceNmercy
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GraceNmercy
Member
Thanks Bill...your definitely right about that. Our summers have been increasingly scorching over the last several years..
CentralKyHunter
Active Member
Great thread .
What percentage of your Walmart Dunstan's have lived and what have you done for them after planting to help them make it. Those trees look to have been grown in some kind of greenhouse typesetting with a lot of upward growth . They do not transition to a wild type setting extremely well without good cover and support in my opinion. There trunks are very week and the trees are top heavy. I plant them also when I find them on sale cheap though
What percentage of your Walmart Dunstan's have lived and what have you done for them after planting to help them make it. Those trees look to have been grown in some kind of greenhouse typesetting with a lot of upward growth . They do not transition to a wild type setting extremely well without good cover and support in my opinion. There trunks are very week and the trees are top heavy. I plant them also when I find them on sale cheap though
GraceNmercy
Member
So I probably planted about 17 Walmart Dunstans on sale for $5.00 fall of last year and there are probably 8 or 9 of those still living. I planted about 6 more this fall that I bought for $7.00, so we will see how they do over the summer. I don't baby many of my trees as it's a 3 hour drive up to our place and between a new baby and new business I might make a trip or two up each month. I look for the the trees that can survive without too much involvement from me and still do well.
That being said, when I plant trees like this I always plant in early fall and I water them well when planting and usually mulch or add weed mats to help reserve moisture. I always plant in late September or early October to give them time to recover from transplant shock and allow the roots to continue growing while they get somewhat established between October and early June while we typically get plenty of rain.
Typically most trees have had quite a bit of root growth by early summer and have a better chance of making it through summer. By late June or early July it's usually upper 90's up to over 100 degrees and the rain usually slows down until late September or October. I may make one or two trips up to water most trees that show signs that they need it if they look to be struggling, but for the most part all potted I've grown or the direct seeded trees do great compared to most of those Walmart nursery stock I've planted. If I've planted over 100 I probable have at least 75% still making it alright.
Keep in mind that trees like chestnuts and oaks are very adaptable and I have lots of trees planted that are nursery grown and many do very well. The large Dunstans you see in the pictures that are well established are Dunstans grown at at nursery here in Houston that originally came from chestnut hill in FL. This is just the way that I grow my trees without breaking the bank or having to be there to baby them too often. I loose a few mostly to hot summer heat and drought, but the majority have done great..even after fighting the the first hot summers without having to be watered every couple of weeks.
That being said, when I plant trees like this I always plant in early fall and I water them well when planting and usually mulch or add weed mats to help reserve moisture. I always plant in late September or early October to give them time to recover from transplant shock and allow the roots to continue growing while they get somewhat established between October and early June while we typically get plenty of rain.
Typically most trees have had quite a bit of root growth by early summer and have a better chance of making it through summer. By late June or early July it's usually upper 90's up to over 100 degrees and the rain usually slows down until late September or October. I may make one or two trips up to water most trees that show signs that they need it if they look to be struggling, but for the most part all potted I've grown or the direct seeded trees do great compared to most of those Walmart nursery stock I've planted. If I've planted over 100 I probable have at least 75% still making it alright.
Keep in mind that trees like chestnuts and oaks are very adaptable and I have lots of trees planted that are nursery grown and many do very well. The large Dunstans you see in the pictures that are well established are Dunstans grown at at nursery here in Houston that originally came from chestnut hill in FL. This is just the way that I grow my trees without breaking the bank or having to be there to baby them too often. I loose a few mostly to hot summer heat and drought, but the majority have done great..even after fighting the the first hot summers without having to be watered every couple of weeks.
Last edited:
Merle Hawggard
Well-Known Member
Awesome thread Grace. Look forward to the updates.
GraceNmercy
Member
Howdy Bill...Have been pretty busy with family and business but I have been checking in reading you guys posts and threads. I've been up to the property a couple of times and most recently during a wild turkey release in our area by TPWD and NWTF, but I was waiting until I got back up to get some photos or video.
Each time I went up I direct seeded quite a few white, post and red oaks on different areas of the place. Also direct seeded some American chestnuts, A. Chinquapins and a few more American hazelnuts. I also planted a few potted oak and chestnut seedlings and a few young bald cypress along the creek. I picked up a truck bed full of wood chips from my friend who coordinated the turkey release on the co-op he started and I started mulching some of the chestnut seedling I direct seeded last year and the trees I recently planted. Still have a it more mulching to do when I make it back up.
We put up a gate and barbed wire fence around the old homestead in order to slow vandals down from just walking into the place. Along the fence that separates the yard around the old homestead from the field where I I've been planting chestnuts I planted sun choke tubers to get a thick screen to grow up along the barbed wire fence this summer which will shield the view into the field. I knew I could've plant a better barrier, but the tubers of sun chokes are pretty tasty and can be prepared like potatoes. Plus the sunflowers hat bloom on them will keep the doves around as the plants spread. Hopefully the hogs won't root them up before they all take hold. I was so short on time and everything was dormant, so I didn't take many photos the last couple of times up.
On a more dreadful note I've been getting letters from surveyors wanting to come survey the north portion of the property for the highway department to expand the highway. This won't affect the larger portion of the property on the south side of the highway where I've been doing most of my projects, but they plan to acquire 2.7 acres of the beautiful more forested and native blue stem habitat on the smaller north portion of the property. There are ancient oak and sweet gum trees here that are as wide as the front of my truck. The woods are thicker and there is a small Savannah of little blue stem and Indian grass with scattered young pines jut on a sloping hill above a hardwood bottom where the creek runs.
Even the surveyor even had to admit how beautiful it was over there and most of the best areas will be taken at some point. It's seldom hunted on that side this walking in those wood I was some huge rubs and worn trails. That side is where I've seen the biggest buck I'd ever seen running with 3 other shooters. Oh well...at least the bulk of the work I've done and the majority of the property is safe from this..although I did plant a few pin and swamp chestnut oaks in that bottom that will be taken. Now i'll have to find a timber company to harvest the timber because if I can't buy my relative out before the acquisition because all those older relatives who wanted nothing to do with the place will be the ones the highway department pays, and someone has to put on a new fence once they're done. I know none of those older heir will give up any of the money to do anything at the property, so once I find someone who will harvest the timber off nearly 3 acres I'll put that money back into the property.
Anyway, I'll try to have more updates in the next few weeks once I go back up and try to have some images to post.
Each time I went up I direct seeded quite a few white, post and red oaks on different areas of the place. Also direct seeded some American chestnuts, A. Chinquapins and a few more American hazelnuts. I also planted a few potted oak and chestnut seedlings and a few young bald cypress along the creek. I picked up a truck bed full of wood chips from my friend who coordinated the turkey release on the co-op he started and I started mulching some of the chestnut seedling I direct seeded last year and the trees I recently planted. Still have a it more mulching to do when I make it back up.
We put up a gate and barbed wire fence around the old homestead in order to slow vandals down from just walking into the place. Along the fence that separates the yard around the old homestead from the field where I I've been planting chestnuts I planted sun choke tubers to get a thick screen to grow up along the barbed wire fence this summer which will shield the view into the field. I knew I could've plant a better barrier, but the tubers of sun chokes are pretty tasty and can be prepared like potatoes. Plus the sunflowers hat bloom on them will keep the doves around as the plants spread. Hopefully the hogs won't root them up before they all take hold. I was so short on time and everything was dormant, so I didn't take many photos the last couple of times up.
On a more dreadful note I've been getting letters from surveyors wanting to come survey the north portion of the property for the highway department to expand the highway. This won't affect the larger portion of the property on the south side of the highway where I've been doing most of my projects, but they plan to acquire 2.7 acres of the beautiful more forested and native blue stem habitat on the smaller north portion of the property. There are ancient oak and sweet gum trees here that are as wide as the front of my truck. The woods are thicker and there is a small Savannah of little blue stem and Indian grass with scattered young pines jut on a sloping hill above a hardwood bottom where the creek runs.
Even the surveyor even had to admit how beautiful it was over there and most of the best areas will be taken at some point. It's seldom hunted on that side this walking in those wood I was some huge rubs and worn trails. That side is where I've seen the biggest buck I'd ever seen running with 3 other shooters. Oh well...at least the bulk of the work I've done and the majority of the property is safe from this..although I did plant a few pin and swamp chestnut oaks in that bottom that will be taken. Now i'll have to find a timber company to harvest the timber because if I can't buy my relative out before the acquisition because all those older relatives who wanted nothing to do with the place will be the ones the highway department pays, and someone has to put on a new fence once they're done. I know none of those older heir will give up any of the money to do anything at the property, so once I find someone who will harvest the timber off nearly 3 acres I'll put that money back into the property.
Anyway, I'll try to have more updates in the next few weeks once I go back up and try to have some images to post.
GraceNmercy
Member
The most common name for Sun choke is Jerusalem artichoke. They are native sunflowers that grow from 6-10 feet tall and spread pretty quickly. The roots are tubers that look almost like big ginger roots and are pretty tasty. They can be cooked about like a potato or eaten fresh in salads. I ordered mine off of eBay but there other nurseries and places you can get them as well.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Terrance,
I visited the Brushpile in Springfield, MO. I took Brad 8 AC and we planted them on Tuesday morning. We talked about GraceNmery and your successful methods in your hot climate.
All good things about your approach and of course we put lumenite down for the AC. I am going to be planting some Chinese Chestnuts in large containers like you do. This approach is being used because I have 14 trays of rootmakers going right now.
Always love your updates. Hope the son is doing well.
I took a little credit for helping you find us on this forum.
Wayne
I visited the Brushpile in Springfield, MO. I took Brad 8 AC and we planted them on Tuesday morning. We talked about GraceNmery and your successful methods in your hot climate.
All good things about your approach and of course we put lumenite down for the AC. I am going to be planting some Chinese Chestnuts in large containers like you do. This approach is being used because I have 14 trays of rootmakers going right now.
Always love your updates. Hope the son is doing well.
I took a little credit for helping you find us on this forum.
Wayne
catscratch
Well-Known Member
My neighbor in town grew them (Jerusalem artichoke). Good eating but you wouldn't want to eat too much the first time around.
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
GraceNmercy
Member
Yep.. you do get the credit because I may not have been on here had you not messaged me to give me the heads up. I got pretty busy around the time of the change and hadn't logged in much until I received your message so thanks. Wish I could've saved everything from the old thread.
That method has been great for me...All those chestnuts I planted as bare root survived this last hot summer with little care, and as I mentioned in earlier posts they did better than those I purchased as 2 or 3 year old seedlings.
That method has been great for me...All those chestnuts I planted as bare root survived this last hot summer with little care, and as I mentioned in earlier posts they did better than those I purchased as 2 or 3 year old seedlings.
Terrance,
I visited the Brushpile in Springfield, MO. I took Brad 8 AC and we planted them on Tuesday morning. We talked about GraceNmery and your successful methods in your hot climate.
All good things about your approach and of course we put lumenite down for the AC. I am going to be planting some Chinese Chestnuts in large containers like you do. This approach is being used because I have 14 trays of rootmakers going right now.
Always love your updates. Hope the son is doing well.
I took a little credit for helping you find us on this forum.
Wayne
GraceNmercy
Member
GraceNmercy
Member
Been a while since I've posted as I haven't been up to our place since mid March after one of our youth events during spring break. We've been busy with work and business and now that my boy is now a year and a half, we've had a new addition since then. On June 19th we had our baby girl, so as you might guess we've been pretty busy.
With that said, I was finally able to make time to go up and check on things. This year has been amazing in regards to rain fall, and within the past couple of weeks there's been at least 14 inches of rain in our area, which doesn't happen in Texas during the month of August. So far this year we've had nearly 50 inches of rain, if not ore in our particular area.
As you can imagine, everything is lush and green and my plantings are doing great! All of the chestnuts that I grew in pots and transplanted over the past couple are green and getting well established with deep roots, so over the next couple of years I expect most of the trees to spring up. However, I was disappointed to find that the largest Dunstan that had been growing on the place for the past 4 or 5 years apparently died of a blight infection at the lower trunk.
The tree had grown between 12-15 feet with a 4.5 - 5 inch diameter trunk. The tree had apparently leafed out and was covered with blooms when the main stem died. I looked at the trunk and there was red orange coloring all along cracks in the trunk that I'm convinced was blight. I'll post photo' of the trunk to see what you guys think, but over the years I've seen a few Dunstans get either blight or some other type of fungus. I know for sure the trees are Dunstan's as the nursery where I buy them wholesale get them directly from Chestnut Hill in Florida. At least the tree resprouted from the roots and there are a few tall stems that have grown over 12 feet tall in only a few months after the main stem died.
Besides that one tree there's another Dunstan about the same age that's about 15 feet away that has quite a few burs on it. I hope I can get a few nuts off of it this year. Sometime this evening or over the next couple of days, I'll post a few photos from my walk through on yesterday and give a few details on the status of everything I have growing good so far...
Here is a photo of the blighted trunk of the chestnut...
With that said, I was finally able to make time to go up and check on things. This year has been amazing in regards to rain fall, and within the past couple of weeks there's been at least 14 inches of rain in our area, which doesn't happen in Texas during the month of August. So far this year we've had nearly 50 inches of rain, if not ore in our particular area.
As you can imagine, everything is lush and green and my plantings are doing great! All of the chestnuts that I grew in pots and transplanted over the past couple are green and getting well established with deep roots, so over the next couple of years I expect most of the trees to spring up. However, I was disappointed to find that the largest Dunstan that had been growing on the place for the past 4 or 5 years apparently died of a blight infection at the lower trunk.
The tree had grown between 12-15 feet with a 4.5 - 5 inch diameter trunk. The tree had apparently leafed out and was covered with blooms when the main stem died. I looked at the trunk and there was red orange coloring all along cracks in the trunk that I'm convinced was blight. I'll post photo' of the trunk to see what you guys think, but over the years I've seen a few Dunstans get either blight or some other type of fungus. I know for sure the trees are Dunstan's as the nursery where I buy them wholesale get them directly from Chestnut Hill in Florida. At least the tree resprouted from the roots and there are a few tall stems that have grown over 12 feet tall in only a few months after the main stem died.
Besides that one tree there's another Dunstan about the same age that's about 15 feet away that has quite a few burs on it. I hope I can get a few nuts off of it this year. Sometime this evening or over the next couple of days, I'll post a few photos from my walk through on yesterday and give a few details on the status of everything I have growing good so far...
Here is a photo of the blighted trunk of the chestnut...
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GraceNmercy
Member
How are they working out for you? I have a few growing at home in pots but I planted most of them along the fence row on our property. Turns out the deer like to browse the leaves as well, but I'm looking forward to the fall to go harvest some of the tubers. I'll post some pics when I resize them later..
TexOk
Active Member
Hey Terrance, just wanted to add to the chorus of people that are glad to see you on here. I really enjoyed your thread on the other site since I'm going to be working on some land in East Texas as well. That's a bummer about the blight on the Dunstan though, hopefully that's just a one off for you. Thanks again for sharing and I look forward to seeing some update pics!
