The other pics I didn't have luck posting were the worse half of them which were 90% brown. It could be over-watering - I was doing it nearly daily thinking they were drying out. The half I transplanted though, when I got them out of the root trapper, the peat/soil mix did seem really dry and fluffy so that's what made me run with the idea they weren't getting enough moisture. You also bring up getting water on the leaves, which is happening with my current system as I'm showering them with the hose through the cage on top. I will try putting water directly into the pots. Hopefully I can figure it out, was so dang excited getting about 20 trees out of the 22 seeds I tried for the first time. If you have any other thoughts, please let me know. I'll try adjusting a few things and hopefully get them turned around. Thanks!
Thanks for your thoughts. I'll try getting some of that soil and maybe try moving a few of the trees to that and water less, then see how they do
letemgrow
PMA Member
The extremely hot temps can cause that when they get too much mid-day sun.
I’m a fan of giving chestnut seedlings morning sun only. That has worked the best for me over the years.
I had some hybrid Ozark Chinquapins and apple grafts that we’re doing great till the blast furnace came thru. The chinquapins look a lot like the seedlings in your pic.
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I’m a fan of giving chestnut seedlings morning sun only. That has worked the best for me over the years.
I had some hybrid Ozark Chinquapins and apple grafts that we’re doing great till the blast furnace came thru. The chinquapins look a lot like the seedlings in your pic.
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Checking tonight. Been at farm & short vacation for long time. Looking good & healthy for the most part.
The sections where there’s small growth or newly emerged is persimmons. (Very hard to see on pictures. Small. I’ll take pic of them some time. starts slower than chestnuts.
The sections where there’s small growth or newly emerged is persimmons. (Very hard to see on pictures. Small. I’ll take pic of them some time. starts slower than chestnuts.
cybball
Well-Known Member
Most of my chestnuts were getting brown. I pulled off the tubes and the leaves were really wet from the humidity. I didn't make holes at the bottom of the tubes and they were in the full day time sun. 2 weeks ago i pulled off the tubes and caged them to keep the deer off. They are exploding with growth already. I still like the tubes, but you have to keep an eye on ventilation (new lesson for me).
Skip, do you keep your seed started trees in plastic enclosing/greenhouse until transplanting until fall?
About half of mine have some browning like the one in your 2nd pic, some a little better and some a little worse. I tried switching the soil from a dirt/peat mix to a potting soil/perlite mix for better drainage, am going to try watering with just rain water direct to the soil (not from the hose on top of the leaves), and watering them less (although mother nature has been watering them daily the past week), to hopefully turn them around. I considered putting some plastic over them to see if it was the summer sun roasting them as small seedlings, which was why I was wondering if that's how you carried them through the summer.
About half of mine have some browning like the one in your 2nd pic, some a little better and some a little worse. I tried switching the soil from a dirt/peat mix to a potting soil/perlite mix for better drainage, am going to try watering with just rain water direct to the soil (not from the hose on top of the leaves), and watering them less (although mother nature has been watering them daily the past week), to hopefully turn them around. I considered putting some plastic over them to see if it was the summer sun roasting them as small seedlings, which was why I was wondering if that's how you carried them through the summer.
I think some on my edge got brown due to the soil & heat…. When I looked close- that batch of soil was “crap” & dry & I think those burnt up.
like letemgrow said - I like a lil shade & mine has some. With tree tubes - venting lower is also important like Cyball mentioned above…. Get vent holes down to leaf level.
on transplant…. I do “too much”….. started in trays. Pry better to skip that. But I had a lot!! Then- one gallon Rootmaker pots- ready anytime now. I’ll run em til end of summer & start putting em in ground & protect. 1st winter is hardest. After that - replace what dies & baby what survives. Few years- full stock, monitor/baby a bit & they grow fast!
I got some areas by house that I can baby these & coon-free. Far from ideal to put em in during summer but can make it work & they will get moisture, protection & all they need. I got so many that these just gonna go in. Just in rootmaker trays in July they 15-20” tall.
Normally I’d for sure wait til fall & still protect & monitor ….. I try & get the nut off & make sure coons can’t dig up seedlings even after nut removed.
fun but I’m a bit on the “chestnut overload” side
.
Normally I’d for sure wait til fall & still protect & monitor ….. I try & get the nut off & make sure coons can’t dig up seedlings even after nut removed.
fun but I’m a bit on the “chestnut overload” side
.
Really good read & a “critical read” for anyone growing chestnuts…. Buddy sent me this…
www.canr.msu.edu
Nutrient management considerations for cultivated chestnut trees
Routine and proper nutrition is important for chestnut tree health, vigor and optimal yield.
www.canr.msu.edu
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I picked up some Rootbuilder 2 tree pots over at the Habitat Forum. If you need any, take a look…
Discounted Rootmaker Containers for sale
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Discounted Rootmaker Containers for sale
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Oops. Try this link: https://habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/discounted-rootmaker-containers-for-sale.13557/
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How would a guy get ahold of some of these seeds/nuts?Going to be interesting when these Ozark Chinquapin x Chinese Chestnut crosses start producing. I’m keeping the more chinquapin looking seedlings and nixing the rest.
One that won’t make the cut.
Keepers.
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letemgrow
PMA Member
I’m planning a trip back down to the research center in a few weeks to collect more this year.
Hit me up in mid September.
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I was doing some searches to get some chinese chestnut seeds to try starting from seed, but am not having much luck. Not sure if its the dry year and supply is low or I'm not going about it right. Doesn't seem to be a ton of places that sell them, but I'm seeing sold out everywhere. Where is a good source for them if you don't have trees producing? I'm on the far north side of zone 5, eastern IA so think I need to stick with the chinese variety, still may get frozen out. The forester I've been working with says chestnut and persimmon likely won't have much long term success which bums me out as that is what I was going to try planting more of. I tried some dunstans from seed this spring (only seeds I could find) and have a lot of fun with that so want to try anyway. Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.
Good news…. Not true on foresters part. Correct soil types will be just fine with Chinese chestnut & persimmon. Countless examples to disprove that. I was looking at persimmons, over the weekend…. planted 25-30 years ago Amazing. I’ve got same age chestnuts by my house. Huge. Old. Examples Over & over if planted in right areas & soils.
Chinese chestnut seed - u should be able to look around 10 states as harvest nears. I’d keep digging. You can find them. Persimmons are also Great to start from seed. Same with pear, crabapple, etc.
Here’s some pics of all of above btw…. A few died but not many…. Usually a reason why I can point to now though after growing for many years like this Overall pretty good They will appreciate a new home somewhat soon
Mix of ton of things like pears, crabapple, persimmon, etc.
Little persimmon. Start small…. Really get going 3-4 years
slightly neglected chestnuts. Should be great later in new home.
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Harvest day. .
chestnut, persimmon, crabapple, pear, etc. will be in their homes when it cools down.
had a few chestnuts get stressed from over-watering. I realized the automatic lawn sprinklers were hitting some hard. Should be ok now that they are removed. Little bit of planting & protecting now….
.chestnut, persimmon, crabapple, pear, etc. will be in their homes when it cools down.
had a few chestnuts get stressed from over-watering. I realized the automatic lawn sprinklers were hitting some hard. Should be ok now that they are removed. Little bit of planting & protecting now….
What method do people use to store chestnuts in the fridge (from seed drop around now) until getting them to start sprouting to pot early spring - are they kept in damp peat from seed drop until +/- march and they start sprouting? Or are they just kept in cold storage and put into damp peat to begin the sprouting process at a later time? The chestnuts I grew last year didn't come until late February in a plastic mesh bag, so wasn't sure what the process would be getting them around now vs February and how I'd need to change my process. The ones I got in February went right into the peat and germinated within the month.
Also, can this same process be used for white oak acorns? I have read the white oaks will take right off after dropping and storing may hurt their germination rate so wasn't sure if people held them over in the fridge all winter to pot in the spring as well.
Also, can this same process be used for white oak acorns? I have read the white oaks will take right off after dropping and storing may hurt their germination rate so wasn't sure if people held them over in the fridge all winter to pot in the spring as well.