Chestnuts?

[whitetail1971]

I recently had my farm logged which left a few thin spots so I plan on replanting with some trees that benefit the wildlife especially deer and bears. To save money I purchased 50 Chinese chestnuts that I plan to grow indoors in pots to plant this fall. Has anyone grown chestnuts and can offer some advice? What are your thoughts on chestnuts? I also hear that pears are beneficial are there any other trees I should be looking at for SE region? Thanks!

 

[Little FR]

That will smell good in the spring, downwind of 50 Chinese Chestnuts 😳.

If you have pears, you have critters. That’s a great tree to grow.

 

[carnivore]

I recently had my farm logged which left a few thin spots so I plan on replanting with some trees that benefit the wildlife especially deer and bears. To save money I purchased 50 Chinese chestnuts that I plan to grow indoors in pots to plant this fall. Has anyone grown chestnuts and can offer some advice? What are your thoughts on chestnuts? I also hear that pears are beneficial are there any other trees I should be looking at for SE region? Thanks!

Advice:

Every thing you plant needs to have a Tpost and cage around it. Deer will kill every tree you plant within a year or two. Most within months.

If your soil is poor consider moving some good dirt to each planting location. I only use 2 gallons but a loader bucket per tree would be better.

You should water just enough to prevent losing a tree. Overwatering = weak roots.

Plant for loss in mind and mix up species. You need to assume some bug, fungus, or disease will kill all of one species of tree you plant. If you lose all your chestnuts have enough whit oak and persimmon planted to meet your goals. You can space them out how you want and replant new as they die or plant them tight and cull the survivors to achieve desired spacing.

 

[1wildcatfan]

I recently had my farm logged which left a few thin spots so I plan on replanting with some trees that benefit the wildlife especially deer and bears. To save money I purchased 50 Chinese chestnuts that I plan to grow indoors in pots to plant this fall. Has anyone grown chestnuts and can offer some advice? What are your thoughts on chestnuts? I also hear that pears are beneficial are there any other trees I should be looking at for SE region? Thanks!

Search chestnut in threads. Several on here with good info.

 

[keeruss8]

If I was going chestnuts I'd of passed on the Chinese and put up the extra bucks for dunston. They're for sale on here in classified somewhere.
Definitely throw some pears in there. About everything likes them

 

[mcbuck58]

I recently had my farm logged which left a few thin spots so I plan on replanting with some trees that benefit the wildlife especially deer and bears. To save money I purchased 50 Chinese chestnuts that I plan to grow indoors in pots to plant this fall. Has anyone grown chestnuts and can offer some advice? What are your thoughts on chestnuts? I also hear that pears are beneficial are there any other trees I should be looking at for SE region? Thanks!

Hey whitetail1971. Take a look at the classified forum. I have an ad for American Chestnut (Dunstan variety). In that ad I go into depth about how I plant chestnuts. Read the whole thread lots of information. This system works good as this is what I’ve done for seven years. Have 260 trees in four orchards that are 2 1/2 to 6 1/2 years old. Research Dunstan chestnuts I highly recommend and closest thing to true American Chestnut and blight resistant. Had 300 seedlings sold all but 30. You could pm me and exchange phone numbers if you had more questions. Not trying to sell you any trees but I have information that could help you like where to get Dunstan seeds or where to buy larger trees. I don’t sell fruit trees but have planted and recommend deer pear Mexican plum American persimmons and wild crab apple. The one problem I see you having is bears. When your trees are young and fruiting you will have to find a way to keep the bears from tearing them down. If you have bought trees you should have them already planted or heel in outside for the winter. If you have bought seed they need to be cold stratified for about four months then put into tree tubes. Also if you bought seed it needs to be viable seed and not processed (heated) for eating. Hope this helps.

 

[OLE RASPY]

I bought 2 back in summer and planted them. I just staked them. No cage. Wish I would’ve caged them now. Deer didn’t bother mine all summer and I looked at them yesterday and found this. Of all the trees around lol

 

[mcbuck58]

Still have my plantra and a few tubix tubes on my trees (split down the side for inspection purposes). Deer have not rubbed on my tubes. But starting next year I will have to start caging my older trees they have out grown the tubes. Not looking forward to doing this cause I have 260 chestnuts and 60 fruit trees.

 

[Onthedge]

Still have my plantra and a few tubix tubes on my trees (split down the side for inspection purposes). Deer have not rubbed on my tubes. But starting next year I will have to start caging my older trees they have out grown the tubes. Not looking forward to doing this cause I have 260 chestnuts and 60 fruit trees.

Have you ever heard of this, they say it works great.

Billy’s Bone Sauce 4 oz — Perma Pastures Farm

All natural non-toxic deer repellent that ACTUALLY WORKS!! This stuff kicks buck!

www.permapasturesfarm.com

 

[mcbuck58]

Have not heard of this but have seen other companies products. Have heard to also tie some human hair on trees but I’m sure it would lose it’s scent qualities after a short time.

 

[nateb440]

Great advise on here. In my experience I prefer woven wire fence cages over the tree tubes. I’ve done both and tubes just seem to bring problems compared to big old cages. I’ve had wasp problems in the tubes and the coons crawl up the stake and destroy the tubes trying to get to the larva. Weird and unexpected problem. Regardless of cages or tubes, you MUST do something to protect them. Deer will destroy them if not. I’ve planted just about everything I can think of by way of trees for wildlife. Pears in my clayish soil do very well. Chestnuts creep along but after a few years begin to pop. Apples, crab apples, persimmon, paw paw, plum, oak. Lots of good choices. Nutting trees take a lot longer to bear than fruit trees. With that in mind I mixed it up and am glad I did. Lots of fruit and someday, Lord willing tons of chestnuts and acorns. Have fun. Best kind of work to do.

 

[nateb440]

I should also say keep an eye on craigslist or fb market for used woven wire fence. Farmers will often replace the old stuff and it’s super cheap sometimes free to get hundreds of feet of old fence—works great to make the cages.

 

[3PointSlayer]

If your in zone 4 you shouldn't have a problem with bucks rubbing your trees. lol

 

[Onthedge]

Bears have destroyed lots of fruit and nut bearing trees in our area, they're alot heavier than squirrels.

 

[aaronc]

I'll let others speak on keeping deer off of'em...but I have a couple of young Dunstans in the back yard and like'em. Produced at 3.