Chinese Chestnut

[Jarred525]

Well, I am getting ready to plant these and wondered if anyone could offer words of wisdom that might help me be more successful. My research has shown to plant 50 feet apart, full sun, well drained acidic soil. I will also be using tree tubes. Thanks in advance!

 

[BSK]

Personally, I would plant fruit trees in late winter.

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you've done your homework. We have several at home. They taste great but don't try to roast the darned things. It seems like deer would like them but I've never seen them eat one.

 

[Jarred525]

Personally, I would plant fruit trees in late winter.

BSK, these are bare root seedlings I bought in April and potted. Should I wait and plant them in the spring? I had also bought Southern crabapple which I will be planting as well.

 

[Jarred525]

Personally, I would plant fruit trees in late winter.

BSK, these are bare root seedlings I bought in April and potted. Should I wait and plant them in the spring? I had also bought Southern crabapple which I will be planting as well.

Sorry, I meant plant in late winter.

 

[TS_13]

I would wait until they lose their leaves. November.

 

[Camp]

Late November(at earliest). I like December. Sorta depends on how cold it's gotten and if it's been cold enough long enough to get the trees dormant.

1-Late enough they've dropped their leaves and gone "dormant" for the winter. While dormant, they suffer the least shock.

2-Early enough that the dirt has more time to settle and seal in good around the roots before spring.

 

[BSK]

Late November(at earliest). I like December. Sorta depends on how cold it's gotten and if it's been cold enough long enough to get the trees dormant.

1-Late enough they've dropped their leaves and gone "dormant" for the winter. While dormant, they suffer the least shock.

2-Early enough that the dirt has more time to settle and seal in good around the roots before spring.

Great advice.

 

[BSK]

It seems like deer would like them but I've never seen them eat one.

Deer act differently in different areas, but I've never seen any food source draw deer like Chinese Chestnuts do. In my area, and up into KY, deer go berzerk over Chinese Chesnuts. I've watched deer just stand for hours under the trees waiting for a nut to fall, and I've even seen deer leap into the air to try and knock the hulls and nuts off the trees.

I HIGHLY recommend them as a tree for attracting deer during bow season. In fact, I would put them as #1 on my list of valuable "deer magnet" trees.

 

[ShaneHallum]

I've got one area that we hunt, loaded with them.. The deer go crazy over em. I've watched the deer go past corn and acorns to get to the chestnuts.

 

[BSK]

I've got one area that we hunt, loaded with them.. The deer go crazy over em. I've watched the deer go past corn and acorns to get to the chestnuts.

I've seen deer go past every imaginable food source to get at Chinese Chestnuts. Makes one wonder how different hunting would be if we still had the American Chestnut around. They were very regular producers. If they were still around we would all be complaining about how much we hated having all these nasty acorns to walk on and worrying about where the best chestnut trees were.

 

[easttndeer]

how long does it take the to start baring nuts

 

[Jarred525]

Great advice all, thanks.

Part of my management plan is ordering 50 Chinese chestnut bare root seedlings a year, raising them, and then planting them. I am also ordering about the same quantity of southern crabapples per year. I might reap some of the benefits but hopefully my one year old son will have a deer paradise

I got about a 60% survival rate with my chestnut bare root seedlings and about 80% with my crabapple bare root seedlings that I potted this spring. For those that have potted bare root seedlings, is this a typical survival rate? Thanks.

 

[Blue5]

How long does it take them to produce?

 

[BSK]

Depends on the location and planting method, but they can be producing in 5 years.

 

[Boone 58]

Yep, i put them out each year in front of a trail cam and they eat them up!...It is a flavorful nut, what makes one think they wouldnt?...It is much like an acorn but more sweeet and an larger nut to boot....and a shell not much harder than an acorn if any?

 

[Biggun4214]

I have watch deer feed heavily on chestnuts until the acorns start falling. I have also watched deer leave white oaks and feed on chestnut oaks after a couple of hard frosts. Kinda like people some like cake and some like pie.

 

[Football Hunter]

gonna get some

 

[Football Hunter]

Depends on the location and planting method, but they can be producing in 5 years.

can anyone reccomend a place to get some this fall

 

[Jarred525]

Depends on the location and planting method, but they can be producing in 5 years.

can anyone reccomend a place to get some this fall

I get my bare root seedlings in the spring from NWTF, pot them and keep the watered until I plant them here in a couple of months.

 

[Anonymous]

where is the best place to plant them BSK?

 

[BSK]

I like "tree plots" to be planted near food plots, say at one end or the other of long, narrow opennings. But soil conditions should be a major concern. You want to plant fruit/nut trees in your better soils.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

Kinda on subject, I have a "tree plot" but was planning on it only having soft mass. The last few days I have thought about planting some nut bearing trees in it. My only concern is that the nut bearing trees would over shadow the soft mass. I guess spacing is key. In years to come it sure would be nice having a tree plot with food from end of summer til early December. That is my plan anyways.

The nut bearing trees that I have that I wanted to plant are Gobbler oak and Chinese chestnuts. I have them already but they are just really small, about 2-3 foot. I also have been really pleased with crabapples. I have several more of them to plant as well. Really sad when I am already planning what to do after deer season. :blush:

 

[plinker22]

Makes one wonder how different hunting would be if we still had the American Chestnut around. They were very regular producers. If they were still around we would all be complaining about how much we hated having all these nasty acorns to walk on and worrying about where the best chestnut trees were.

I have had that same thought many times. I can just imagine the "Northern" boys making regular trips to the Appalachian Mountains to try and kill some of our Monster Mountain Bucks!