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Project: Growing Chestnuts - better than acorns

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    #61
    Unclefish,

    I see that you use the cheaper rootmaker cells. I have both the cheaper cells and the more expensive cells. The more expensive cells are individual units so it is easer to work with individuals cells. Do you have any tips for removing and transplanting individual plants from the cheaper cells without damaging those around them? My only experience has been in landscaping and gardening where I just turn the container upside down. That is obviously not an option with the cheaper cells.

    I have my cells setup indoors so I am utilizing a double bulb 4’ fluorescent light (daylight bulbs) on a timer about 2’ above the trays. The new trees are growing towards the center of the light. I have rearranged the more expensive cells individually and have spun the trays on the cheaper cells to offset the bend. Should I even be concerned with the lean? Would it be better to just raise the light?

    Thanks for the information you have provided here and in your other threads.

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      #62
      Originally posted by unclefish View Post
      You got it. I'll post some updates as they grow and when I transplant them to my farm.

      I'm sure I'll have some failures along the way but hopefully y'all learn from my mistakes.
      Pretty cool. What is the soil like where you plan on putting them? What is the growth rate? How well do they do with moisture versus draught tolerance?

      Subscribed and watching!

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        #63
        Originally posted by unclefish View Post
        Late March/Early April....depending on the weather.
        Your not going to try to grow them past sapling in bigger pots?

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          #64
          Originally posted by TradAg02 View Post
          Looking good. I hope my cells look like that in another week or two.

          I added moss and some moisture to the acorns in my fridge. My wife didn’t appreciate the additional space I was taking up so I moved them to the fridge in my office. Now my hunting room looks like a grow room and my office fridge looks like a science experiment.
          stay away from peat moss. it holds water but retards/stops growth. that is why you find things from the stone ages still looking new in peat bogs.

          Natural Organic Gardening and Living information, advice and recommendations.

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            #65
            Project: Growing Chestnuts - better than acorns

            if im gonna plant mine the first year i move them into 3 gallon roottrapper 2 containers and then plant them in the fall(more moisture in the fall and has more time to get established before summer drought). if i am going to grow them for 2 or more years i will go from the cells straight into 15 gallon roottrapper 2.

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              #66
              Originally posted by TradAg02 View Post
              Unclefish,

              I see that you use the cheaper rootmaker cells. I have both the cheaper cells and the more expensive cells. The more expensive cells are individual units so it is easer to work with individuals cells. Do you have any tips for removing and transplanting individual plants from the cheaper cells without damaging those around them? My only experience has been in landscaping and gardening where I just turn the container upside down. That is obviously not an option with the cheaper cells.

              I have my cells setup indoors so I am utilizing a double bulb 4’ fluorescent light (daylight bulbs) on a timer about 2’ above the trays. The new trees are growing towards the center of the light. I have rearranged the more expensive cells individually and have spun the trays on the cheaper cells to offset the bend. Should I even be concerned with the lean? Would it be better to just raise the light?

              Thanks for the information you have provided here and in your other threads.
              This is actually the first time I have used the rootmakers so I'm learning as I go. These rootmakers are somewhat flexible and once the tree gets big enough to transplant you simply go underneath and flex the bottom and sides while gently pulling the seedling out by the base of its roots. I have not heard anyone complain about problems transplanting on the QDMA forum. You could certainly cut them into single pots as you are right...they are cheap plastic.

              Yes I move the trees around so that they don't have bends. I would keep the light as close as possible to the trees. Everything I've read on it is those lights are good but it still does not compare to the energy they get from sunlight.....so they say to keep the lights close. I have been moving mine outside on warm days for an hour or two to get the real thing. But be careful not to leave them too long or they will fry.

              When they get a little bigger I will put a fan on them to simulate wind and they will develop a stronger trunk.

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                #67
                Originally posted by Chad C View Post
                Pretty cool. What is the soil like where you plan on putting them? What is the growth rate? How well do they do with moisture versus draught tolerance?

                Subscribed and watching!
                Good sandy loam. They like sandy more than thick clay soils.

                Growth rate is several feet a year. Several of the guys on another forum says they have 20 foots trees in 6-7 years. They start making chestnuts at 3-4 years.

                They have good drought resistance but like any first year seedlings they need TLC. After the first year they should thrive unless we get another bad drought then watering is needed. They actually don't like too much water and so they need to be planted in a spot with good drainage.

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                  #68
                  Originally posted by Chad C View Post
                  Your not going to try to grow them past sapling in bigger pots?
                  Some of them yes but the bulk of them probably not. I'll put them in tree tubes and watch them closely.

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                    #69
                    Originally posted by dragonsdaddy View Post
                    stay away from peat moss. it holds water but retards/stops growth. that is why you find things from the stone ages still looking new in peat bogs.

                    http://www.dirtdoctor.com/Peat-Moss-...tive_vq128.htm
                    I used a mix of spangham peat moss and perlite for the Chestnuts and poked holes in the ziplock bag. They need to be damp and the perlite helps get air to them without growing mold. I had over 90% of them sprout so far.

                    I've got the same thing going for the sawtooth acorns but I just put them in the fridge a few weeks ago. We will see if it works for them too.

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                      #70
                      Originally posted by catfishryan View Post
                      if im gonna plant mine the first year i move them into 3 gallon roottrapper 2 containers and then plant them in the fall(more moisture in the fall and has more time to get established before summer drought). if i am going to grow them for 2 or more years i will go from the cells straight into 15 gallon roottrapper 2.
                      That's a good plan. I will do a few in root trappers as well... but I've got 80+ trees and that would break the bank and cause domestic trouble!

                      Comment


                        #71
                        FYI they have alot of American and Chinese Chestnut seeds on eBay right now.

                        Get the best deals for chestnut seed at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!


                        I bought Dunstan seeds which is a cross between an American and a Chinese Chestnut. Personally I'd buy the American over the Chinese.

                        Its interesting that the American Chestnut was king of the forest in the eastern US but was all but wiped out by chestnut blight brought over from Asian trees. Its crazy to look how big those trees were! http://www.nature.com/news/plant-sci...ection-1.11504

                        The Dunstan variety is blight resistant.

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                          #72
                          Project: Growing Chestnuts - better than acorns

                          Originally posted by unclefish View Post
                          That's a good plan. I will do a few in root trappers as well... but I've got 80+ trees and that would break the bank and cause domestic trouble!
                          trust me i know what u mean. they are very expensive. i try my best to get the tree out with out damaging the container. so far i have been able to reuse them all

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                            #73
                            Here is a good video that goes into detail how to grow them.

                            [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O8IRqOYrP8"]Chestnut Planting Tutorial - YouTube[/ame]

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                              #74
                              Project: Growing Chestnuts - better than acorns

                              heres my whitetrash back yard setup. of course all the leaves have fell. the ones in the white roottappers were planted this year, the ones in the tubs were started last year in rootmaker trays -3 gallon roottrappers-tubs this year. one chinquapin oak is 13 feet tall. in 1.5 years. some that i planted last fall and are 2.5 yrs already made an acorn or 2Click image for larger version

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                                #75
                                Project: Growing Chestnuts - better than acorns

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