Author Topic: Chestnuts (Read 2519 times)

pgkevet · « **on:** December 21, 2016, 09:47:46 pm »

For those that don;t have your own trees (or in my case they're still too young).. have you seen the silly price in the shops? And worse they're imported!
So stick 3 or 4 in a pot and see how they do. I did this a couple of years ago and added 5 more saplings to the collection. If you don't live long enough you're kids will still thank you.

macgro7 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 24, 2016, 10:39:29 am »

I planted one two winters ago!
But I chose a specific variety which grows relatively small and starts fruiting in its second year - which it did! It only had one fruit though lol but the tree itself is just one stick!
Wild chestnuts which you find in the UK have three little nuts in a kernel. The one I planted is called "marron de lyon" and has one large nut in a kernel - just like the ones in shops.
Wanted to add a walnut as well. Again not the wild one but a specific variety which is self fertile, grows small and starts fruiting early.

BrimwoodFarm · « **Reply #2 on:** December 24, 2016, 11:22:43 am »

I've just started planting a few acorns and horse chestnuts to increase the woodland area on my farmland. Chestnuts sound ideal - I like the idea of the 'marron de lyon'!

macgro7 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 24, 2016, 11:41:57 am »

http://www.walnuttrees.co.uk/shop/sweet-chestnut/
Have a look at that website. Although they are expensive you can have a look at several very good varieties suited to the UK climate. Then look for the same ones on other websites for much less money

If you plants several varieties or the wilde ones nearby they will cross pollinate and increase the overall yield of fruits/nuts.

pgkevet · « **Reply #4 on:** December 24, 2016, 02:50:14 pm »

I inititally bought 2 such fast varieties when we moved here.. but with plenty of room I just sowed some chestnust left over froma christmas lot bought in supermarket..one the theory that cheap enough and hopefully will grow to type. All germinated and 5 were big enough to plant out last year..another slower one will get planted out this year. For some reason there's no sweet chestnut wild in my immediate area. It just annoys me that we import this sort of thing when perfectly capabe of growing it..like french apples ffs.

harmony · « **Reply #5 on:** December 24, 2016, 03:22:34 pm »

Quote from: pgkevet on December 24, 2016, 02:50:14 pm

I inititally bought 2 such fast varieties when we moved here.. but with plenty of room I just sowed some chestnust left over froma christmas lot bought in supermarket..one the theory that cheap enough and hopefully will grow to type. All germinated and 5 were big enough to plant out last year..another slower one will get planted out this year. For some reason there's no sweet chestnut wild in my immediate area. It just annoys me that we import this sort of thing when perfectly capabe of growing it..like french apples ffs.

They wouldn't be french apples then