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pash
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# Posted: 21 Jan 2016 18:44
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I have recently been seed planting a bunch of different trees for wildlife and am considering planting some American Chestnut. Now I know the blight will eventually kill them, but have read of different ways to keep them to a maturity and get nuts from them. I would be planting a grove and wonder if anyone has tried.
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Don_P
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# Posted: 21 Jan 2016 20:25
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This is a source of seedlings with some blight resistance breeding. Check out his hazelnuts as well.
http://www.badgersett.com/plants/orderchestnuts.html
I'm curious, what critters historically made it through that spiny husk and used it for food?
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pash
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# Posted: 21 Jan 2016 20:39
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I hear deer like them 100 to 1 over acorns. I have read of painting paraffin on the spots that get blight and on the trunk right at the branch sprouts for preventative. I think till about 20 feet this is doable in a small setting. That should give me plenty of nuts before they get too tall and un-treatable. But by that time they will have some lumber, not much but enough not to waste.
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Don_P
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# Posted: 21 Jan 2016 21:29
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That pretty much runs in line with what I've seen. a tree seems to be maturing... setting fruit or nuts and making heartwood, at about the same time that the smooth juvenile bark starts to crack and look like an adult tree. The blight shows up in those cracks. I've seen people use paints and tars. Hmm, pine tar? The theory is all the same and will buy some time until the fungus gets in and girdles the tree. I've seen some here in blight central last up to about 12". In the Midwest I've seen some make it to maturity and even die of old age. I've heard the same about out west.
There is a state forest nearby that is selecting and breeding with good success. Meadowview, the American Chestnut Foundation, is a couple of hours away and does have some pretty resistant seedlings for substantial donors. The guy at the link above was I believe the first president of the ACF. One wanted more to recreate the timber tree the other more to re-establish nut production. I'm slowly working on a place for a small grove.
An interesting thought, not mine. When the blight hit so hard most people went ahead and took out all the chestnuts, they were all going to die. Wonder if we cut the resistant one?
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pash
Member
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# Posted: 21 Jan 2016 22:11
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My parents farm is in southern Indiana, my Uncles in WV at about 3000ft and Im in TN. I have thought and probably will plant some in all 3. I know where some are near me in TN. As i was parked under one in October next to a fence row waiting to receive a seatbelt ticket and the tree dropped a prickly nut I had never seen into the truck. I threw it out the window and thought nothing of it. When i purchased my seeds I realized what it was. Its in my town so i may go scavenge some. I'm only 32 so I may actually get to see it play out.
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