Chestnuts

Chestnuts are one of the few nut trees that can be successfully grafted. They are also cold hardy to zone 4 but some grafted varieties are limited to zone 6. So be sure to do your research before buying. Chestnuts need to be cross-pollinated with another chestnut tree. The general rule of thumb is to space the trees no farther than 100 feet apart.

A commercial grower I met with years ago had come to the conclusion that 30 feet in-between trees was the ideal distance that allowed them to grow to their maximum height without crowding and shading, while still giving them the best pollination relationship.

Growing zone: Zones 4 to 9

Time to maturity: 5 to 6 years

Pollination needs: Needs cross-pollination

Pruning/Thinning: Chestnuts need to be trained to a central leader.

Harvest time: Most chestnuts ripen between mid-September and early October.

When pruning chestnut trees and training them to a central leader it is important to thin back weak branches and encourage the thick strong ones through the first five years. By encouraging the thick strong branches early you ensure the tree will be strong enough to hold the great weight of its bounty when it comes into maturity.

Long term storage options:  Chestnuts should be harvested and placed directly into cold storage. Luckily they keep in similar conditions to apples and pears. A root cellar with the temperature held in the mid 30’s and 90 percent humidity can keep the nuts for up to 6 months.

The most important key to preserving the nuts is to collect them as soon as they drop. Nuts that are allowed to sit on the ground, especially in rainy conditions can pick up fungal spores and bacteria that will carry over and invade the root cellar. Any nuts you harvest that are wet and dirty are better left in the field rather than risk bringing in unwanted microbes.