Sweet Chestnut

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

I was driving near to work today and noticed a Sweet Chestnut near to the road, with lots of nuts on it now they'll are fairly thin on the ground up here and i've always fancied growing a few in pots. Are they simple to do like Horse Chestnut and Oak? i.e stick them in some soil and wait till spring

Thanks

John

[Dan Salter]

As far as im aware sweet chestnut is easy to grow....we have huge SC plantations / woodland in kent...and i cant believe they would do so well if they were tricky?

[coasty]

Be careful with sweet chestnuts as the shells stain your fingers like nicotine,,, I went home from boarding school with stained fingers because I had been opening some and got a right beating as my Dad didnt beleive I hadnt been smoking.......

[Paul mabbott]

Yes, germinate and grow easily - plenty in our local wood so should be okay in Lincolnshire.
They germinate in our garden regularly and can be a bit of a pest!

Originally Posted by Lincs Yellowbelly

I was driving near to work today and noticed a Sweet Chestnut near to the road, with lots of nuts on it now they'll are fairly thin on the ground up here and i've always fancied growing a few in pots. Are they simple to do like Horse Chestnut and Oak? i.e stick them in some soil and wait till spring

Thanks

John

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

Thanks for the replies, i picked a few up today but they are not ripe inside the casing will they mature now they are off the tree?

[Paul mabbott]

Don't know!
Not sure what you mean about 'not ripe' .... I tend to assume that ones that fall off the trees are already ripe or are dead, abortive.
Thinks, flash of light - do you mean that the nut has not changed to deep brown? In which case, no problem. Leave the things in the outer case until it opens and the ripened nut falls out!
There is no rush to deal with these things - leave them in sand or compost over the winter then pick out one or two or hundreds to grow on after germination!

Originally Posted by Lincs Yellowbelly

Thanks for the replies, i picked a few up today but they are not ripe inside the casing will they mature now they are off the tree?

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Don't know!
Not sure what you mean about 'not ripe' .... I tend to assume that ones that fall off the trees are already ripe or are dead, abortive.
Thinks, flash of light - do you mean that the nut has not changed to deep brown? In which case, no problem. Leave the things in the outer case until it opens and the ripened nut falls out!
There is no rush to deal with these things - leave them in sand or compost over the winter then pick out one or two or hundreds to grow on after germination!

Yeh that is what i meant Paul, glad somebody can understand what i'm on about Thanks for the help paul