Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Who doesn't know them, the magnificent balls that children love so much for handicrafts. We are of course talking about the chestnut, whose trees are really popular in autumn. The brown nuts are diligently collected and serve as a delicious meal, especially in the form of chestnuts.
Grow chestnut tree from chestnut
Castanea, chestnut
location
Finding the right location for a chestnut tree is not at all easy, because the light and temperature conditions must be right, as must the nature of the soil. You must also observe the distances to buildings, the neighboring property and the road. Here is what you should focus on:
- partially shaded to sunny position
- Wind protection is important, the location must be warm
- nutrient-rich, deep soil is suitable
- the best pH is between 5 and 6
- the distance to buildings must be calculated in advance
In fact, when you grow a small chestnut tree, you probably don't think about the size it will one day reach. When choosing the final location, however, this is important, because the planting distance to the street, buildings and the neighbors must be chosen sufficiently.
There are precise regulations in neighborhood law that you can view at the regulatory office. If you keep the legally prescribed distances, you will avoid trouble with the neighbors straight away.
Draw chestnuts: instructions
If you want to grow chestnuts yourself, you have to germinate the fruit. You increase the chances of your own tree if you sow the seeds in a pot. The chestnuts germinate better under controlled circumstances and the plant has a huge head start when it comes to planting out.
germination
In order for you to be able to germinate the chestnut, you have to do some preparatory work. There are two main obstacles that can prevent successful germination:
- the hard shell
- an absence of cold stimulus
It is not enough to peel off the seed coat, as this usually injures the radicle. In addition, the seed coat often extends into the embryo. It is better to carry out the preparation in a controlled manner to grow a chestnut tree yourself.
How to germinate a chestnut step by step:
- roughen the skin of the chestnut with sandpaper
- soak the seeds in lime-free water for 48 hours
- fill a plastic bag with damp sand
- twist the chestnuts in the plastic bag with sand
- keep the bags in the crisper of your fridge for six weeks
- keep the sand moist during the time
After germination
The inside of the chestnut houses an embryo consisting of two cotyledons. If the basic conditions are right, these leaflets push through the outer covering and the radicle grows. If you store the chestnuts in the refrigerator, you should regularly discard germinating seeds.
Plant seedling
When the chestnuts germinate, it only takes three steps to transplant the seeds into their own pot:
- Use deep growing pots and fill them with herbal soil
- Create a hollow and insert the germinating seeds about 2 cm deep
- water with lime-free water and look for a semi-shady place
It is important that you regularly keep the substrate slightly moist. In the first year one forms taproot, which can reach a depth of up to 40 cm. The first true leaves develop parallel to the cotyledons.
As soon as the chestnuts have reached a growth height of 20 - 30 cm, the young trees are given some liquid fertilizer every two weeks. If a pot is completely rooted, the young plant must be repotted.
A drainage must be introduced into the pot, as waterlogging can lead to root rot and means the premature end for the young tree.
plant out
When the chestnut has turned into a small chestnut tree with loving care, autumn is the right time to move outdoors. The soil has been thoroughly warmed by the summer sun, so the taproots sprout quickly and develop lateral roots. By the time the first frost arrives, a proper root system has already developed and the stability is given. For this, you need to follow a few steps so that the chances of a long tree life are given:
- First loosen the soil and remove roots, stones and weeds
- place the root ball of the chestnut with the pot in a bucket of water
- dig a planting hole 60 cm deep
- the diameter of the planting hole must be twice the width of the root ball
- put the potted root ball of the chestnut deep in the ground
- the top of the root ball should be just below the surface of the soil
- drive a support stake for the chestnut tree into the ground
After following these steps, the planting hole is filled with soil. This must be done well so that the roots reach a good ground contact. A cut is now required. To do this, select three main branches from your chestnut tree; you can remove all other branches.
The support pole is connected to the main shoot, the binding material must not damage the bark. Finally, water with rainwater and mulch properly with bark mulch.
The alternative cultivation
There is an alternative to growing chestnuts, but it is not always successful. To do this, stop the steps after soaking and put the soaked nuts straight into individual pots. The substrate must be slightly acidic, pricking soil is well suited.
You must now place the pots on the balcony or terrace so that the cold stimulus is guaranteed. The temperature must be between +4 °C and -4 °C for a period of at least four weeks.
If the weather is too dry, you have to pay attention to the soil, which must not dry out under any circumstances. Don't be afraid of snow: If the pots are snowed in, this has advantages because the snow accelerates germination.
Germinate faster with gibberellic acid
Vegetable growth hormones such as gibberellic acid can support germination in the case of heavy and cold germs, which include chestnuts. The application not only accelerates the germination rate, but also the germination time. By using gibberellic acid, you can grow a chestnut tree without the seeds having to sit in the fridge for weeks.
Application of gibberellic acid
It is not difficult to germinate chestnuts with gibberellic acid. You need the following preparation for this:
- Dissolve 0.1 g gibberellic acid in five ml ethanol (pure alcohol).
- Top up the mixture with 95 ml lime-free water
- Leave the mixture to rest for an hour
The desired amount of chestnuts is now soaked in the solution for 12 hours. Sowing is then possible immediately and without any further steps.