Chestnuts

[Smokey Hills Bandit]

Has anyone ever jumped into the craze of chestnuts? From what I see on youtube its the only thing deer eat from sunup to sundown. 

I know they are not likely to survive in zone 3, but I was hoping to tree tube them and maybe they can withstand the cold.  Has anyone got their toes wet with chestnuts?

[LPS]

I wanted to plant some here on our property.  I called a chestnut grower that I found online.  He said no matter how old the tree is that if there is a -20 day the tree is going to die.  Darn!

[Smokey Hills Bandit]

Well that's going to be a problem! Wont waste my time or money - Thanks

[Boar]

thats wierd. me and cookie found chest nut trees..more of a bush on somebstate land by his place few years ago

[LPS]

Sounds like hazelnuts.  I have seen them around.

[glenn57]

thats wierd. me and cookie found chest nut trees..more of a bush on somebstate land by his place few years ago

yea..........right..........sure you did!!!!!!!!!!

[Dotch]

I have some hazelnut bushes-young ones & think deadeye might too. Not old enough to bear yet here. Were some growing in the fenceline between us and the neighbor when I was a kid. Tasty snack when gopher trapping.

Back on the chestnut thing, was that American chestnuts you were talking about growing SHB?

[deadeye]

I planted a chestnut tree in my garden when I lived in Coon Rapids. It grew fine there and was still going strong when I left in 2006.  I'm sure we had days below -20 back then.  Yes, I remember in the old days when... oh never mind.  It was a mistake to plant in the flower garden as they make a dang dirty mess.  Hazelnuts on the other hand grow just fine in central MN.  Like Dotch said, I have patches on my land.  Bears love them.

[LPS]

Maybe there are different kinds of chestnuts.  I talked to this guy about 8 years ago and he said I would be wasting my money but would like to sell me some.  Seemed like a pretty honest guy.  I just wanted the nuts for wildlife to eat. 

[LPS]

Just googled a great article on chestnuts.  A guy who works with them.  Canton MN.  Elizabeth Baier I believe is the writer.  MN tree researchers,

[Boar]

maybe they were hazlenuts....

[glenn57]

maybe they were hazlenuts....

you wouldn't know a hazelnut from. .. awd never mind.

[Boar]

from what glenn??? what? what were yu gona say? come on!! chicken puss!!

[Smokey Hills Bandit]

I have some hazelnut bushes-young ones & think deadeye might too. Not old enough to bear yet here. Were some growing in the fence line between us and the neighbor when I was a kid. Tasty snack when gopher trapping.

Back on the chestnut thing, was that American chestnuts you were talking about growing SHB?

We have a great acre patch of hazelnuts in our field which really produces some great nuts. Hazels are also everywhere in our woods and are so thick they choke everything out and do not produce many nuts..

I was looking into the Chinese Chestnut which is suppose to be hardy to zone 4. I did end up leaving an email with the team LPS recommended out of MN.
In the end I may just go for it.. I don't really want to start this spring with the projects a mile long, but its a hell of a lot better to plant a tree and wait, than to wait to plant.

[HD]

I tried to grow hazelnuts on my property, they never took. Where I live it's sand.... probably not good enough for them.

I'd be interested in the Chestnut 🌰 though. Let us know what you find out.

[delcecchi]

If it is any consolation, those ash trees are probably toast anyway due to emerald ash borer.    It certainly has done a job on the ash trees in Rochester and the Cities.     

[Leech~~]

I'm pretty sure when I was young My friend who had  cabin on a lake down by Faribault, Mn collected chestnuts with his dad every year.

[Dotch]

There were a few chestnuts west of Spring Valley. Was in a draw near Deer Creek where I used to fish. Not sure if they were American chestnuts tho.